By Lili Keys, Lone Star Outdoor News
Photos by Ron Gard
Patriot Anglers is a fly fishing group based in North Texas with a focus on increasing veteran well-being, renewing their sense of camaraderie, and enhancing their desire to move forward with the healing process. Since its founding, the program offers fly-fishing 101 and fly tying classes, and has taken approximately 1,600 veterans on single day and multi-day outings.
Johnny Walker, a veteran himself, serves as the lead volunteer for local trips to Lake Emma in East Texas.
“Ninety-nine percent of those who suffer from PTSD have two issues. First, they have no hope for the future, or for anything for that matter and second, they struggle to focus on things,” Walker said. “When you fly- fish, you quickly learn you have to focus to make that cast just right, otherwise it could end up in the tree! So taking the vets to fish, pushes them to focus on a task. They also go in with no expectations to catch anything but once they catch a fish, they hope to catch a larger one… and that feeling of hope comes back to them.”
Recently, Patriot Anglers hosted five female veterans for a weekend-long program in East Texas. Gretchen Jones and her guide/coach, Cathy Case, pictured in the lead photo, caught the largest fish of the weekend despite the strong winds as a cool front blew through on Oct. 22.
For more information on the program or to volunteer your time, visit this link.
