THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 18, 1994 TAG: 9409170235
SECTION: HAMPTON ROADS WOMAN PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ANGIE MARBURY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 126 lines
LONG BEFORE Cheryl Williams caught any fish on this Sunday, she encountered just about every other creature you could think of: an olive brown water moccasin with black crossbars gliding on the water in search of its nest, a deer rustling in the brush, and a black and gold butterfly that landed gingerly on the side of her big aqua blue motorboat.
But why no fish?
It was 75 degrees. Clear, calm, slightly rippled waters. A gentle breeze.
``Please, oh please fish gods. I need a fish - a super fish,'' Williams pleaded. ``Please don't let me have to be embarrassed and weigh in without any fish.''
As a member of the Tidewater Bass and Babes, Williams has had many days where the fish gods didn't answer her prayers.
The group of 22 women from Virginia and North Carolina fish the third Sunday of every month, and unlucky days are often unavoidable.
This was one of those days.
There were only seven members from the organization fishing in today's tournament. They were split among four boats.
The limit: Five fish per person - two at least 12 inches and three at least 14.
It wasn't until noon, six hours into her trek down the Chowan River in North Carolina that Williams reeled in her first catch of the day - a 3 pound bow fish.
``Oh I've got one!'' Williams said. ``But it's not what I want. It's not a bass. But that felt real good. At least I got something.''
She pulled out her pliers and cut the bait from its mouth. It plopped back into the water.
Her luck, she thought, had just begun.
She had been using five types of bait.
Now that she'd caught the bow fish, she'd use only the orange crawdad crank bait.
``You fish different bait until you decide which one they're hitting on. I'm going to continue using this one because something hit,'' Williams said.
Thirty minutes later, Williams got her second bite.
Out came the pliers again. The 2 pound pike never made it into the boat.
``He's a good eating fish,'' Williams said, ``If that's what I wanted. But he's not a bass and we practice catch and release.''
When Williams finally did catch a bass five minutes later, it too had to go back into the water. It didn't meet the size requirements of the North Carolina fishing law.
It had to be at least 12 inches.
This bass and the two following were not.
After nearly a two-hour lull, Williams decided to head for a spot near the Chowan River Bridge.
``Maybe they'll be biting there,'' she said.
But no such luck.
Then, disaster struck.
While struggling to bring her line out of the water, Williams accidentally hooked the lure - the orange crawdad crank bait - into her face.
She was able to remove the hook just above her eye. The one embedded into her nose was not so easy to take out.
``Oh my God. I feel dizzy,'' Williams said, cringing in pain. ``I think I'm going to pass out.''
Sitting down in the boat, her face and hands bloody, Williams tried frantically to remove the hook.
She was unsuccessful.
After gathering enough strength to drive to the loading dock, Williams had to wait an hour before her fiancee came in his boat and escorted her to a nearby clinic.
It was 3:30, time for the weighing and awards. Williams left sadly without catching her super fish.
The fish gods had not answered her prayers.
Instead, today's winner was Linda Frye, the organization's president.
Frye's three bass weighed a total of 4.02 pounds.
``It was a very tough fishing day. Everything was small. But I enjoyed this,'' Frye said carrying her fish toward the water.
It's a part of the group's catch and release policy. They get 3 ounces added to their weighing for each live fish and 3 ounces deducted for each dead fish.
This policy is only one among the group's environmental and community efforts.
``It'll help people know that there's a great way to have fun and go fishing,'' Williams said. ``It'll help teach them more conservation of land - make sure it's there for their children.''
Williams and her organization work throughout the year to get this message across.
They've sponsored several casting competitions over the past few months, and they stake milk jugs to dangerous areas on the river to help warn boaters.
``Within the last year we've really done a lot to promote women and family fishing,'' Williams said. ``This stuff is still out there. It's available to everybody. It'll get people more involved.''
The group also sponsors a children's day of fishing.
Last Sunday, the group participated in North Carolina's National Litter Bugs Me Day in which the group adopts two miles of highway to clean up.
Though her prayers were never answered that day on the Chowan River, Williams will soon get to showcase the hobby that fills most of her weekends and has won her many awards.
On Sept. 24 and 25 at the National Hunting and Fishing Days at Portsmouth's Sleepy Hole Park, Williams and her organization will conduct a casting competition for kids.
Youngsters will compete at accurately throwing their bait into the water at a specific marked spot.
Besides kids, Williams said the event will benefit anyone interested in the sport.
``It should really be fun for everyone. The kids and their parents will have fun with the competition.'' ILLUSTRATION: BILL TIERNAN/Staff color photos
TOP: Cathy Worrell of Chesapeake releases two bass she caught during
a tournament last month on the Chowan River near Ahoskie. They were
less than 12 inches, the size requirement under North Carolina
fishing laws. ABOVE: Linda Frye of Hertford, N.C., left, and Worrell
ease their boat into the dock. Frye is president of the Tidewater
Bass and Babes.
Graphic
HOOKED ON FISHING
The National Hunting and Fishing Days in Sept. 24 and 25 at Sleepy
Hole Park, off Bennetts Pasture Road in Suffolk.
Bass and Babes as well as other hunting and fishing organizations
will give demonstrations during the festival.
by CNB