(calm guitar music) - [Don] He's got him.

- [Don and Rob] Oh!

- [Don] Oh!

Hold on, get him this side.

I'm gonna turn us.

That's a big bass, isn't it?

- [Rob] Yeah, it's a big smallie.

(Rob laughs) I love it.

- [Host] 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 violin music) "Fishing Behind The Lines" is brought to you by.

(triumphant music) Hi, folks.

I'm Don Meissner, and I want to welcome you to this week's "Fishing Behind The Lines".

And we're, we're in upstate New York and we're gonna be fishing on a river you've probably never heard of, the Racket River.

And my guest today is Rob Berry, and Rob has three or four days left in his whole military career.

So we've got a lot to talk about today.

Today, we're gonna be fishing for smallmouth bass, Northern pike, and maybe, just maybe, something else will be thrown in.

But I know we're gonna have a great show.

So stay with us.

- [Rob] You know, folks, the Racket River is one of the most major waterways in all of New York State.

And it's a river I think a lot of people would never explore.

They don't realize it has wonderful fishing.

And we're in an area near Potsdam, New York.

And it's an area that a lot of people don't even realize it's full of smallmouth bass.

(water splashing) Here you go.

- [Don] Wow.

- [Rob] Little smallmouth.

- [Don] Yeah, on that pink worm.

(Rob laughing) - [Rob] Never fails me.

- [Don] It's our first fish.

Our first fish, first strike.

That's great, Rob.

- [Rob] She's beautiful.

- That's actually a nice smallmouth, isn't it?

Wow.

Yeah, that's a nice fish.

So you were reeling it?

- So as soon as it hits the top, I just put slack in the line and kind of like walk it like a stick bait.

- [Don] Yeah.

- [Rob] And then, she hit it, right when this little current where the break in the current is.

- Yes.

That's great.

- It worked.

(Don chuckling) All the fun.

- Well, you broke the ice, (both laughing) which actually was almost here today.

(Rob laughing) There's something up there.

See that, the break in the water up above water cast?

- [Rob] Oh yeah.

Well they always say, what?

Where there's one, there's.

- [Don] Yeah.

- [Rob] There's several specialist smallmouth.

(joyful guitar music) - [Don] Even if we don't get a strike, I can't.

- [Rob] Here.

- [Don] That's a nice one.

I knew they had to be here, Rob.

Oh, you lost him.

Oh, you didn't!

(Rob laughing) It's your worm!

- [Rob] Yeah, I got my worm.

- [Don] That's a nice fish.

(fish splashing) Did he hit as soon as it hit the water?

- About, about two to three jerks into it, yeah.

- [Don] Did he?

- Yup.

Which is a good sign for me that he liked the action.

- So do you think that pink's making a difference?

- I believe so.

I mean, you know, one, I don't think many people are throwing it.

(both laughing) Which always works.

Then two, like, it just, it feels like it lights up in the water.

- Oh, you think so?

Yeah.

Well I know our buddy Rust, who's in the other camera boat, swears by pink.

It's his favorite color of lure.

And it's his favorite color 'cause he catches more fish on it than any other color.

- This summer, Don, this is literally what I've caught 90% of my fish on.

- Is it?

- Just don't tell anybody.

(Rob laughing) - You're not fishing it like most people fish a worm.

- Nope.

- Explain to people how you fish it.

- So I, I go straight weightless.

I use about a three to five odd hook, and run about a 12 pound test line, and then throw it out there as soon as it hits.

It's kind of working like a stick bait.

Just run it on top, and the action is just ridiculous.

And, and you get a lot of reactionary strikes and it's great when, especially when it's on top water, so.

See if we can catch a couple more over here.

- [Don] There's one!

- [Rob] Yup.

Here we go.

- [Don] Boy.

- [Rob] That's a nice one.

(Don laughing) - [Don] And again, it had hardly hit the water.

- [Rob] Yup.

- [Don] And yet, see, I think they're gathering where the water drops, is what I think they're doing today.

Now, I think this isn't a bad one.

Although I say that, no, it's not a bad fish.

(fish splashing) - [Rob] There she is.

- [Don] You can show everybody my fish.

(Rob laughing) You're closer to everybody than I am.

- Oh yeah.

- It's about like what you caught, isn't it?

- Yes, sir.

- So Rob, four days before you get out.

- This is the way to do it right here.

- (laughing) Yes, it is.

- Last couple of days in the army, I'm over here.

- After how many years?

- 21 years.

- This is a heck of a way to spend those last days, I'll tell you that.

- Yes, sir.

- All right, we've each.

This is probably good enough, isn't it?

Yeah.

It's still good.

(upbeat music) (Don speaks indistinctly) (water splashing) - [Rob] Gotta to catch up with.

- [Don] To your right, if you could.

I'll try to turn this.

It's easier said when you're battling a fish.

- [Rob] Got a largemouth?

No, smaller.

- [Don] It's a smallmouth, but by golly.

This makes it so great.

(laughs) Rob is such a good fishermen.

And when you get a cold, we had last night, it got down to 32 degrees.

Just about freezing.

And it's affected these fish.

And so when, when it's like this, it really helps when somebody knows what they're doing, to try to catch these fish.

(fish splashing) The real key is on that pink though.

I can't, I can't honestly say I can't get over it, because it's one of my favorite colors too.

- I think what makes me want to stick with it is, you know, they're not, not hitting it as soon as it hits the water.

So it's not like spooking them.

- Yes.

- They're actually liking the action, the color.

- [Don] You're not just setting the hook as soon as you see a disturbance.

- [Rob] No.

- [Don] Tell, tell us about that.

- So, you know, kind of like the story we had, I was telling earlier, about bass fishing that night with top water, and you know, you hear it, you see it, or you know, you hear it, you know.

But you always set the hook and when you feel it.

You know, and it's extremely hard, especially musky fishing.

(Rob laughing) I'm seeing blow ups, but you know, you just gotta be patient, and then, then set the hook.

And make sure you tighten that line up, 'cause I've missed a lot.

- I will tell you what, Rob, this spot right here, is gotta have a fish.

It's got to have not only a fish, but a good one in it.

- [Rob] We'll catch him.

- That's why I'm calling it again.

So.

Oh, I'll tell you what.

I never really know what my guest is gonna be like when we start a show, a lot of times when we're meeting for the first time.

But I gotta tell you, Rob has been a great person to share a day with.

And you know, one of the, one of the goals that I have on the show is for people to get to know and meet the people that are serving our country.

And you've spent 21 years.

- [Rob] Yes, sir.

- 21 years.

And, and now it's three and a half days to go before the end.

- Yep, yep.

- What are you feeling now that it's all coming to an end?

What's going through your mind?

- I mean, there's a lot of good and bad things.

One, so kind of like what we talked about before, like the uncertainty, right?

Like, you know, for 21 years I was told, hey, you're going here, here's the jobs you gotta do, here's what clothes to wear.

And now it's just, everyday feels like Saturday.

You know what I mean?

(Don laughing) And in some ways it's great, you know?

But you know, I'm nervous, but I'm excited, you know.

For the first time in my life, I walked my 11 year old to the bus stop.

- [Don] Really?

- So something, you know, so monotonous like that, doing everyday things that so many people, you know, get the opportunity to do.

I sit outside and waited for the bus to come for my son's first day at school.

And I was almost in tears about it, because you're just like, you know, you've put so much off and you invest so much into the army, that you forget the little things or take for granted the little things.

And honestly, Don, I'm gonna enjoy the little things, you know.

You know, and I'm looking forward to that.

(calm guitar music) I had an opportunity to go to Bangkok, and then I had the opportunity to go to Manila as well.

(fish line reeling) That's the saying, you know, it's like, I tell a lot of these kids, you know, when they come in the army, you know, the first thing they want to do is be close to home.

I tell them, I was like, man, here's your opportunity to travel the world.

- [Don] Yeah.

- [Rob] 'Cause I've been to Alaska, you know, and been to Germany, been all over that place.

And there's just so much out there.

- [Don] There!

(water splashing) Boy!

That's a good one!

- [Rob] A little bit better, yeah.

- [Don] Yeah, that's a good one.

Bring it right around my side, if you can, in the sun here.

Where everybody can see it.

Boy hit that spinner bait, didn't it?

- [Rob] Yeah, he did.

Tried and true white spinner bait.

(fish flapping tail) (Rob chuckling) - Yeah.

You didn't have all that, did you?

- (chuckling) No, I didn't.

- [Don] Wow.

You know, I know there's bigger smallmouth.

Although, these are nice smallmouths.

- [Don] They're nice.

These give you a great fight, a good strike.

But I know there's bigger ones in here.

Whether we'll find 'em or not, I don't know.

- I think that's what I do love about smallmouth.

Like, you know, they fight, I think, as twice as hard as largemouth.

- Oh, they do.

- And the colors on this are amazing.

- [Don] All right.

Spinner bait, that worked.

- [Rob] Right up on the bank, about two or three feet off.

- [Don] Yes.

- [Rob] See if I can catch his mom here.

(Don chuckles) (calm guitar music) Come on.

This is the only bad thing about seeing the lures.

(laughing) I jerk when I see it.

- [Don] Did he hit it?

- [Rob] Oh yeah, he hit it.

You see the swirl?

- [Don] Yeah.

- [Rob] He's right behind you.

You see him?

See him?

He's right behind it.

- [Don] Yup.

Yes, I do.

Holy cow!

- [Rob] Is that a bass?

- [Don] It's awful big.

- [Rob] Come on.

(calm guitar music) - [Don] He says, I also see two (Rob laughing) big freaking things out on top of the water.

- [Rob] Ah!

- [Don] Man.

- [Rob] I should have waited.

I know I can hear Rust in the back.

What are you doing, Rob?

What did I teach you?

He's big.

Oh, here comes another one.

(fish line thumping) - [Don] He's on.

- [Don and Rob] Oh!

- [Don] Oh!

Hold on, get him this side.

I'm gonna to turn us.

That's a big bass, isn't it?

- [Rob] Yeah, it's a big smallie.

(Rob laughing) I love it.

- [Don] Holy cow, that's a dandy.

- [Rob] Come on girl.

Come on, girl.

- [Don] You did good, Rob, if you get him in.

Now, the pressure's so freaking huge, isn't it?

- [Rob] Do it for America.

(laughing) Do it for America.

- [Don] He's right here.

He's right here in the water.

(fish splashing) - [Rob] Oh my God!

Get in here.

(Rob laughing) - That was fantastic!

(Rob laughing) You did it.

You had a big pike down there.

I think, unless it was another big bass, and just a few casts ago.

That's a beauty.

That's, that's what I said lived in here.

There's some beautiful smallmouth in here.

- Hang on, girl.

- [Don] So tell everybody what you did, because, you know, people see fish caught, but they wonder, why are they caught?

What'd you do?

- So, I'll just kind of hit up on these rocks.

You see some, some tree limbs hanging in a water.

And you see a weight come out, as it starts to go.

So I just slow down the retrieve, and then I felt the nudge, waited a second, and then set the hook.

I think the big thing a lot of people do with big fishes, they try to muscle them in rather than tiring them out, so.

- [Don] And you're using that white spinner.

- White spinner bait.

- [Don] Huh.

- Upstate New York, baby.

(Don laughing) Gotta love it.

(Rob sighing) Thank you, girl.

(water splashing) All right!

- [Don] All right, we'll do again.

Maybe, hopefully.

(Rob laughing) - I don't know if a lot of people do 'em, Don, but I like to throw those little trailers on the back.

- [Don] Yeah.

- It's a little bit more action.

(calm guitar music) - [Don] There's one.

Here we go.

That's a nice one.

Oh, this fricking motor.

- [Rob] Nice!

(laughing) All right, Don!

- [Don] Oh!

It barely hit, hit the water and he hit it.

It's almost, if I don't lose him, screwing around with this.

That's a nice fish.

- [Rob] I'm bout to say we're good, Don.

We just fight it.

- [Don] This is a nice fish.

I don't think it's as big as yours.

- [Rob] She's pretty.

- [Don] But it's a nice one.

- [Rob] Oh yeah, it is.

- [Don] It's a good one.

(fish flapping in water) (both laughing) You know what?

I think you brought too big a net.

(Don laughing) Well, we did it.

- [Rob] There it is.

- This is teamwork all the way.

That's what it is.

And because Rob had done so well with that spinner bait, I put on this bright chartreuse one.

It's the only one I brought with me, but.

- [Rob] She's a beauty.

- Seemed to work.

These smallies are just a wonderful fish.

They're clean.

However, something raked his side.

I don't know what in here is big enough to rake this one's side, but it did.

So, boy, I'll tell you what.

- [Rob] It's awesome.

- That changed my mood in a hurry.

(Rob laughing) - It'll keep you out here for another couple of hours, for sure.

- Yes.

All right, I'll start this up again.

(joyful guitar music) - [Rob] Oh, something splashed over here.

- Boy.

There's, there's what?

Oh!

(Rob laughing) Oh!

(fish splashing) You said something splashed?

(both laughing) Guess what?

It was a good splash.

- [Rob] There it was.

- [Don] Holy cow.

(fish splashing) - [Rob] There she is!

- [Don] Is what, is eramus?

We're doing a land on.

(Rob laughing) But you aren't in the Navy, so you don't know what I'm talking about.

Oh my gosh.

- This time, I was perfect parking right here.

- Yeah.

This is a great parking spot.

Oh, you did it again.

(Rob whoops) And guess what?

I don't have to take the hook out.

- (laughing) No, you don't.

- (chuckling) Yeah.

What a beautiful largemouth.

What a ham.

I had nothing to do with it except the net, and I'm, (fish splashing) I'm posting.

(Rob laughing) (both laughing) Oh geez.

Oh my gosh.

That was great.

- I love it.

- Oh.

You said something.

- I said, I think it's, I think we're on the log.

- Yeah.

The log that he was living under.

- He kicked out, and I was like, something's kinda, then bam.

He nailed it.

- Boy.

That's fabulous.

That's a good bass.

We're finding a buddy.

(Rob laughing) Holy cow.

Before we move, I want to cast.

(Rob sighs) They're right tight, aren't they?

- [Rob] They are.

- These bass are laying within inches.

And then, like where I'm setting, the rod is dropping down several feet.

It's a really, a rapid drop-off here, and that has something to do with something, why they're, why they're laying so close to the, to the shore.

Wow, we've got a dam up above us.

We're not very far from it.

And while you did.

(Don exhales) - They're in that little tight window.

If you don't put it within two feet of the bank, they're not messing with it.

- No.

And you saw him come out.

- Yep.

- If you had to, and you know, I know that I'm competing now with a whole flock of geese that are talking to each other.

That's part of this great outdoors that I think is part of what we try to do with the show, to bring that, that great outdoors, in the, passive and the peacefulness and the serenity, to the people that we take out.

But, as I started to say, if you had to describe your 21 years in the army, and I know you said earlier to me that you you had to give a retirement speech.

And how would you encompass those 21 years?

What's the poignant aspect that you would tell other people?

- I mean, there's a huge sense of pride of wearing the uniform, right?

And then especially doing, you know, whether you do, you know, four years or 20 years, it's that immense sense of pride that, you know, you deploy or, you know, you enforce laws that, you know, our government says that needs to be enforced in other countries, to help out not only the Americans, you know, and protecting our rights and freedoms, you know?

But you know, when you deploy and you go over there, and you see those people that need you, you know, that you've never met before.

So that's just that sense of pride of knowing that you made a difference, and it's that certain, you know, different, everybody has certain levels of how they feel about it, but I was proud to serve, you know.

And am I glad it's done?

Absolutely.

Because now, you know, I'm gonna serve my family, and, you know, you know, hopefully one day, something like what you're doing.

Taking soldiers out and showing them the great outdoors, 'cause there's so much to give back, you know?

And I would say a great sense of pride.

- Well, I got to tell you something.

I want to thank you for 21 years.

- Thank you, sir.

- Thank you for all that you've done for this country.

And thank you for what you did for us today.

- Yes, sir.

It was my pleasure.

I had a blast.

I'll always remember.

Trust me.

(laughing) - That's great.

- Thank you, Don.

(calm guitar music) (fishing line splashing) (quiet guitar music) - [Don] Ooh!

There's one.

(fish line reeling) (fish splashing) Wow.

Yeah, turn them right.

Yeah, that's perfect.

(laughing) Perfect.

But boy, you've really, you got this down to a science, buddy.

- [Rob] I love it.

- [Don] I know.

You're doing great.

Here, look at me greed.

I've got the net here.

I think you can lift him though.

- [Rob] I got it.

(Rob chuckling) - Wow.

This is amazing.

We're really in fast water right here.

Really fast water.

And we're, we have to cast right up to the shore.

I mean, right up to the shore, and that's where they're layin'.

(calm guitar music) I'm kind of slouching now.

I'm slouching here, trying to look over.

You know, we've had a fabulous day and I think there's a lesson to today that I wanted to pass onto you.

We started fishing the way that the fish had been hitting over the last couple of weeks.

And we used the same lures that have been so successful, and we couldn't get a strike.

And so we adapted, we, then we covered a lot of water, and we were able to be successful using a completely different technique.

And thank goodness, Rob, you brought the spinnerbaits.

- Yes, sir.

- Because that made all the difference in the world.

Again, knowing that normally those fish would be on the shoreline, and they weren't there.

So they'd gone someplace else.

And then, when we found them in the channel, is when everything really turned on.

But Rob, I hope you've had a good time.

- I had a great time.

I really appreciate it.

- I've had a fabulous time.

And I want to thank Rob for being our guest, and I hope you've all enjoyed it.

And I don't want to go without thanking my buddy Rust Eddy, who has kept that camera in perfect position to see me slouching, (Rob laughing) losing fish, and even swearing from time to time.

(Rob laughing) I hope you've enjoyed the show.

We'll see you next time, on another "Fishing Behind The Lines".

- [Host] "Fishing Behind The Lines" is brought to you by.

(triumphant 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.

- [Host] 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.

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(upbeat guitar music) (calm piano music) (calm piano and guitar music)