- There you go.

- Is he got it.

- Something's got it.

- There he is.

- That's a good one too.

- There he was.

Oh you got a live worm.

- And now if we look at the color of him, look how gold he is on his side.

That's beautiful.

That's a beautiful bass.

- [Narrator] This is a show about the men and women that serve in our military.

It's a story about life as a soldier and now a civilian.

It's a story about honor, courage and sacrifice.

Join us as we make friends, catch fish, and give back to some of the bravest people there are.

These are their stories.

This is fishing behind the lines.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Fishing behind the lines is brought to you by (upbeat music) - Hi folks.

I'm Don Meissner, and I want to welcome you to this week's fishing behind the lines.

I'm here with Mike Ortiz and Nick Daubert.

Nick is, Nick is my guest today.

Mike has made it possible for us to come to this area.

And what is this area where we've got some farm ponds behind us.

We're in (indistinct) Colony, New York, and I don't think I've ever done a show on a little farm pond like this.

But it's again a part of the charm of the area.

And sometimes in these little ponds can be some awful big fish.

We're hoping there's bass in here.

We know there's some big perch and gosh, either one would be great today.

We've got beautiful weather, bluebirds skies, you know how that makes fishing.

But anyway, we're pretty psyched about today.

So stay with us.

- [Don] You know, folks, whenever you travel to a new area, new bodies of water, you really have to figure out, what am I going to use?

What are those fish going to hit?

We know there's bass in here.

So we're trying to figure out what's going to work on a day like this.

We've got bluebird skies.

We haven't got a cloud up there.

The fish can see us and we hopefully can see the fish.

As we look around, we're trying to figure, well maybe these fish are going to be near shore.

And that's one of the first things we decide to do.

We've got four ponds.

And so which one do we begin on?

You know, this is fun because it's a day of discovery.

- Well, I got to tell you there's not going to be much battle now.

Cause I've been bringing this bass in and he's been sort of just coming along for the ride.

Now this isn't a, this isn't a big bass but I'll tell you what.

It's a large mouth and it's a bass.

And that tells me I'll bet you there's a lot of bass in here.

I'm not going to hold him out of the water long.

He's 10 inches, 11 inches, and good, good shape of his body.

I'll get down here.

So, you know, there's so many factors involved in how we treat the fish once we catch them and put them back down in the water and away he goes, now you can see the kind of cover here.

Water's clear in here.

There's a lot of grass.

Doesn't seem very deep and I've had two strikes now but I haven't had anything that feels real heavy but that doesn't mean there's not some monsters in here just because the first one I catch is small.

And even if that's all the size there is, the peace and serenity of being along this pond today.

It's just, it's just wonderful.

So I'm going to cast out again.

I'm using a worm and I'm using it weightless.

I've Texas rigged it.

And I have a little snap in front of it so I can change.

Now if the fish sees this snap, they're going to see that.

So a really good bass fishermen probably say, no first of all, you don't have monofilament I've got tied directly to the braid but I think I'm going to be okay.

So it helps me to be able to change hooks and colors.

What I did was I just casted it out and um, letting it just sort of fall down naturally and just twitching it now and then.

It's awful bright conditions.

And I would think these bass are going to try to seek cover.

As I look, I can see fish swimming by but I don't think they're bass.

I think they're, they're fairly good sized perch but it's something to remember as we go forward that these fish are in here.

Well another one of these cases hopefully we can get more live strikes for you but you can see, I got a really big (laughing) I got a lot of stuff here, but when I take all this stuff off the fish buried inside, isn't all that huge.

But at least it came out for something, you know there's gotta be a lot of bass here.

And I think it's because it's such a bright sun, the water's shallow, I don't know, but they don't seem they're certainly not active.

But that fish came up for this.

I just put the spinner bait on and I figured I can cover more water.

He really got hooked.

I'm trying to, there we go, cause I didn't want to hurt him.

So again, it's a large mouth bass about the size of the first one maybe a tiny bit smaller, but at least and when I toss him, this is not going to hurt him.

I just want you to know that.

How do I know?

Cause I jump off here all the time and it doesn't hurt a bit.

(upbeat music) - [Mike] Some fish I think.

(upbeat music) - [Mike] Catfish, - [Nick] That a bullhead?

- Yep.

Bullhead catfish.

(heavy breathing) (water splashing) - That was a Bullhead.

- [Nick] Bullhead.

- You told me there were bullhead in here.

- There certainly are.

- [Don] There's a fish.

Little bass.

- About seven inches long.

That's how it's done.

(laughing) (upbeat music) - Well, I'll tell ya.

We've lucked out today.

We've had beautiful hot weather but that's always a question mark, when you're going fishing.

You know, I think the story of today us getting together is, is Nick and Jesse.

Who you guys, did you guys meet when you were in the army?

Did you know each other beforehand?

Or how was that?

- No, we met in the army.

He, they were a on their, he was on rear D I think when I got up there in April, 2007.

So I met him while I was stationed up here.

- And, and, and so you guys became friends and have stayed friends ever since getting out?

- Yeah.

We've kept in touch and come up here a couple of times a year, fish.

He's coming down to Ohio.

So we'll see whenever that happens.

- Yeah - You know, Jesse, I talked to you way back, seems like forever ago, when you and I went fishing before and we talked about the power of what the army has been on your life.

- Yeah.

- And Nick, if I was to ask you the same question, how, how would you say the army has changed you from the person you were before you went in to who you are now?

- I'd say it taught me a little bit of self humility and also kind of cherish the friendships you have.

Cause you know, like people leave, come, come and go from the army, leave, go home.

You know, it's just good to keep those friendships, keep you know, keep in touch, you know?

Yeah.

Someone's, you're just always there for each other.

You always have that friendship and that camaraderie for pretty much for life.

- Before you went in the army, was fishing a big part of your life before or has it become more so?

- I fished quite as a kid, I grew up on lakes a lot, you know, fish with my uncle was up on Lake Erie a lot of small lakes and stuff around Columbus, Ohio.

So yeah, it's a always been something I've always been into, when I had the time I should say is everything's pretty busy.

So it's when I have the time I've always enjoyed going out and just getting away from everyday life.

- Now you were in Fort Drum?

- Yes.

- So, so at least you're used to this area, you know?

- Yeah.

- That you've come back to now.

Not for Fort drum, but to go fishing.

- Yeah.

- And you know, I want you all to know that, these shows that we do are made possible not just by the TV station or by me.

It's by people that care enough to want us to be able to do this to want us, to be able to, to be able to give a day to people like Nick, to go fishing and, and just meet another person that has sacrificed so much for our country.

And I know Mike you have always been so willing to help us out to go fishing and to go to places that you know about.

We wouldn't have known to go those farm ponds today.

If it wasn't for Mike, why do you do this?

- I do it I, I love to fish and, and be I love to share that with other people anything from children to adults, I love to share it.

- Well, you certainly have shared it with us.

Jesse, I want to ask you if you can sort of tip your head over this way.

The years since you and I first went out together, it's been a year that we've had COVID it's changed an awful lot of people's lives.

How much, how much of this year have you spent on the water fishing?

- So I started putting on the water probably into April and I've been getting out at least a couple of times a week.

Today was the first day that I haven't cast the line since last Friday.

(laughing) - What, what, let me ask you what was it like watching us fish?

- It was awesome.

- Was it, really?

- It really was, I mean, I like going out and fishing and catching is a bonus, but then be able to sit back and watch friends do it and not have to, it just, it was good.

It was awesome.

- Well, when you and Nick go out fishing by yourselves, are you competitive?

Are you just out enjoying the fishing?

- A little of both.

(laughing) - Well, I gotta tell you our fishing today for these you know, fishing in a farm pond like that.

You never know what you're going to catch.

It's just so different than some of the waters we fish normally, in the hardcore bass fishing.

But I gotta tell ya.

I really enjoyed today.

I was relaxed and you guys are the ones that made me relax.

(laughing) Of course I'm depending on them to catch the fish and make the show.

But anyway, I want to thank you both for coming and, and spending the day with us.

And I want to thank you, Mike for making it possible for all of us to get together.

Hope all of you have enjoyed our fishing and also getting a chance to spend a little bit of time with Nick and Jesse.

Two people that have gone through an awful lot to make it possible that we can do this.

(upbeat music) - [Don] Wow.

That's, that's at least 10.

- Good.

- [Don] I'm coming down, don't put it back in.

I'm going to fall my way down there.

(laughing) - All right.

Secret to your grand success is what?

- Live worms - That's it?

- Dangling it right in front of their face.

- You know how many times I've gone out and I've wanted to reach out to the camera and say, live worms everybody, but that's that's gotta be the way to do it.

What was he next to shore?

- Yeah, he was right by shore.

- Was it?

- Yeah I saw him.

- So that, see that one's good.

That one is, is there three inches from my thumb?

- Yeah.

- I'd say 12 inches.

- Yup.

- Holy cow.

We're into the biggies.

So now I got to get Nick and myself catching them too.

But at least that's good because right now it's heated today.

It's 90 degrees.

It's, I don't think it's 90.

It's probably 80.

- 80 - But it feels like 90 when you've been all winter up in Northern New York where it's six feet of snow where you live - Yep - Anyway, well, we'll see if we can catch another.

(upbeat music) - Here's one Boy I'll tell you what.

Oh come on, Don.

(laughing) I was about to say, he jumped in the weeds about lost him in the weeds there.

Now I got to play in the action too.

This is fantastic.

And all I did was I put, I took one of the worms that Mike was talking about.

I broke it in half.

Haven't done this since a kid and I, and I don't care what people think, this is fun.

This is absolutely fun.

And I don't have any weight on, into his mouth isn't quite big enough for me to get both my hand in and he's not hooked deeply.

It's just my thumb's too thick to get, there okay.

Now let me show you the size hook I'm using.

First of all, it's it's in my finger and there's a bass.

Now, granted, this isn't a huge bass but to me it was a lot of fun just now.

And it's a little body of water.

Let's put him back in.

Boy that was fun.

It really was.

And earlier Mike, you said to me, you thought that these wakes, they were coming off the beds - Yes.

- Chase it.

I think you were dead right.

And I said, you weren't I didn't think they would leave their bed.

- And you can see the beds all along the shoreline.

- Yeah.

Well, I'm going to get another worm and try this.

This is fun.

(upbeat music) - [Mike] Oh he's coming for it.

Isn't he?

- He's looking right at it.

- [Mike] You see him looking at it?

I want one too.

That's exciting to see.

- Oh, there he was.

He ain't coming back.

(soothing music) (water splashing) - [Mike] Bluegill.

- Now, the last bluegill that I caught I showed you the tremendous difference.

And you look at the difference in the coloration of this one from the last, I guess I got to find where the hook is.

They suck that hook in immediately when they come up for it.

But, if we look at the color there, it's almost got it's got purples and a little bit of orange.

But remember the last one I caught was just brilliant, bright colors.

And this one is much duller doesn't mean he's any less healthy.

It's just, there's different.

It could be male and female for all I know but I'm telling you, this is fun.

It's really fun because there's action.

I see now, remember my point.

If you've got kids that you want to get into fishing, don't worry about whether they're going to go out and catch big fish.

It's important that they catch and see something as opposed to wait for that lunker.

They'll have a lot more fun catching fish.

Like I'm catching.

Remember, you're speaking to a kid or you're listening to a kid right now.

So, this is a ball.

- He's still sitting right there.

Say blue, it has yours.

- Does it?

- Yeah.

There you go.

Blue go back.

Bluegill's hooked.

(water splashing) Oh yeah.

- I don't even try to hook them.

And now for my next trick, it's another bluegill but this one again was jealous of all the attention, the purple one got.

And so, what brilliant, brilliant color.

Brilliant.

And if you see on its side the orange flecks in its skin, beautiful fish.

It's like the wood duck on fish.

I want to throw him where he won't scare.

(upbeat music) - There you go.

- Has he got it?

- Something's got it.

- It's big.

- There he is.

- It's a good one too.

- There he was, oh he got that live worm.

- And now we go from bluegill to large mouth bass.

I don't want to, if you wonder why I jumped, it wasn't cause he was going to do something to me.

I don't want to hurt him in any way.

If I can help it, there there's a little bitty hook in him.

I got that out.

And now if we look at the color of him, look how gold he is on his sides.

That's beautiful.

That's a beautiful bass.

And if you don't know how to tell a large mouth from a small mouth, one of the big indicators is that large lateral line that goes down its whole side.

I've only got two hands and both of them are busy.

So I can't point.

There we go.

Eric's going to point to them.

That's the lateral line.

That's how, you know if you've got a large mouth instead of a small mouth.

So let him go back.

- [Nick] The eyes too.

(water splashing) - Pardon?

- [Nick] The eyes?

Small mouth had real bright brown eyes.

- That's interesting because for all my fishing I never would have, I guess, realize that.

And the eyes on these are what?

- Yeah, I think they're just like black a blackish gray, green eyes - [Don] Yeah.

- Small mouth have like a bright brown or like a dull orange eye.

- [Don] Yeah.

- Almost like a red eye, like a rock bass, you know - [Don] Yes, yes.

- Bright red eyes.

(soothing music) - [Eric] He's a little bigger than the other ones.

(soothing music) - Large mouth.

He's a little bigger than ones we were catching earlier.

Sitting here dropping this a trick worm right in front of the little jig head.

Come off here.

Probably about the size Don caught earlier, decent fish though.

Little farm pond fish.

(water splashing) - Just drop it right in front of these bushes.

(upbeat music) - Well folks, I'm the last one standing.

It is so hot out here and we've been fishing a long time never stopping, trying to show you what farm pond fishing can be like.

And you know, that's all great.

And that's all wonderful.

But today is more than that.

It's a time when two guys that had served in warfare together, bonded as so many people do when they're in the military and share those experiences.

And now that they're both out, they both keep coming back together.

And what did they do?

They go fishing all day.

So it was really a great time for me to spend with both Jesse and Nick.

And you know, to see just I think to see just how much fishing is meaning to their lives right now.

I know that we did a show with Jesse earlier in the year and I can even see a difference that a year has made.

I can see a softening in his nature, a more peacefulness that I think that has invaded him.

So fishing the line, behind the lines is really special and it's special for me.

And hopefully it's special for the people that are guests.

I hope you've enjoyed today's show.

We've caught a lot of little fish and we've had a blast and we'll see you next time on another fishing behind the lines.

- [Narrator] Fishing behind the lines is brought to you by (upbeat music) - You know, folks, the fishing was really fantastic today but that's only the beginning of the attractions to see and do around here.

For more information about this go to our website, WPBStv.org.

- [Narrator] If you would like a copy of this episode of fishing behind the lines for $15, including shipping and handling visit wpbstv.org and click on the shop WPBS button.

Please ask for the episode number on your screen.

(upbeat music) (soothing music)