VA Charter Boat Association: “Hooked on Fishing”
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| Fishing aboard “Lone Wolf” on Saturday, one Girl Scout caught a croaker during the 3rd annual “Hooked on Fishing” youth fishing event. (Photo by Larry Chowning) |
The Virginia Charter Boat Association (VCBA) held its 3rd annual “Hooked on Fishing” youth event on Saturday, August 28, at Norview Marina in Deltaville. VCBA charter boat captains took a total of 110 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts from the Richmond area to fish in the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay.
“This is a unique opportunity for those of us in Richmond who have not experienced fishing in the river,” said Dr. Valerie Mutchler-Fornili of Mechanicsville, assistant leader for Girl Scout Troop 517 and whose daughter is one of the Scouts. “We feel very lucky to have gotten involved in this.
“We want to thank members and captains of the Charter Boat Association for providing this opportunity for our children in the Richmond area,” she said. “It most certainly has been a day these children will never forget.”
The dozen boats left Broad Creek at 9 a.m. Saturday and by 9:30 a.m. lines were wet in the water. Every boat caught about five different species of fish, and if a person did not catch a fish they caught an oyster shell or a crab, which seemed to bring as much excitement as a fish.
Keith Miller, secretary of VCBA, said the fishing trip is the biggest charity event of the year for his organization. “We really enjoy this because some of these kids have never been fishing before,” he said. “There is incredible joy when they catch a fish, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a big one or small one. It’s hard to put a price-tag on that.”
Captain Percy Blackburn of Middlesex, organizer of the event, said, “It was a great time for the kids as they learned about fishing and being on the water. Our member captains took great pride and delight in making this special event both fun and educational for the participants.”
The boats used a catch-and-release policy unless the fish were going to be taken home and eaten. A youngster on Captain Bill Mershon’s “Sea Spray II” out of Sarah Creek in Mathews County caught a big mud toad. When asked how big, he spread his arms over his head as wide as he could. Needless to say, that toad was released in a hurry.
The boats and fishermen returned to Broad Creek about 12:30 p.m. where they were served hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch, completing a fun day on the water.
The captains and boats participating were: Captain Bubbie Crown, Tortuga; Captain Tom Narron, Miss Ella; Captain Bill Mershon, Sea Spray II; Captain Kate Tylman, Poppy G; Captain Tom Blatt, Fintango; Captain Al Matthews, Janet M; Captain Bob Hewlett, Lemon Twist; Captain Rick Lockhart, Bob-a-Long; Captain Joe Shabbott, Final Pursuit; Captain Ferrell McLain, J-Mar; Captain Carlisle Bannister, Miss Linda; Captain John Wager, Lone Wolf; and Captain Keith Miller, Drumbeat IV.
The supporters and donors of the event were: VMRC-Saltwater Fishing Development Fund, Norview Marina, Fish On Bait and Tackle, Henry’s Tackle, J&W Seafood, Green Top Sporting Goods, Church View Septic Systems, H&H Distributing, Chesapeake Marine Training Institute, and Lower Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department.
Call Capt. Blackburn at 804-240-6756 for more information.
