Courtesy Photo | Capt. Elias Pierson, S4 officer in charge for the 167th Combat Sustainment Support...... read more read more
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CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq — A New Hampshire Reserve unit has found a familiar way to relax in the evenings here.
A dozen Soldiers from the 167th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion fish at a man-made pond a couple times a week to relieve stress.
"When you go on a convoy and get back after a long day, fishing is a way to burn off some energy and relax," said Sgt. 1st Class Brian A. Moss, the battalion S4 non-commissioned officer in charge for the 167th CSSB.
In May, Soldiers noticed fish in the "T" pond, named after the discerning shape of the pond, Moss said. A few Soldiers requested their fishing poles be sent from home while other Soldiers made make-shift poles out of sticks, he said.
"It's the first time I brought a gun to a fishing hole," Moss said referring to his M4 rifle.
The Soldiers fish two or three times a week and catch asp and catfish, said Sgt.
1st Class Floyd Wilt, the human resources NCOIC. He said the fisherman figured out what kind of fish they were catching by comparing photos of fish they caught with photos on the web site fishinginiraq.com.
"Evening is the best time to fish, just before dark, which is perfect timing because we don't work then," Wilt said. "Mission first. Fishing second."
Moss said he wishes it was always, "one cast, one catch" but the catching comes and goes. He said a lot of variables are involved in successful fishing like the weather, the bait and just being at the right place at the right time.
"We can be out here for hours and no one catches anything and then everyone starts pulling fish in...that's why they call it fishing, not catching," Moss said.
They even have the traditional "one that got away story" because the first fish they caught was the biggest, but it got away before they got a picture of it, Wilt said. The largest catch on record was a two and half-foot catfish caught by Moss.
"We don't eat the fish, it's just catch and release," Moss said. "It's about relaxing and spending time with fellow Soldiers whether you catch anything or not."
| Date Taken: | 07.13.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 07.13.2009 03:10 |
| Story ID: | 36283 |
| Location: | TALLIL, IQ |
| Web Views: | 343 |
| Downloads: | 248 |
This work, One cast, one catch for the 167th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, by SGT Crystal Reidy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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