Fishing with LT Bobby Ross

by Lt. Bobby Ross, Staff Writer

It is such a ‘trip’ (old San Francisco Flower Child expression) to be a staff writer for such a respected outfit as VT.  This came unexpected.  I never asked to be on the ‘team’.  One day the editor put one of my LRRP Net Sit-Reps on this site as a ‘feature’ and then invited me to be a staff writer.  Quite an honor. 

So, I scratched my head and asked myself, "Self, what can I do to contribute to this great organization in such a way as to be an individual voice and not just another Veteran throwing rocks at passing cars?"

It came to me that since I am an entertainer, a Rock ‘n’ Roll tripper, a folk singer, a world known Country recording artist from Nashville and a bit of a clown, it might be better to write for this medium from the standpoint of having ‘fun’.  And, I learned a long time ago that a true writer writes from his heart.  So, what the hay, why not write about all the fun I’m having with my life since I retired from the Nashville Music Industry at the end of 2004 and got this farm not too far from where I was born.  

And, I learned a long time ago that a true writer writes from his heart.  So, what the hay, why not write about all the fun I’m having with my life since I retired from the Nashville Music Industry at the end of 2004 and got this farm not too far from where I was born.  

I manage and live on a ‘duck club’.  One thousand acres that I have been busting my butt on for the past 4 1/2 years.  So many sad stories about Vietnam combat Veterans, but my story is anything but. 

When I got home from Vietnam in 1969 after serving two years with the 101st Airborne Division, especially during the Tet Offensive in 1968, I was basically in one piece.  I had been wounded 3 times, but not so bad that I ever had to be Medivac to a field hospital. 

I just shook off my wounds and marched back into the meat grinder.  I can say that for the men I commanded.  Most of them were lost to the horrors of war.  I reckon I was either lucky or too stupid to be knocked down for long, so I made it.

I left from the tarmac at Travis Air Force Base that is just West of me from this farm.  Then when I came home, I landed on that very same tarmac.  When I got out of that Braniff Jet, I got down on my knees and hands and kissed the black asphalt and cement those jets ran up and down on launching millions of kids to Vietnam to fight and die in a war now mostly forgotten.  It is not forgotten by me.  And I promised every man who had been taken from me under my command in battle that I would live a life for each and every one of them.  I have not let them down.

So, this week, I’m going to spin a yarn about catching fish here in the California Delta.  This is the largest inland waterway in the world, and a very secret it is.  I was born here.  I’ve fished this country all my life, except for when I was on the road doing my music or fighting for Mom and Apple Pie in Vietnam.  Last year, I was invited by a good friend to go fishing with him. 

He is the manager of my feed store in Galt, and a great guy, and a real fisherman.  So I accepted and met him and his deck hand at 2AM at Whimpy’s and helped launch the boat.

We traveled in the dark on a full moon lit night, and I remembered how much I love the night in Vietnam.  I could not be seen.  Charlie used to think he owned the darkness in Vietnam, but he did not. 

I did!  We got to our destination and started ‘deep lining’ with 3 poles hooked up with fancy lures about the size of my hand and wrist.  Big Bait = Big Fish!  

My buddies knew exactly what they were doing and caught on real quick that so did I due to the fact that I am a world class fisherman, liar and drinker of fine whiskey!

We started catching fish right off the bat.  We did ‘catch and release’ and only kept the ‘good ones’.  Towards sunrise, my rod went down so hard I thought the boat was going to tip over.  I grabbed it like a rattlesnake strikes a wide eyed rat and set the hook.  The battle was on. 

My fishing pals were screaming orders maintaining the position of the boat and the direction of my line.  I played the weight on the end of my line properly and professionally, but continued to listed to every order of my skipper.  After only God knows how long, I had the monster up to the side of the boat, but still could not see him.

Suddenly, he came up!  I gasped.  I saw the white of his inside mouth only and he seemed to be aiming all he had at my face!  I almost fell down, but maintained, and we had him in!  Biggest striped bass I’ve ever caught.  This is a real fish story.  Otherwisen I’d lie and tell you how I, the fish master, did this and that against all odds and caught the bugger.  Well, that’s kinda what happened, too.  But, a picture tells a bigger story, and I’ve included my typical 4 shots.

The first is me catching The Whale that is now mounted on the wall to my right as I type this.  The next pic is me on the deck with the 4 fish we brought in.  Later that day, after returning home, I was still in the mood, so I caught a nice batch of catfish shown in the 3rd picture.  My music producer in Nashville, Andy Anderson insisted I send him some of The Whale, so I US Posted him several fat filets in dry ice so they stayed nice and fresh and the 4th shot is of him cooking ’em up in Music City.

Now, Andy and I are business partners.  You can see our new site at:

http://www.rassio.com/echo/

And just today, my web designer, Dan Da Man, in Detroit City added a movie clip on my new music site "LT Bobby Ross – The Fisherman" that you HAVE TO SEE!  It will totally crack you up.  Go here:

http://www.rassio.com

Now, there’s a fishing story none of you can ever compete with be cause you are having fun with me!  LT Bobby Ross