Adaptations: The Central California Adaptive Sports Center Newsletter Issue 5 - 2017-18 | 页面 11

Reflections from our Volunteer Fly Fishing Instructor, Trainer, and Guide
Affectionately known as “Higgy” by all of his friends, John
Higginbotham has been at the helm of the CCASC’s fly-
fishing program since our first summer season in 2014. Higgy
is also a member of the Board of Directors. When not at his
day job for the past 35 years as a Wealth Management Sr. Vice
President with Morgan Stanley in Fresno, Higgy dedicates a
lot of time to volunteerism in the community, finding great
satisfaction in having served with the Fresno County Sheriff's
Search and Rescue Team for 15 years and as a ski patroller at
China Peak for 20 years.
With CCASC participants, Higgy describes the “high” of
giving them a great experience. On one occasion, while fishing
with Seth Faulconer at Balsam Forebay, a big fish literally
ripped the line off the pole. They never had a chance to see the
fish, but the event convinced Higgy there were some really big
trout in that lake. Fishing with Shaela
Warkentin was “something else.” Being blind
and never having gone fishing before, let alone
launching herself into a float tube, Shaela,
following Higgy’s instructions, landed a nice size
trout. As Higgy recalls, “she screamed so loud
that it scared me as well as her father, and I saw
him come flying out of his chair on the shore
thinking something terrible happened to his
daughter.” “I’m a catch and release guy so when
she asked me if she could hold it and feel the fins,
tail and stick her finger in the fish’s mouth to feel
its teeth, I thought we’d have to chalk one up.
But after thoroughly reviving the fish, it survived
and swam away. It was probably one of my best
and most memorable moments of fishing.
Really, really cool.”
New Partners Help Save the Day
This past winter was one of those that started with a tease, went
away, and then finally returned. It was pretty tough on the whole
community and the businesses at Shaver Lake and China Peak,
including the Adaptive Sports Center. Scrambling to salvage the
winter for all of the participants counting on us to provide the
mountain adventures we are known for, we immediately contacted
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Sierra Foothills
Conservancy to cobble together some hikes, climbs, and mountain
biking in the foothills.
Thanks to these partnerships we are now able to offer programs in
the San Joaquin River Gorge and the Ruth McKenzie Table
Mountain Preserve. We will be working with both organizations
this fall to expand our program on the San Joaquin River and
adjacent areas.
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