homepage - programs - sierra sportsmen - people - joel stewart interview

Sierra Sportsmen:
Interview with Joel Stewart

Joel Stewart with mangar. Photo courtesy Baghdad School of Fly Fishing.

This Veteran's Day week we highlight the efforts of sportsmen who have found a way to enjoy the outdoors — even in a war zone. Below is our interview with Lieutenant Commander Joel Stewart, who started the Baghdad School of Fly Fishing two years ago.

We learned how Joel found a way to fish in Iraq and bring other servicemen/women into the fold.

After the interview, take a look at Project Healing Waters, a group that helps wounded veterans heal through fly fishing.

What inspired you to start fishing in Iraq?
I saw the water, I saw the fish, and I had a rod with me. When I found out I was coming to Iraq, a colleague told me just how cool it would be to fish in Iraq. Not knowing what to expect, I tossed a travel rod and some basics into my bag. When I arrived I could see that the lakes around the base I was on were full of fish, so I broke out the rod and started catching fish.

Servicewoman with carp she caught. Photo courtesy Baghdad School of Fly Fishing.

Did people think you were a little crazy to be fishing in Iraq?
Maybe a little, but I was not alone. There were even some organized fishing tournaments on some of the lakes. However, to my knowledge I was the only fly fisher at first.

What kind of fishing did you do, and what did you catch?
I am not a dyed-in-the-wool fly fisher, though that is my preference. I tossed some spinner baits, I use bait (bread), but the majority of the fish I caught were on flies. Certainly the biggest fish I caught were on flies. I caught asp, shaboot, common carp, grass carp, barbell, and stinging catfish.

What surprised you about the fishing in Iraq?
The number and size of the fish and the amount of water that was available.

Given that there is a war going on there, how hard was it to fish?
I was in a very secure compound, so it was not hard. I worked nights, usually 14 to 18 hours a day. On the short days, I would get a couple hours on the water. Every two weeks I had a half day off and would use that time as well.

Did you meet any Iraqis who were interested in fishing with you? Had they ever done fly fishing before?
The ponds we fished were not available to Iraqi people. They were Saddam's ponds and fish. I did meet some who fished, and I gave locals some of my fish. They fished with a line on a bottle or board and hook baited with whatever they could find, usually bread. They were fishing to put food on the table, not for fun as I was.

How many other personnel did you "reel" into this hobby?
When I left, I had graduated about 40 students from the Fly Fishing School. I had probably informally brought another dozen or so into the fold, and I loaned out gear (fly and spin) to dozens of others.

Obviously being over there can be very stressful. Was fly-fishing a stress release?
Absolutely. Some folks worked out, some played video games. I fished.

Serviceman with barb caught. Photo courtesy Baghdad School of Fly Fishing.

Did you learn things over there while fishing that will help you fish elsewhere?
You learn something every time you get on the water, so yes. Specifically the tactics I learned there are the same that would be applied to fishing for carp in the U.S.

How beneficial do you think it was for the folks who fished with you?
I think it was a great release, and it certainly added something no one ever expected to their deployment. I'm not sure, but I think it's pretty safe to assume that I started the only fly fishing school in a war zone.

How many people were new to fishing?
Only a couple. Most folks had done some sort of fishing before they came to me.

In terms of the fish and water, what was the state of the environment that you saw?
The fish were healthy, and the water was clean, though there was plenty of trash in the water. The Army Corps of Engineers has assigned a biologist to the staff as an environmental advisor, so when the base is turned over to Iraq, it will be in better shape than when we took it over.

What are your hopes for the Baghdad School of Fly Fishing now that you are no longer there?
I hope that it will be passed on, as it has been twice now, and that as long as there are soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines at Camp Victory they can take advantage of the opportunity the Baghdad School of Fly Fishing affords them.