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One More Cast...
Time spent FISHIN'
is not deducted from one's life span.
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Anglers
on Wheels
By: Joe Thompson
For the last six
weeks I’ve had terrible pain in my left leg, foot, and lower back. There were many theories that abounded from family, friends,
and doctors; not one of their theories or solutions worked on the instant
gratification from pain that I required. So
here I was, a thirty-one year old, with such vigor for life, hunched and limping
in pain through my everyday activities.
Then it struck me,
what a perfect opportunity to get out to the stream a test this pain in my
territory!
It wasn’t easy;
just traversing the steep hill of the Neshaminy Creek, under the York road
overpass, was a feat. The pain was
excruciating. I turned tail and
left. I decided to get serious and
attack the problem with my brain instead of braun (stubbornness).
The trip home was filled with new ideas to use in the field that would
make my trek easier. I decided I needed some sort of staff.
Walking through the
front door of my home, I eyed my wife’s swifter mop.
I really liked the design: five one foot sections, each able to screw
into the others to form a five-foot staff section. I left for Kmart to buy a couple swifter’s (get the thicker
of the two types). I screwed
together seven sections. It looked
pretty good, just too to flashy with the silver shaft and bright green handle.
But a quick trip to the garage, some black electrical tape and some
hockey grip tape later—It was dull, sturdy, and unimpressive; perfect.
I called a doctor friend of mine to
tell him this brilliant idea I had, and constructed.
He gave me the last bit of advice I needed. When using my staff, lean on the opposite side that is
painful, to relieve the pressure on the back.
It worked like a charm. I
easily made it down the steep slope on my return, not without some pain; but
really isn’t that what makes a goal more enjoyable, the struggles it had taken
to get there? For the most part I
cast towards the left, upstream, and let the line drift down stream past me
about thirty feet. I was using
small plastic lizards; and they were working great.
I stopped counting how many smallies I had gotten; some sunfish and some
small cats too. I left four hours
later; my back was throbbing on a much more consistent basis.
I needed to rest. And if I
wanted to enjoy fishing again, I had to obey my body.
Turns out, through
an MRI scan, that I have a herniated disc.
Oww, it does hurt. Now, I
have to find out what this all really means with a trip to the doctor’s
office.
Fortunately this
does not mean I have to stop fishing! I
was out the following day to the same location, this time catching a big catfish
(26in); that I fried in bisquick for a more southern taste; for this instant the
pain had subsided and I was enjoying the fruits of my labor.
I can’t wait to get back out; I just hope the pain is subsided more.
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Access for People with Disabilities
If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a
disability, please contact the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks:
888-PA-PARKS (voice)
717-558-2710 (local or international voice)
888-537-7294 (TTY)
717-558-2711 (local or international TTY)
711 (AT&T Relay Services)
Philadelphia and Its Countryside/Lehigh Valley
Evansburg
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Skippack Creek has spring trout fishing and warm water fishing
throughout the year. The creek is stocked with brown and rainbow trout
from pre-season to Memorial Day. Warm-water fish are smallmouth bass,
catfish, sucker, carp, panfish and eel. An accessible fishing dock is in
the picnic area on Lewis Road. |
Marsh
Creek
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The 535-acre Marsh Creek Lake is good to excellent fishing for
warm-water species. Anglers have landed 40-inch long tiger muskies
(hybrid cross between northern pike and native muskellunge). Other
species include largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie, walleye
and a variety of panfish. The lake is designated a big bass lake and
specific regulations apply. |
Nockamixon
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Anglers will be able to test their skills against an assortment of
warm water species including walleye, muskellunge, pickerel, smallmouth
and largemouth bass, striped bass hybrids, channel catfish, carp and
various types of panfish. The fishing pier located at the mid-point of
the lake is especially convenient for people with disabilities. Fishing
is prohibited in the marina and boat rental areas. |
Ridley
Creek
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Ridley Creek is stocked with trout and provides excellent angling.
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission laws apply. The portion of the
creek from Sycamore Mills Dam to the mouth of Dismal Run is a delayed
harvest, fly fishing only area. A wheelchair accessible fishing platform
is on the paved, Multi-use Trail along Sycamore Mills Road. Vehicle
permits must be acquired at the park office. |
Tyler
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Anglers may fish along the banks of the Neshaminy Creek or from a
canoe. Warm-water species include sunfish, black crappie, carp,
smallmouth bass and other panfish. The Neshaminy Creek is also the home
of large snapping turtles, eels, frogs, water snakes and muskrats. |
Sources
of Fishing Equipment for Disabled Individuals
- The following list comprises
of companies that make some form of fishing gear that has been adapted in
one form or another for disabled individuals. These companies have been
complied from several sources. We are not familiar with all these companies.
- Access
to Recreation, Inc. .
- 2509 E.
Thousand Oaks Blvd. Suite 430
- Thousands Oaks,
CA 91362
- 800-634-4351 /
805-498-7535
- FAX:
805-498-8186
- Catalog available
ofadapted sports and fishing equipment
- Bassmatic
- 2512 Columbus Road
- P.O. Box 7117
- Canton, OH 44705
- 330-455-3983
- FAX: 330-455-6534
- Adaptive device
for amputees to manipulate fishing rods.
- Boat Tray
by Traken, Inc.
- 71112 S. Villanova
- St. Louis, MO 63123
- Tray for walkers
to hold fishing gear.
- Cheney-Weeder
Mfg., Inc.
- 1805 West 4th
- Spokane, WA 99204
- 509-624-4333
- FAX: 509-624-9844
- Maker of the
Chinook pontoon boat. Custom designed for the disabled angler.
- Creative
Shop
- P.O. Box 7
- Leoma, TN 38468
- 615-852-2323
- Van's EZ Cast
provides casting system for persons with disabilities.
- Dritmaster
- Blackwater Tools
- Route 7 Box 1444
- Manning, SC 29102
- 803-473-4927 / 800-346-1923
- FAX: 803-473-4953
- Makes rod holders
for any action rods.
- Electric
Fishing Reel Systems, Inc.
- P.O. Box 20411
- Greensboro, NC 27420
- 910-273-9101
- FAX: 910-370-9411
- Electric Fishing
Reeel System.
- Fish Alert
- 1310 East Sixth Street
- Sandwich, IL 60548
- 800-6fish92
- A new rod holder
that lights up and buzzes when a fish bites. Easy access to the rod by
disabled fishermen.
- FJR
Industries, Inc.
- P.O. Box 968
- Painesville, OH 44077
- 440.352.9333
- www.fishingrodstuff.com
- Rod Holders
- Garis
Tackle
- P.O. Box 643
- Skyland, NC 28776
- 704-687-1152
- FAX: 413-774-7155
- "NO-TIE
CONNECTOR" Product connects fishing line to lure without
knot.
- H & M Marine
Enterprises
- Route 2 HWY 13 E
- Carbondale, IL 62901
- 618-985-3769
- FAX: 618-985-3769
- Welded flat
bottom boats with side ramps
to meet the needs of disabled sportsmen.
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