First HOW event!

[thinkimgonnayak]

Hi All-

I'll be attending my first HOW event this Sunday, and I'm really looking forward to it! Just wanted to see if anyone else was going. Hope to meet some people off the forum, spend some time with some fellow Vets, and maybe catch a few fish....

See you Sunday!

Scott

[SRAces]

Scott,

You will have a great time! They do a wonderful job for the vets and their guests. Well worth attending. If I lived closer I'd attend them all. I will be attending the HOW camping event on Merritt Island 13-15 June. If you are at that, I'll be sure to look you up. Fishing the Jax Classic on the 9th and 10th. I'll be wearing a SeaDek long sleeve shirt Friday night if you attend and want to say hello.

Tight lines!!

Steve

[Redfish Chaser]

Scott, there will be alot of your fellow forum members at the event and I will be there to greet you. I for one have had a great & rewarding time at every event!

Craig

[MrTopWater]

Look forward to officially meeting you on Sunday Scott!!

[YakGroupie]

Looking forward to meeting you!

[thinkimgonnayak]

Thanks everyone! Looks like we should have great weather for it, too.

[Kudzu]

Have a great time. I've been sidelined since Oct. Did something to my elbow and can't hardly paddle.

Make sure you give us a report of your first time!

[Nakamoto2]

Congrats and I know you will enjoy it or enjoying it as I type this. I haven't been able to go due just well life but all the folks involved are a great bunch.

[thinkimgonnayak]

Quick report from my first HOW event last Sunday...

The weather was incredible! Here's a pic of me leaving the ramp:

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I ended up catching a little Blue fish while trolling out within minutes of hitting the water. Had hoped it was a sign of things to come, but that would be my first and only fish of the day.....but that's not important.

I ended up guiding for a nice kid named Charles. Was able to put him on a couple Reds that were just under slot, and a NASTY lamprey!! Charles took the pics of the first Red and the eel, but unfortunately I forgot to have him send them to me. Here's a pic of Charles getting into his yak:

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He had a great day and caught some fish! The best part was when he started thinking like an angler and tried to predict where the fish would be. Hope he sticks with it because it suited him. I had a lot of fun and will definitely be coming back. Great cause and am happy to be a part of it. Last pic is the group shot; I'm on the far left. Great bunch of people! THANK YOU!!

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[Vonzipper]

It was good seeing you there. I had hoped you would have to roll out the excess sticker from the tube to take a picture but maybe next time. And you are right, HOW is a great cause and the greatest people in the world. It isn't just about catching fish, it is about seeing the freedom the vets find in that experience.
Zip

[YakGroupie]

You did a great job guiding Scott. Thanks so much for coming out and participating. It is ONLY because of our volunteers that we are able to make a difference.

I told Scott at the event that Charles first came to us a few months ago with his veteran blind father Chuck. Charles told me in the morning that he didn't like fishing, didn't want to kayak and wasn't happy about going out. He's 16 so I chatted with him some and he agreed to give it a shot. By the end of the day he was giving his then guide Charlie hugs and telling him he had a great time. Scott guided Charles during his third time out. This was the morning after his high school prom and they drive from south of Gainesville (2 hours away) to get here. Charles is essentially a care-giver for his father and coming to our events allows him to just be a teenager and have a good time.

Thanks again Scott, you put smiles on faces on Sunday. We appreciate you!