Fish with Rich

Sorry to break it to you, but this post is not exactly the ego trip you are expecting.  Since I'm stuck in the library this week I'm going to blow off steam by telling fish stories.  Here's one about Rich Waldner.  He's the best fishing guide in Southern Louisiana and the reason that I have such a cool fishing hat.

I am lucky enough to know Rich through my father, the two are old friends from their Marine Corps days.  This connection has earned me first-class accommodations in the "trout room" and "bass room" of the late, great "Camp Waldner."  That's the Ruebism for Rich's home built on stilts alongside the levy of the Mississippi River.  As if staying in a treehouse isn't already cool enough, listening to Rich's 95 year old father (Buck) tell stories of fighting railroad bulls and stowing away in freight cars adds that extra element of danger... but then those are tales for another day.

Capt. Rich at the helm during sunset on the marsh

He calls his guide service "Fish with Rich," but in reality it's almost unfair to use the term "fish" since it implies that you might not catch anything.  Aboard Rich's boat, you are basically guaranteed to catch beautiful fish each time you step onto the casting platform.  It's almost like he can smell the redfish, speckled trout, and bass from miles away and then pole you right to them.  Yes, I said pole you.  Rich has this incredible Dolphin Renegade with such a shallow draft that he can silently maneuver it in mere inches of water with a guide pole.  We catch fish on flies Rich invented and still hand-crafts.  Some of his notables are Waldner's Terminator Crab, Waldner's Mardi Gras Mama, and Waldner's Spoon Fly, which has been fooling massive fish by the boatload for years.  Check out the proof on his website.

Fishing for Louisiana reds is a far cry from fishing my home waters, the mountain streams of Virginia.  These reds range from 3 to 30+ pounds and are found in brackish water (where freshwater meets saltwater).  Basically, I am talking about big time fish in big water.  My blogger profile picture shows me with a 10 pound red I caught with Rich back in 2004.  It took a good 10 minutes to tire him out and land him.  Don't get me wrong, I love fishing for brookies at home, but fighting a redfish is something else.

Rich pulls in a nice red at about minute 2:10

So now you know where I got that stylish ball cap inscribed with my (Capt. Waldner's) name and something about my family's connection to him.  Fishing with him is an awesome experience, and I suggest you dial him up if you are ever visiting New Orleans.  By all means you should do yourself a favor and spend a day on the water fishing with Rich.