Something you might not know about our President, Jim Baxter

With a little time on our hands, we've been encouraging all club members to tell the rest of us something about ourselves. Here's a reprint of a report by Jim Baxter a year ago, as he assumed the role of Vice President ... 

I was born in Los Angeles sometime during the last century. I grew up in Compton, CA, digging worms out of the Los Angeles River bed to be used for fishing in local parks for crappie and bluegill, and I haven’t eaten one since. I advanced to fishing for trout with my Boy Scout troop in the local mountains.

 LFC President Jim Baxter

     After high school I expanded my fishing adventures as a member of the U.S. Army in Alaska during the Cold War. My fishing repertoire now included salmon from the Kenair River. Upon my return to civilization, I joined the Los Angeles Police Department where I excelled in riot control, professional handcuffing and advanced donut eating for the next 25 years.  During this time I landed more criminals than fish. 

     After retirement I became a motor officer working with various film studios in and around the Los Angeles area. I have a long list of movie stars that I met over the next 11 years, with my favorites being Hailie Berrie, Sean Connery, James Garmer and Woody Harrelson.  I could even be considered an actor as I got a non-speaking role in the movie Cellular. Even after becoming an actor I still found time to go fishing. Every summer we camped in the Mammoth Mountains and caught trout, and for several years returned to Alaska to fish for true cod, halibut and salmon.

     After my wife retired we moved to Fort Collins in October 2011, to be closer to our daughter and three granddaughters, and have never regretted the relocation. Fishing has a whole new prospective now as it is practically in my backyard and I have been introduced to ice fishing, not an activity in Southern California. I joined the Loveland Fishing Club in 2015, I think, (Being born in the last century has taken a toll on my memory.) I have made some great friends and thoroughly enjoy volunteering with the various fishing activities.