Project Healing Waters
A Day on the Bay Fly Fishing Event

On October 9, 2010 a group of Wounded Warriors from Walter Reed and Fort Meade joined a group of 9 volunteer Professional Chesapeake Bay fly fishing guides for a day of fishing for Striped Bass (Rock Fish as they are known on the Bay). The event was hosted by the Potomac-Patuxent Chapter of Trout Unlimited and supported by volunteers from the Chapter.

Thanks to the generous contribution of their facility, Castle Harbor Marina on beautiful Kent Island Maryland was the focal point for the event, which began at 0800 on a magnificent Saturday morning.

A young marine receives instruction

The Professional Guides led by Richie Gaines, Gary Neitzy, Richard Borneman, Chris Dollar, Ed Liccione, Tom Parker, and Mark Eustis were joined by several other boats to put the Warriors on fish, and provide instruction on fly fishing skills and technique.

We were fortunate that the winds were light, the sun was warm, and the Captains delivered their promise of putting the soldiers on fish! The nine 21’-24’ center console boats were perfect platforms for following the birds (a sure sign of fish) and casting into schools of Rock, providing plenty of strikes and excitement.

At the end of the day all of the participants joined up back at the Marina Pavilion to swap fish tales and enjoy a cookout feast coordinated by Chapter member John Dyer.

All in all it was a great Day on the Bay!

We hope to expand the event and adjust the date to ensure we get the + 30” stripers, and growing the event into an annual fundraiser for Project healing Waters.

A special thanks is owed to David Folkerts, Craig Peterson and Robert Wehland of PHW for helping coordinate the attendees, and to John Dyer, for his work in coordinating all the shore side activities.

Roger Carlsen