Category: Fishing
Military Veterans and First Responders Enjoy Day of Trout Fishing
Mist lifts off the lake in early morning
Saturday, October 5th turned out to be a perfect fall day on the lake…and this time the fish cooperated! The morning air was cool, which was perfect for fishing. With the leaves just starting to show some fall color, and the smell of a campfire in the background, everyone was in the mood to welcome in the new season.
This was the Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU) sixth annual fishing event for military veterans and first responders. The event took place at Kingston Veterans Sportsmen Club east of Latrobe. Many of the veterans attending had participated in every event since TU began the program in 2018. Forty-seven registered veterans and first responders spread out around the lake and started catching fish immediately. Kingston had stocked trout just days before. The lake holds trout, catfish, bass and panfish which provided action for the anglers until early afternoon.
Everyone we spoke to expressed their appreciation for the event and how they enjoy, not just the fishing, but the camaraderie of spending a day in the mountains with friends and fellow service providers. Some took their angling very seriously working multiple rods. Others used the opportunity to learn how to use a fly rod for the first time with the help of a TU mentor. And a few simply enjoyed some R & R in lawn chairs along the lake soaking up the sights and sounds.
National TU introduced the program of fly fishing to veterans many years ago to bring the therapeutic healing of fly fishing to our nation’s heroes. First responders were added a few years back and the program is now called the TU Service Partnership honoring those who have served their country and communities. Many of TU’s 400 local chapters nationwide, have started programs like this. TU is very grateful that Kingston Sportsmen agreed to partner with them again this year. Their manicured club grounds provide ADA access to their lake, pavilion and restroom facilities. The perfect setting!
The other partner in this annual event is the Scouts of Troops 465 and 305. They start the event posting colors then invite veterans to participate in retiring worn American flags. The U. S. flag code requires “The Flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.” The Scouts and veterans join in a solemn and dignified ceremony complete with patriotic music in the background.
The other service the Scouts provide is lunch for over 100 veterans, first responders and volunteers. “They have made this a simple turnkey operation” noted Larry Myers, president of Forbes Trail TU. “We tell the Scouts how many will be in attendance, they buy and prepare the food, then hand us the bill making our job so much simpler”. “More importantly, the veterans appreciate the Scouts being involved. This is another opportunity for the Scouts to serve their community and to honor those who have served their country.”
“For the past several years the Boy Scouts of Troop 465 have been honored to team up with the folks from Trout Unlimited and Kingston to spend a day recognizing our veterans and first responders” said Scout Leader Mark Menanno. “One of the talents of our troop is cooking. We enjoy the challenges of cooking for a large group and the Scouts enjoy all their interactions with the veterans and first responders.”
We thank our event sponsors… Fish USA, Home Depot, four local Giant Eagle Supermarkets, Westmoreland Case Management and Bubba’s Kitchen and Bar.
Larry,
I would like to thank you, as well as all involved with you for a great day.
The fishing was fun. The fact that you had some bait available was a plus.
The food was good and plentiful. If anyone left hungry, it was their fault. The addition of the homemade items was very thoughtful. The baked beans, the sauerkraut, the fried onions all added to the day and proved your commitment to Veterans and First Responders.
The door prizes were such a nice touch. I couldn’t believe how many you offered. The extra drawing for the Scouts was an added bonus and proof of your thoughtfulness.
I can’t think of anything you overlooked. Everyone was friendly and walked around speaking to everyone, ensuring a good day was being had and nothing was needed.
Please thank everyone sincerely for me. The time and planning you all put in to make the day so successful did not go unnoticed.
It will be my pleasure to spread the word for next year!!
Deb Krall, AF Veteran
Students Exploring the Outdoors
As impossible as it might seem, every student who participated in the Trout Unlimited first, annual “Students Exploring the Outdoors with TU” event caught at least one trout…and some caught many more. This was a partnership effort developed by the Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU), Ligonier Valley School District, the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) and local landowners. The intent was to introduce 5th graders to the sport of fishing and use the school sanctioned field trip to teach a little about stream ecology, water safety, trout bugs and becoming responsible environmental stewards.
The event was held April 18 and 19 on a trout stream near Ligonier where property owners and neighbors had remediated a section of stream specifically for youth anglers. The neighbors sponsor a youth event each year on the traditional first day of trout season, but this event went above and beyond. Each day, forty students from Ligonier Valley elementary schools were bussed to the site and divided into groups of five to seven students, then rotated every half hour through six learning stations. The stations, managed by TU volunteers and partners taught casting, stream ecology and macroinvertebrates, water safety, fly tying, the value of riparian buffers, and of course…trout fishing.
In preparation for the event, the PFBC stocked the stream and TU purchased another delivery of trout from a local hatchery in an effort to up the odds for the students to catch fish. “That might not be how it works in nature”, noted Angie Schultheis, Education Committee Chair and event organizer for TU. “But in order to get the students “hooked” on the sport, they needed to ensure a “fish-on” experience for each student.” Mission accomplished!
It was rewarding for the volunteers to see the excitement of the young anglers landing, what in many cases, was their first fish ever. Mr. Ryan Podlucky, Health and Physical Education Teacher at Ligonier Valley Middle School, and coordinator for this event, arranged for ten students from the District’s Life Skills program to participate in the fishing also. They had first shot at the trout on the second morning. Those students all enjoyed a memorable experience catching trout, and releasing them unharmed.
Mr. Podlucky provided eight Junior Mentors each day from his school to assist the younger students. The Junior Mentors had just completed a winter-long program with TU and were anxious to demonstrate their newly developed skills to the fifth-graders. In just three months of working with TU in the classroom and on the stream, the students grew from being learners, to being instructors. Being close in age, the Junior Mentors and new learners worked well together.
Local Waterways Conservation Officers, a Game Warden and adult TU mentors worked alongside the Junior Mentors to help the 5th graders read the stream, cast to likely hiding places, set the hook, then net the fish and safely release it. Students took a break at noon to enjoy a bag lunch provided by the school district. TU cooks provided a grilled lunch for the volunteers as they caught their breath for the afternoon session. Over twenty volunteers and teachers worked like a well-oiled-machine to provide the students with a rewarding outdoor education and memorable experiences.
Laurel Highlands Trout Trail Poker Run
Announcing the first annual Laurel Highlands Trout Trail Poker Run!
Here’s how it works:
- Fly-Fish all 10 of the top ten Laurel Highlands Trout Trail streams
- Take a photo of participants at each of the Top Ten Stream signs and submit the photos to us at info@trouttrailtu.org
- Participants submitting all ten photos will be included in a drawing for the prizes
- Adult prize is a Douglas ERA fly rod with Cheeky Preload 375 reel with line and backing
- Youth prize is a Echo Gecko youth outfit with rod, reel and line ready to fish
- Registration fees are $20 for adults and $5 for youth 15 and under
Visit the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail website laurelhighlandstrouttrail.org for all the details and locations of the LHTT top ten streams and signs.
- The Poker Run goes from April 6th to July 31
- Photo submission deadline is August 7, 2024
Download the Flyer: Poker Run Flyer
Download the Rules and Registration Form: Poker Run Rules and Registration
Ligonier Valley Students Celebrate Spring with Fly Fishing
Fourteen students from the Ligonier Valley Middle School demonstrated their fly-fishing skills on Loyalhanna Creek on Wednesday, April 10, as part of a school sanctioned field trip. The students had just completed a six-session program from January through March learning the importance of coldwater conservation and how to tie flies and cast using a fly rod. This program, originating with the school’s Outdoor Club many years ago, is an effort by the Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited to share with the next generation their passion for fly-fishing. But more importantly, it’s an effort to teach the students the importance of protecting our trout streams and the coldwater fisheries.
The “final exam” was putting into practice all the skills the students learned during the course from selecting the correct fly pattern, experimenting with casting techniques, mending their lines, and learning how to “read a stream”. A few of the students had some previous fishing experience with family members while others were quite new to the sport. While many of the students caught fish, what impressed the TU mentors the most was their perseverance and attention to detail.
When it was time to get back on the bus, a couple of the students almost had to be threatened with detention to get them to leave the stream. Haley Robertson had snagged her trout fly on a rock and broken it off. While still standing in the stream, she demanded another rod with a fly already tied on it, then proceeded to catch one last trout. And Haley may have claimed the titled for most fish “caught”…by her definition!
As a means of explanation, the mentors also taught the students some of the finer points of the sport of fly-fishing, such as terminology. For example, when an angler hooks a fish and fights it for 5 seconds or longer before it breaks off, that is considered a “Long Distance Release”, or LDR and counts toward the daily catch total! In essence it’s a modified version of “catch and release” that TU promotes. The students seemed to grasped that quickly! Fishing is sometimes as much about story-telling as it is a sport itself!
Mr. Ryan Podlucky, Health and Physical Education Teacher and Advisor for this program did his share of tutoring and netting fish. After demonstrating to students how to catch a trout himself, he proceeded to help a couple of students who weren’t having as much luck. In his words, “Today’s trip, although probably the most memorable for my students, was probably about 5% of the time that Forbes Trail TU had dedicated this year to my students. This organization and volunteers pour their time and energy into their passion. It is really great to see my kids outside of the normal classroom walls learning and having experiences they normally wouldn’t be able to have. LVSD really appreciates the efforts of FTTU.”
Veterans and First Responders Fishing Outing
Mist lifts from the lake before the crowd arrived
What an incredible day of fishing and camaraderie as over 40 veterans and first responders hooked and landed trout, panfish and catfish! Military veterans, first responders, Scouts and volunteers from Kinston Veterans Sportsmen Club and Forbes Trail Trout Unlimited celebrated the end of summer with a spectacular day on the water. Unfortunately, the weather was more cooperative than the trout this year. Some of the anglers spent Saturday relaxing and reacquainting with friends. Others took the fishing opportunity more seriously learning how to use a fly rod for the first time and honing their casting skills.
Veteran Fred Exley expressed, “I really want to get more into fly-fishing next year. I borrowed this rod this morning but I need to learn out to reach out further on the water with it.” Steve Shirley from Trout Unlimited was helping Fred with his casting skills, teaching how to transfer the energy from the rod to the shooting line. Trout Unlimited teaches fly fishing to veterans as a means to heal the body and soul.
Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited began its program in 2018 focusing on military veterans. Partnering with Kingston Sportsmen allows ADA access to their lake stocked with trout, lunker catfish and panfish, and easy access to other facilities. This year, for the first time, they extended the invitation to local first responders. “We want to recognize first responder for their brave and dedicated service to the communities where we live”, noted Chapter President, Larry Myers.
Keith Riffle, Club VP and President of the Veterans Committee recruited many of the veterans by visiting numerous VA medical centers, VFWs and American Legions. A veteran himself, Keith explained, “We’ll do whatever it takes to provide a rewarding day on the water for our veterans and first responders.”
This was the first time many of the veterans and first responders participated in this fishing event. For others, it was time for reacquaintances. The purpose of the program is primarily to introduce veterans and first responders to fly fishing for some R&R. But if using a fly rod is not comfortable, mentors assist the veterans using whatever fishing tackle they prefer. Some veterans have actually built their own fly rods and tied their own flies.
For retired Army First Sergeant, Cynthia Butler, this was her second event and would like to see more lady veterans get involved with fishing. Cynthia and several family friends and veterans enjoyed the day, even though the fishing was more challenging this year. The water was still a little warm and the bright sun, while welcoming to the anglers, drove the trout deeper in the lake. Still, every angler said they enjoyed the beautiful fall day and are looking forward to coming back next year. As a bonus, everyone enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch and many won raffle prizes of fly rods, autographed books and gift cards. Westmoreland County Commissioner, Doug Chew was on hand to recognize both military veterans and first responders for their dedicated service to our country and communities.
Other partners were Scout Troops 465 and 305. The Scouts, as in past events, prepared and served lunch for the crowd of 120 veterans, first responders and volunteers. They also opened the event by posting colors and later held a flag retiring ceremony which the veterans appreciated. We thank our event sponsors…Home Depot, three local Giant Eagle Supermarkets, Fish USA and Bent Rods Bait and Tackle.
The partner volunteers look forward to the annual event and enjoy the opportunity to, if even for just one day a year, be able to serve those who served their country. It was another relaxing and rewarding day on the water for all involved. Trout Unlimited salutes our veterans and first responders, and thanks all of our partners and sponsors who made this all happen.
LVMS Outdoor Club Completes Successful Fly Fishing Program
The Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited worked with fifteen students over the winter and spring to teach coldwater conservation, fly tying, rod rigging, casting and fly fishing. They wrapped it all together nicely during a field trip on Thursday, April 13. The day for them began with a presentation by the local PA Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC), Waterways Conservation Officer, Matt Kauffman explaining how the PFBC supports the sport of fishing and a summary of the relevant regulations.
Immediately that session, Josh Penatzer, Project Manager for the Loyalhanna Watershed Association, demonstrated electrofishing to the students. The students donned waders, and some carried buckets and nets, as they followed Josh around Mill Creek collecting fish and macroinvertebrates. Once collected, Josh identified the species and explained their value in the stream before each critter was released unharmed. This is a component of the coldwater conservation program being taught to the Outdoor Club each year…learning about stream ecology and the value of each component.
After a bag lunch, the students grabbed their waders and fishing gear to put all they had learned into practice on the Delayed Harvest Articicial Lures Only section of the Loyalhanna Creek, just downstream of the Rt. 711 bridge. The students had obviously paid close attention during their Club classes because their efforts were rewarded with several trout and even more shouts of “fish on”!
Mr. Ryan Podlucky, Health and Physical Education Teacher and Outdoors Club Advisor for LVMS had this to say following the event…”I just wanted to thank you so much for a great day. I know many of those kids said yesterday was the best day of school they ever had. The boys were in the locker room talking to me before dismissal and they said they really felt like they actually learned something they can use. It was a pretty powerful discussion. That wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for you guys. I really appreciate everything you do for us.”
Eight mentors from Forbes Trail assisted with the event on Thursday although approximately fifteen total helped with classes throughout the semester. The students enjoyed practicing what they had been learning, and the mentors enjoyed the opportunity to share their skills and experience. Forbes Trail works with several schools, scouts and youth group to help groom coldwater conservationists, and teach their rewarding sport of fly fishing. The mentors work hard to protect trout fisheries and keep their fly fishing tradition alive. And this group of LVMS students have certainly made their time and efforts worthwhile! Kudos to all the Outdoor Club students!
TU Ladies Hook Into Fall Trout
Lady anglers from Penn’s Woods West and Forbes Trail Chapters of Trout Unlimited took advantage of the beautiful weather this past Saturday to do some fall trout fishing. The leaf colors were almost as magnificent as those on the hefty brook trout landed by Tara Easter. What made it extra special was Tara spent the day fishing with her mother, Bonnie Robinson who happens to be chair of the Membership Committee for Forbes Trail. The two TU chapters regularly partner on activities and events involving our lady members since sometimes neither chapter can round up a critical mass on its own. Through its Diversity Committees, TU works to create programs for entire families and community members who may not get many opportunities to try their hand at fly fishing. Penn’s Woods West organized this event and reach out to surrounding chapters. For once both the weather and trout cooperated!
Veteran's Fishing Event Postponed
Due to an increasingly bad weather forecast calling for rain and cold temperatures on Saturday, October 1st, we have reluctantly decided to reschedule the Veteran’s Fishing Day for next Saturday, October the 8th.
All else remains the same. The event will begin at 9 am and run til 3 pm. There will be drinks, snacks and a grilled lunch served by Boy Scouts. Fishing tackle will be provided for those without their own and there will be expert mentors for those who need assistance.
Here’s hoping for nice weather and that everyone can still attend.
Youth Group Fishing Day on Loyalhanna Creek
Twelve students from Ligonier Valley Middle School’s Outdoor Club got to test their skills fly fishing on Thursday, May 12th, on Loyalhanna Creek. This was the culmination of their winter-long, fly-tying and coldwater conservation studies program. Mentors from Trout Unlimited’s (TU) local Forbes Trail Chapter worked with the students for several sessions during the winter teaching them to tie a variety of patterns of imitation flies…trout bugs. Thursday, they got to try out those patterns on the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only section of the stream in Ligonier. This was a high school sanctioned field trip to give the students stream experience with a sport they have been studying as part of their Outdoor Club.
The weather cooperated much more so than the fish unfortunately. Though most students did experience “hits” from trout over the two-hour period. Dylan A, an eighth grader actually got to yell “fish-on” while classmates and mentors cheered him on. The fish, a nice size rainbow, put up a good fight, but managed to release himself before Dylan was able to get him into the landing net. It was a pretty cool experience just the same. While TU promotes “catch and release”, we prefer it be on the angler’s terms, not that of the fish! Many of the Club students were experienced fly fishers and demonstrated their skills to the mentors. Others, while they may have fished before, were using a fly rod for the first time and welcomed instructions.
TU has worked with the Outdoor Club for many years. Mentors were excited to be able to renew their program with the learners after a two-year, pandemic hiatus. The students want to learn to tie their own flies, and to use a fly rod proficiently. “We can teach them all that. But we’re most interested in teaching them about the need to protect our coldwater streams and fisheries”, said TU mentor Bill Somogyi. “At some point, they will need to become the advocates to protect our trout waters so they and their kids will have streams like the Loyalhanna to fish.”
TU welcomes the opportunity to work with local schools and youth groups to teach coldwater conservation and fly fishing. LVMS students are fortunate that they have a premier trout stream, essentially within walking
distance of their school. They are quickly learning to be the stream’s ambassadors.
