Playing Hooky
It was 1999, and from the middle of the Potomac River below Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, I had spotty reception on my cell phone. This is where several hundred million years ago a giant flood broke through the Blue Ridge Mountains and cut a path that emptied a sea whose bottom we now call the Potomac Highlands. Here, the historic Shenandoah River joins the Potomac; at times its flow pushing up the Potomac, at other times being pushed, all depending on where the rain fell.
Giant tombstone ledges of granite cross the river, holding pools of water back only to flow through cuts hammered out by floods. These are some of Potomac’s mightiest rapids. With names like Mad Dog and White Horse, they rumbled in the background as I tried to continue doing sales business. I was playing hooky from my job, because the smallmouth bass fishing through here was incredible and I couldn’t stay away. An awesome population of smallmouth bass was growing up that year, just the strongest fish in the system, those that survived the two floods in 1996.
I became a regular fixture of the river during the work week, as my interest in selling things was dying and I was being reminded that I had grown up on rivers, and that’s where I felt best.
It wasn’t long before I began meeting guides from Mark Kovach Fishing Services. Men rowing whitewater rafts through these waters with fishermen attached to swivel seats, fishing as they floated, came by every day like clockwork. I was fascinated and I didn’t hide it well, because before long I was being taught to row one of these things by a retired tobacconist, John Hayes — also fishing guide, story teller and big laugher.
Overnight I was hooked and began taking clients out on the nation’s river the next spring. Among the guides was Butch, a full time car salesman; Mark, a defense contractor; Dave, a middle school teacher and gifted writer; Rick, who worked in IT; and Mark Kovach, the original handlebar-mustached fishing guide. They were all doing the same thing that I was, feeding their souls by taking people fishing.
By spring of the next year, now with my own boat, I needed to see more of the Mid-Atlantic’s rivers, so I started Playing Hooky Guide Service. Over the next seven years I twisted and turned my boat along dozens of rivers laid out in more than 100 different floats. I don’t know how many fishermen watched the back of my head while I rowed as I tried to see around their buddy in front of me. We were all after that mystical giant smallmouth.
Soon I knew all the faces. The jokes were familiar and I found myself on the Shenandoah River more than anywhere else. Something was different about this river, its waters green tinted and clear, thick with sweeping star-grass, bugs and fish. A river whose floor was bedrock and permanent, running along the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains; bouncing though the Shenandoah Valley between the Allegheny and the Blue Ridge ranges. Pushing boulders along that used to ride ridge tops and pulling trees that used to hold its banks together before the floods. The river pushed through history and pulled me in. This valley became my family’s home. It wasn’t until later when I began building my bed and breakfast that I learned my family farmed the Shenandoah Valley 250 years before — living off the land and its waters.
For thousands of years the river has been the focal point of settlement for indigenous people with stone suitable for cutting points, rich soil for agriculture, flourishing wildlife and a river that ran heavy with fish. Few miles pass while floating the Shenandoah where you don’t see evidence of ancient V-shaped fish structures first cut into the stone thousands of years ago. These ancient V’s concentrated fish through passageways where they were speared or corralled into baskets. Even today in our highly technological age, rods and reels are as sophisticated as we’ve gotten.
Sadly, the Shenandoah River no longer supports the renowned population of fish that once helped me earn my living. Historically bountiful populations of at least one native fish are nearly gone because of years of fish kills. So in 2006 I closed my guide business to become the Shenandoah Riverkeeper. Fixing the river is going to be complex. But already I’ve brought my first lawsuit against one major polluter, and in many senses, already won. The list of polluters is long, but I have only just begun my work.
NY/NJ Baykeeper Andy Willner and blue fish
In late summer 2006 on patrol along the South Shore of Staten Island I noticed some birds working hard on some bait fish near the surface. I knew there was a fishing rod somewhere on the boat. It was a four piece, very light rod, with even lighter line. I also found a rusty lure, tied it on and quickly cast into the middle of the turmoil. Immediately, I felt a huge hit, set the hook and let the line run out almost its entire length. The next 20 minutes were as much fun as I ever had fishing. When I finally got the fish along side, it was a monster. I got the fish on board, Rick Jacks took the picture and we let the beast go to hunt some more. I went home with the picture and bragging rights.
Bull Falls on the Shenandoah River
