Trout Unlimited to aid disabled vets in fly fishing at Foggy Mountain Lodge
A group of about 45 disabled veterans are expected to test their fly casting skills during a fishing outing on May 11 at Foggy Mountain Lodge Lake off Route 130 in Cook Township.
The disabled veterans will have the opportunity to enjoy fly fishing as a way of relaxing and healing, said Larry Myers, president of the Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited, which is sponsoring the event.
About 30 veterans from the H.J. Heinz Campus of the Veterans Administration in Aspinwall are slated to participate in the event, which is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Myers said. About 45 volunteers will assist the veterans with one-on-one instruction and support, Myers said.
Boy Scout Troop 465 from Greensburg will help with preparing and serving lunch, Myers said.
It is the second annual fly fishing event for the disabled veterans, Myers said. The Forbes Trail Chapter again is partnering with another national nonprofit, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc., which has extensive experience across the country teaching fly fishing and related activities to disabled veterans.
“Most the veterans did quite well,” Myers said of the 2018 event at Foggy Mountain Lodge Lake, where veterans fished for stocked panfish and trout.
“Everyone caught plenty of panfish and bass, and several caught rainbow trout,” Myers said.
Many of the veterans, some in wheelchairs, had built their own fly rods and tied their own flies, Myers said. For others, it was the first time they had been out in the mountains and fly fishing.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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