Then & Now With Scotty Barnes

Then & Now with Scotty Barnes!

    It was our first trip to the then Natchaug Valley Campground (now Nickerson Park Family Campground). We were camped down at the far end where the river bends in a big "S" curve. The ripples sing a melody as they pass by and at night it's like being in Big Sky Country out west as the stars fill the sky away from the lighted areas.
     We had great neighbors that included the Schurman's, the Landcrafts and the Larry Barnes family. Larry's son Scotty was really hooked into fishing and one day, I caught this photo of him with a frisky trout.

Scotty Barnes with one of his first trout.

His Dad was a good fisherman and over the years we all became friends and enjoyed many weekends as neighbors.

As happens, kids grow up go to school and other activities and camping is abandoned or at least cut way back.

That's the way it was with us and years passed when we didn't see our friends. A few years back, we got back into camping again, purchased a new pop-up. My bride and I camped during the summer months, but Opening weekends of trout season became a guy thing.My son Todd and other friends never missed an opener until I lost my camper in a flood a few years back. Then Todd and his family got serious about camping again and I've since managed to make every Opener except the year I had knee surgery.

         A couple of years ago, Todd and I were enjoying our first cup of coffee next to the campfire on Opening morning when a young man walked up and introduced himself. It was Scotty Barnes. He's still a good fisherman as demonstrated by this newer photograph. His Dad was with him and we enjoyed talking over old times. Now we all look forward to getting together each and every season.

Scotty is still catching the big ones

DWA