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(Author’s Note: This column originally appeared in the Banner about 10 years ago. Pete Cooper Jr. passed away Tuesday. I offer this piece again in tribute to the finest fisherman I have ever known, and among the best of friends a man could ask for.)
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Have you ever accidentally, unthinkingly and unknowingly, hurt someone?
I mean, you didn’t intend to. It was all an accident. But the consequences were unmistakably dire.
My pal Pete Cooper Jr. might know. You see, Pete Cooper ruined my life.
Back in 2005 I was asked to appear in not one but two episodes of Fly Fishing America which, at the time, aired on the Outdoor Life Network. In one episode, I would fish on the Blackfeet Indian reservation in Montana with native Joe Kipp; in the other, Joe would join me to fish in Louisiana.
I went to Montana for the filming of the first episode, and fell head-over-heels in love with Big Sky Country. The mountains, the foothills, the prairies and…the rivers! Streams and creeks, oh my! To the end of my days I doubt I shall ever see anything more beautiful than the waters in Glacier National Park, or a more awe-inspiring sight than Chief Mountain standing sentinel over us as we caught cutthroat trout.
But upon returning to Louisiana, I said to myself, “Well, that was a once in a lifetime experience,” and went back to fishing for bream and bass in stone-still, green-black water, as I have all my life.
Perhaps you’re thinking I should have said “How Fly Fishing America ruined my life” but no, after that journey I realized that, in the first place, I’d never fly again, so therefore in the second place, I’d probably never see Montana again.
But in my Internet wanderings concerning all things fly fishing, I ran across several items on Louisiana Fly Fishing’s website by someone named Pete Cooper Jr. In addition to some great fishing reports and stories from the Gulf marshes to inland lakes, he talked about these mysterious places, creeks nestled in hills just hours away, where there was rock and sand and fast, clear wild water.
In time my curiosity got the better of me and I contacted Pete. I already knew of him, having reviewed his book Fly Fishing the Louisiana Coast for Fly Anglers Online, positively and glowingly, I might add.
For this, Pete Cooper repaid me by ruining my life. No good deed goes unpunished, they say, and while the book deserved every bit of the praise I lauded upon it, if I had known what the future held I would have taken a far more hostile approach to my review.
You see, here’s what Pete did: He gave me directions to this mythical, mystical place, clear and explicit and hard to mess up directions; so like a naïve, innocent babe I jumped in the truck with Suze and we went there.
And there it was. Fast, clear, murmuring and laughing, dancing, cold and swift. I had to shake my head. Was I still in Montana? No, of course not. I caught one fish at that creek that late November day, and when we got home, I lay awake all the night, staring at a dark ceiling, listening to the creek singing in my brain.
But Pete Cooper was not done yet. Oh, no.
The creek was like a song that gets stuck in your head, and it drives you crazy until you just can’t stand it anymore. That’s how I was. And eventually, the following spring I think it was, Pete and I met face-to-face at the annual get-together of the Acadiana Flyrodders club.
To my surprise, here was no devilish, behorned, pitchfork-wielding creature. Instead, a tall, gentle, laid back being who resembles Eric Clapton—or maybe Eric Clapton resembles Pete—funny as the dickens, fond of good cigars and can tell a great yarn with the best of them. Needless to say I took to him at once, and we made plans to go back to that creek together when the weather warmed.
In this way, Pete Cooper sealed my fate. Snapped the trap. Doomed me.
What did he do that was so terrible, you ask? I’ll tell you: He taught me how to fish creeks and successfully catch bass on them!
Yes, that’s right. A swamp and bayou boy, and there I was, catching spotted bass on a creek running through hog-backed hills far, far from home.
I say he “taught me.” Really, he did his best. I am a difficult student. Stubborn and inept. For instance, Pete said I needed to fish No. 6 poppers in yellow and black on a six-weight fly rod. Like any youngster I nodded but silently decided to fish No. 8 poppers in orange on a four-weight fly rod. My casting had all the efficiency and aesthetics of a drunk trying to reach the light switch string hanging from the restroom of a seedy truck stop, and I caught very few fish.
Finally I conceded he knew more about the topic than I and followed his advice. Then I caught fish. Not many. But the trap was snapped. I was snared. And this funny, kind man some twenty years my elder merrily kept at it, leading me down the path to damnation trip after trip after trip to the creeks.
Over time, creeks began to take over my mind, drive me slowly insane. Once it was my greatest delight to put four gallons of gas into the outboard tank, drop the boat over into the bayou just a hundred yards from my house and motor out to the lake or the cove to spend a pleasant day fly fishing.
Little by little, I decreased the time I spent fishing from a boat. My trips declined as well. I got to the point where I preferred to get in the truck and go many hours north, rather than fifteen minutes by boat to the lake.
I’ve always been somewhat of a nut, a bit of a wild-eyed psychotic about fishing. Nothing new there. But this whole creek fishing thing that Pete Cooper lured me into has consumed me.
In the winter I am twice as depressed and irritable as when I was a lake fisherman. In the spring, I waste the equivalent of a small mutual fund’s contribution in gasoline. I change my truck tires more often. During the summer, I groan and moan about how it is too hot to go to the creek. But last year I went anyway. Twice. I sweat like a pig out there, nearly keeled over from heat exhaustion…and had the absolute best time a junkie could have.
Once fall comes, it’s back and forth to the creeks every chance I get. I lie to loved ones to get out of other responsibilities. I skirt the edge of financial ruin in my checkbook, dangle on the precipice of being without basic utility services and max-out the credit cards to go creek fishing. I will go to any ends, prey on any weakness, find any excuse to go to the creek. I’d probably knock over a liquor store if I thought I could get away with it, but it’s hard to go to the creek while incarcerated.
Perhaps I’m being a bit too hard on ol’ Pete. He of course had no idea he was dealing with an addictive personality, nor did he know about my tendency to only go off half-cocked at mundane things like mowing the grass or house upkeep, but full-bore, wide-open, fifth-gear overdrive over things like wooden boats, bamboo fly rods, puppy dogs, double shotguns and creek fishing. Perhaps he didn’t know that his introduction would send me barreling down interstate highways to the Smoky Mountains, northern Arkansas, the Appalachians and maybe, just maybe, one day back to Montana.
Used to be when I’d take my fall vacation I’d stick around the house and nap a lot. I’d lounge in my chair and watch television until my eyeballs merged inward into one like a Cyclops and had to trade in my eyeglasses for a monocle. No more. It’s to the road I go, to the mythical and the mystical.
Winter’s upon me. But spring will return. And when it does, I’ll be fishing a creek somewhere, hopefully at least part of the time with Pete Cooper. Better the devil you know, than the angel you fear.
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Afterword
(From my third memoir, “Carry Me Away”)
I started this little book with the tongue-in-cheek essay originally titled “How Pete Cooper Ruined My Life.” Many years have passed since the day Pete gave me directions by email to the first creek of my infatuation. Many years, and a complete transformation in my life, and my paradigms.
That first satire tickled my wizened mentor greatly; he said it was the nicest thing anyone ever said about him.
So it’s time to up the anty. Because you see, Pete Cooper didn’t ruin my life at all.
He saved it.

Plant propagation is fun and provides you with extra plants for your landscape or to share with friends. Plants can be propagated in a variety of ways, such as planting seeds or rooting cuttings, but layering is often overlooked by gardeners who are unfamiliar with the technique. When layering, roots are induced to develop on a stem while it is still attached to the parent plant. Early summer is a great time to start layers because it provides a long growing season for roots to form and grow.
Simple layering and air layering are the two most commonly used techniques. In both procedures, the stem is wounded by cutting or scraping, causing an interruption in the downward movement of sugars and hormones in the stem. These accumulate near the wounded section, and under the right conditions, cause roots to form. Because the stem is still attached to the parent plant, the part to be propagated still receives water during the rooting process, and you can root a much larger piece than with cuttings.
Simple layering is easy to do. This method is excellent to use on woody plants that have low, supple branches, such as azaleas, camellias, spireas and other shrubs. Select the branch to be layered, and bend it so that a spot 12 to 18 inches from the tip of the branch touches the ground. Holding the branch out of the way and using a trowel, dig a shallow hole where the branch touched the ground.
Next, wound the branch at the spot where it touched the ground by using a knife to make a slanting cut on the underside of the stem angled toward the tip of the branch. The cut should be no deeper than about half way through the stem. Or scrape away a ring of bark about three-quarters of an inch wide. Dust the wound with rooting hormone. If you wounded the stem by cutting it, wedge the cut open with a small pebble or twig.
Finally, put the wounded section of the branch into the hole and cover it with 2 or 3 inches of soil. Put a stone or brick on top to hold the branch in place.
Throughout the summer, keep the area around the layer moist. The layer should have rooted by October, so check it then. If roots have formed, cut the rooted branch from the parent plant, making the cut just behind the rooted area of the stem, and plant the rooted cutting in a pot or in the landscape.
Air layering is a variation of simple layering used on plants when a low, supple branch is not available. Air layering can be done with a wide variety of both tropical houseplants and landscape trees and shrubs, such as citrus, ficus, azalea, magnolia, dracaena, schefflera, dieffenbachia, holly, hibiscus and many others.
Start by selecting a branch about one year old. At a point 12 to 18 inches from the tip, wound the stem as described for simple layering. If a slanting cut is made, wedge it open with a match stick, toothpick or a bit of damp sphagnum moss. This will keep the wound from healing over and prevent root formation. Apply a rooting hormone, then cover the wounded area with damp sphagnum moss about the size of a baseball. Wrap the moss with plastic kitchen wrap, making sure no moss is exposed beyond the plastic because it could act as a wick and dry out the moss inside the plastic. Twist each end to make tight seals on the stem above and below the moss. Tie or tape these ends to prevent moisture loss.
If the air layer will receive any direct sunlight, cover the plastic with aluminum foil. This prevents sunlight penetration through the clear plastic that would cause excessive heat buildup and prevent root formation.
The most common mistake made in air layering is allowing the moss to dry out. The moss must remain damp, or rooting will not take place. Occasionally loosen the top of the plastic and check the moss to make sure that it doesn’t dry out. Add water as necessary and reseal the plastic.
Rooting generally takes between eight and 12 weeks. Whenever roots are clearly seen through the plastic, the air layered stem can be cut immediately below the roots. Remove the plastic, but leave the moss attached to the newly developed roots. Plant the cutting in a container of potting soil and place it in a bright location but not in direct sun until roots develop further. Then move it to a permanent location.
When the air layer is cut away, the portion of stem below the cut may be completely leafless, but in a short period of time, dormant buds will generally begin to grow. This works particularly well for indoor plants that have grown too large. By air layering, you reduce the size of the original plant when you cut off the rooted layer, and you also end up with a new plant.
Layering is a simple way of creating new plants, and the success rate is quite good. If you have had difficulty with cuttings, these methods may be the answer to your problems.

The following are the radio dispatch logs from the Morgan City Police Department. To report unlawful or suspicious activity, call the police department at 985-380-4605.
Monday, July 3
8:21 a.m. Chennault Street; Removal of subject.
8:27 a.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Officer stand by.
9:23 a.m. 100 block of Mallard Street; Complaint.
9:49 a.m. U.S. 90 East; Stalled vehicle.
10:20 a.m. 200 block of Pecos Street; Complaint.
11:15 a.m. 1700 block of Dale Street; Animal complaint.
11:29 a.m. 100 block of Mallard Street; Animal complaint.
11:39 a.m. 6000 block of La. 182; Shoplifting.
11:55 a.m. 800 block of Fourth Street; Suspicious person.
12:47 p.m. 1000 block of Sycamore Street; Complaint.
2:04 p.m. 6000 block of La. 182; Complaint.
3:01 p.m. 3000 block of Keith Street; Medical emergency.
4:07 p.m. 1700 block of Dale Street; Animal complaint.
4:15 p.m. La. 182; Ac-cident.
4:35 p.m. 500 block of Terrebonne Street; Complaint.
5:18 p.m. 200 block of Pecos Street; Complaint.
5:45 p.m. 300 block of Patton Street; Complaint.
6:17 p.m. 2700 block of Shaw Drive; Disturbance.
6:32 p.m. 100 block of Eleventh Street; Animal complaint.
7:19 p.m. Mallard Street; Theft.
8:52 p.m. Justa Street and La. 182.; Animal complaint.
9:09 p.m. Wren and Mallard streets; Fireworks.
9:15 p.m. 100 block of Third Street; Phone harassment.
10:24 p.m. La. 182; Traffic stop/arrest.
Tuesday, July 4
1 a.m. 3100 block of Vine Drive; Complaint.
1:46 a.m. Brashear Avenue and Seventh Street; Complaint.
2:25 a.m. 800 block of Fig Street; Loud music.
5:30 a.m. 1500 block of North Third Street; Alarm.
7:01 a.m. Pecan Street; Suspicious person.
8:32 a.m. 1200 block of Federal Avenue; Alarm.
8:48 a.m. 2300 block of La. 70; Theft.
9:50 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Disturbance.
10:35 a.m. 1300 block of Second Street; Complaint.
11:23 a.m. 1200 block of Onstead Street; Alarm.
11:43 a.m. La. 182; Animal complaint.
1:32 p.m. 600 block of Arenz Street; Patrol request.
1:48 p.m. 1600 block of Front Street; Medical emergency.
2:11 p.m. U.S. 90 East; Stalled vehicle.
2:17 p.m. 2300 block of La. 70; Complaint.
3:10 p.m. Chestnut and Diane drives; Complaint.
4:37 p.m. 600 block of Louisa Street; Welfare check.
4:48 p.m. 300 block of Egle Street; Loud music.
5:31 p.m. 200 block of Halsey Street; Loud music.
5:33 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Complaint.
6:17 p.m. 100 block of Oak Street; Disturbance.
6:22 p.m. 2300 block of La. 70; Disturbance.
7:28 p.m. Fourth Street; Medical.
8:05 p.m. 200 block of Franklin Street; Assistance.
9:48 p.m. 1600 block of Victor II Boulevard; Loud music.
10:09 p.m. 500 block of Fifth Street; Complaint.
10:16 p.m. La. 182; Fireworks.
10:27 p.m. 900 block of Cherry Street; Complaint.
10:30 p.m. 1000 block of La. 70; Disturbance.
11:15 p.m. 3200 block of Roselawn Drive; Assistance.
12:10 a.m. 1200 block of Victor II Boulevard; Alarm.
12:15 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Complaint.
1:24 a.m. 200 block of Mallard Street; Complaint.
1:59 a.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Disturbance.
Wednesday, July 5
7:24 a.m. 800 block of Sacred Heart Drive; Complaint.
8:43 a.m. 1000 block of Eighth Street; Alarm.
9:39 a.m. 100 block of Glenwood Street; Complaint.
9:54 a.m. 500 block of Federal Avenue; Alarm.
10:19 a.m. 900 block of Fig Street; Criminal damage to property.
10:36 a.m. 1800 block of McDermott Drive; Officer stand by.
11:02 a.m. Shaw Street; Suspicious vehicle.
11:26 a.m. 1200 block of Victor II Boulevard; Theft.
11:29 a.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Harassment.
1:14 p.m. 400 block of Garber Street; Loud music.
1:24 p.m. 500 block of First Street; Alarm.
2:53 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Medical.
3:04 p.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Medical.
4:15 p.m. 900 block of Railroad Avenue; Disturbance.
4:28 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.
4:30 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.
4:53 p.m. 7500 La. 182; Arrest.
5:23 p.m. 600 block of Louisa Street; Removal of subject.
5:32 p.m. 1000 block of Levee Road; Disturbance.
5:41 p.m. 400 block of Florida Street; Alarm.
5:46 p.m. 500 block of Fifth Street; Complaint.
6:16 p.m. 900 block of Levee Road; Animal complaint.
6:30 p.m. Sixth and Onstead streets; Complaint.
6:35 p.m. 800 block of Ditch Avenue; Arrest.
6:53 p.m. 1200 block of Victor II Boulevard; Complaint.
6:55 p.m. 2600 block of Sixth Street; Complaint.
7:32 p.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Complaint.
7:38 p.m. 3100 Jennie Drive; Animal Complaint.
7:43 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Complaint.
11:41 p.m. 300 block of Laurel Street; Animal complaint.
11:45 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.
11:46 p.m. 1100 block of Levee Road; Animal complaint.
Thursday, July 6
2:13 a.m. 1600 block of Sixth Street; Hit and run.
2:23 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; 911 hang up call.
4:09 a.m. 400 block of Fifth Street; Medical.
4:11 a.m. 200 block of Mallard Street; Medical.