Life at the End of a Rod

Life at the End of the Rod: Tales of a Fisherman is the lifelong journey of Robert Veltidi as he grows into a man. The outdoors was an important part of
his upbringing, and he transported that love of the outdoors into his way of life. This book begins with his earliest recollection of fishing, takes us
through a time of self-discovery and exploration, then to a rebirth of his love of fishing. Then the author leaps back into fishing as a means of
relaxation and camaraderie between him and his father and brothers. Later on, after the death of his father, his son joins the group, along with a host of
friends of all the Veltidi boys. Each story is the tale of one time that the author feels either fishing has affected his life or that he affected somebody
elses life by fishing.


My Fishing Beginnings is the authors first recollections of his fishing life. It introduces you to the boy that he was and later the man he would
become. Like the prologue, My Fishing Beginnings, gives you the background information about the people in the rest of the stories. The Home Pond is a
tribute to the authors grandparents. They played a huge role in his early childhood. Although the story takes place on one brief day, it depicts life in a
rural area in the early 1950s. Huck Grows Up takes place over two summers and tells of the fishing adventures of the author when he was first given his
independence and allowed to go out fishing and into town on his own. It was a turning point in his life when childhood dreams change and his life takes a
new direction. The Norma K is the authors first experience into ocean fishing. Its interesting because the story is divided into three sub-chapters:
The Norma K, The Norma K II, and The Norman K III. All three were party boats out of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, that the author fished on in various
times in his life, first with his father, then with his wife, and finally with his son. All three experiences were surprisingly similar in some ways and
subtlety different in others. The Norma K is the last story of the author as a child and it finishes up with him as an adult. The remaining stories
depict the author as an adult or as near to one as he can be while still having as much fun as he can while fishing.


My Turn is the first story the author ever wrote. It came after the death of his father, and it was part of the grieving process the author went through.
The story tells of the changing of the guard when the son becomes the leader, and mentor, and fulfills one of his fathers lifelong dreams with surprising
results. Fixing a Roof is a whimsical tale of grown men deciding to play hooky for the day and go fishing. This is where you meet Alan, the authors
brother, and are introduced to one of Alans friends. Lake Ontario is an ongoing process; it started in 1987 when the authors father died and chronicled
the first eight years of an ongoing trip that continues even to today. In this tale you become more acquainted with Doug, the authors son, and he becomes
a vital part of the rest of the saga. New Jersey Trout is the exploration into new waters and the discovery of a whole new fishery. Along the way, the
author meets new friends and bonds closely with his son. Tiger Muskies is the start of something new; the author has stepped up and bought a bigger boat.
The small lake fishing and wading by the edge of the streams has been replaced by fishing for trophy sport fish. It is also the second story written by the
author.


Thoughts on Retirement is a reflective essay that was written one afternoon in August when the author was sitting down in his shed by the lake and was a
little scared of what the future would bring. For the first time in fifty years the author was free of any obligations. Shark Fishing at Montau