Patrick spent most of Saturday either throwing up off the side of the boat or lying on the back deck while we searched a frigid Maine lake for fish.
The disabled veteran had been battling one of the mysterious health episodes he says have plagued him since serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003 to 2006. Hot showers helped, but not much.
The next morning, Patrick landed multiple giant smallmouth bass, including an incredibly rare 22-inch river fish. It was one of the best days of fishing I’ve ever witnessed.
I have been blessed with great clients, and many of them book a year in advance. Chris is one of those clients, and he often picks the last weekend in April, which is always a huge gamble in Maine. You never know what the weather will do, whether the rivers will be blown out, or if the ice will even be gone. But Chris likes the challenge.
This year, Chris brought along his fishing buddy Patrick.
We originally planned to chase lake trout on one lake, but changing conditions forced us to switch locations at the last minute.
Before heading there, we spent a half day chasing largemouth bass.
The water temp was 46 degrees and cold enough to keep fish sluggish. We had explored this pond for the first time last year while searching for new northern pike water. We never found pike, but we did land 30 largemouth bass up to 21 inches, so it was an easy decision to go back.
Even with cold water and heavy wind, we managed around 15 bass. Nothing giant, maybe a 19-inch fish at best, but considering the conditions, we found fish and had a good start to the trip.
As my wife Stac was making her famous sandwiches the next morning, I noticed Patrick pacing around the driveway. Soon he came inside asking if he could take a shower because his back hurt and hot water usually helped.
A little while later, he was back outside sweating heavily.
Eventually, we needed to get moving. We thought Patrick would stay behind, but he insisted on going.
The lake water was only 36 degrees. We fished areas where we were told lake trout had been caught through the ice, but the fishing was painfully slow.
Patrick spent most of the day lying on the back deck while Chris and I explored.
Later in the afternoon, we discovered the south end of the lake was still iced in, which explained the brutally cold water temperatures.
Around 4 p.m., we decided we had given it a fair shot and needed to get Patrick back because he clearly wasn’t getting any better.
Patrick told us these episodes happen two or three times a week and that he has been dealing with them for nearly 20 years. The VA still can’t figure out what’s wrong with him.
He said around 30% of the men in his unit developed similar symptoms, and no one seems to have answers. He also explained that just when doctors begin making progress, he gets assigned a new doctor and has to start the process all over again.
When we got back to my place, Patrick immediately went into the shower. Stac, Chris and I headed to the tiki bar to cook dinner and relax by the fire.
When I checked on him again hours later, he was still in the shower. When I asked if he was OK, I startled him. He had actually fallen asleep sitting on the shower floor.
After nearly four hours, he finally came out, still not feeling great. He said the water wasn’t hot enough, but I already had it turned all the way up.
Right before bed, around 9 p.m., he tried the shower one more time. This time, when he came out, we could tell he finally seemed a little better.
The river was high the next morning, and the water temp was 46 degrees. Right away both Chris and Patrick were into fish.
Chris stuck with his Vibrax #5, and Patrick kept landing big bass after big bass.
Honestly, I can’t remember another day where one person landed that many quality fish.
After what we watched Patrick endure the day before, he absolutely deserved the day he had.
After the trip, I did a little research and learned the United States has roughly 5.5 million disabled veterans, including around 1 million classified as 100% disabled. Patrick is one of them, though he said he had to fight for that designation.
I’ve heard stories on the news and from other clients over the years, but seeing it firsthand was different. Watching someone battle something like that for 20 years and still push through to enjoy life and go fishing puts a lot into perspective.
Patrick is one tough guy.
The trip left me thinking about how important fishing and the outdoors can be for veterans dealing with long-term struggles.
There are several organizations doing that work. Most people have heard of Project Healing Waters, but there are many others helping veterans reconnect through fishing and time outdoors, including Fishing With Vets, US Vet Connect, Warrior Fishing and Maine-based Operation ReBoot Outdoors.
If you’re interested in supporting veterans, these organizations are worth checking out.
