MUDDY CREEK TWP — Veterans are casting their fishing lines in the water to help cast aside their addictions.

VA Butler Healthcare takes veterans in its drug and alcohol rehabilitation program to Moraine State Park to fish as therapy once a month from April to October.

It has a soothing effect on the veterans, many of whom have been clean of drugs and alcohol for only a few months and are becoming reacquainted with sobriety.

“It's to learn how to have fun sober,” said Steve “Crambo” Cram, a New Hampshire native. “To get reconnected with the world through a clear mind and clear eyes. Before, I went out and did stuff, but it was always using (drugs) and doing stuff.”

Cram is an Army veteran, and did a tour in Afghanistan in 2009-10. He is a former alcohol and crystal methamphetamine user.

On Wednesday's trip, he cracked jokes with other veterans, enjoyed the cool breeze off Lake Arthur, and even reeled in a catfish.

“It's almost like relaxation therapy,” he said. “It's calm and serene.”

VA recreational therapist Chris Tomayko had been taking veterans fishing for decades, but the fishing boat trips began in 2011 when the veterans saw the boat of fishing guide Bill Burr during one of their fishing days on Glade Run Lake in Middlesex Township. One of the veterans commented to Burr on how nice it was.

Three weeks later, Tomayko got a call from Burr, who offered to take the veterans on fishing trips.

With that, the monthly fishing trips were born.

“I look forward to it,” said Burr, a retired veteran who lives in Portersville. “It's a good thing to do.”

After the Glade Run Lake closed later in 2011, the trips were moved to Lake Arthur at Moraine.

Burr started out providing most of the bait himself. In recent years, volunteers and donations — including those from the American Legion Auxiliary and from veteran Damian Hamblay and his wife, Mary — have helped provide bait. The boats have been donated by Mike Carver.

All of this makes it possible to provide an alternative way for the veterans to receive therapy.

“People on the surface think we're just going fishing,” Tomayko said. “We could be working on their social skills ... we could be working on their patience ... we could be working on anxiety ... we could be working on being overly competitive. The fishing is just a way to accomplish those goals.”

Tomayko first teaches the veterans in a classroom about doing activities without drugs and alcohol, and then they go out and fish.

“We've got the drug and alcohol issues, so my whole goal is to teach people how to spend their time without the drinking and doing drugs,” Tomayko said.

However, Tomayko's specialty isn't fishing. He leaves that to Burr and VA manual arts therapist Bill Kunst.

Kunst gets the VA equipment ready and is one of the VA members who takes the veterans fishing. Along with Burr, he helps teach them how to fish.

“It's a mixed bag, but most of them don't fish,” Kunst said. “Once in a while we'll get a couple of guys that have fished.”

But some veterans really take to fishing. Kunst told a story of how the veterans were on a golf outing and saw nice-looking ponds on the golf course. With permission from the owners, they returned to fish on their own time.

The fishing trips themselves have grown. Now there are 10 to 15 veterans per trip, and sometimes the park rangers fish with them in an extra boat.

Several veterans enjoyed themselves Wednesday, while discussing how the program has helped them.

Jackie Lee Hunter, a Beaver Falls native and Army veteran who is 3½ months sober from alcohol abuse, reeled in a bluegill from the front of the boat. As much as he enjoyed catching a fish, he had fun spending time with others.

“I get feedback on things to do,” he said. “I usually don't have a hobby. My hobby was drinking. Now I know there's more things to do.”

Bryan Greene had the best haul, catching two catfish and a 19-inch largemouth bass to get $5 worth of VA cash.

A self-described “qualified addict,” Greene has been clean almost three months. He too had positive things to say about the fishing trips.

“It's conducive to my recovery because it's basically living life on life's terms, and I'm enjoying it,” he said.

Rick Dortman of Butler is a Navy veteran who once struggled with alcohol and heroin. About 50 days sober, he was on his first fishing trip Wednesday.

Though he didn't catch anything, he still enjoyed himself and was glad to get away from the intensive treatment that being in the VA domiciliary sometimes requires.

“I was once part of the problem,” he said. “Now I want to be part of the solution in Butler.”

The ultimate goal is to prepare the veterans for life outside of the program. Coast Guard veteran Sherry Rossman of Centre County, Pa., has started to realize that goal.

A former alcohol abuser, she recently went home and fished without drinking alcohol. It improved her fishing experience.

“It's a lot better,” she said. “I can catch fish now.”

That's the kind of story that Tomayko likes to hear.

“Our goal is to put ourselves out of business, to where they don't need us anymore,” he said. “But we'll be here.”