THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 21, 1995 TAG: 9505200094
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 121 lines
JOHN SAVAGE TOOK the eight youngsters aboard the High Hopes through a quick lesson in bait rigging.
Mother Nature soon took them through a lesson in the beauty of the offshore world of fishing.
In the annual Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs bluefishing tournament, it was the perfect combination.
As Savage, 23, rigged a balao that would soon be trolled behind the boat, the Red Mill Elementary students watched intently, asking questions and then giving the method for rigging the bait a try themselves.
They did surprisingly well considering only one of them had ever seen the small baitfish used in offshore trolling for several species of fish.
It's a good sign when novices are so eager to learn about angling.
When the baits were rigged and lines set in place, the kids went about the task of watching the horizon and the rod tips in excited anticipation of a strike.
Some ate a snack and others spent time trying to get their sea legs.
But it wasn't long before the much-awaited call came from the bridge.
``Fish on,'' skipper David Wright shouted. ``Fish on.''
The kids had drawn numbers from a hat to determine the fishing order. While they all wanted a chance in the fighting chair, it is the only fair way to maintain order.
Monica Nicholes, a fifth-grader, was up first and she leaped into the chair like a hungry cat after dinner.
Her eyes beamed as she cranked as hard as she could. Motivation came from all around the boat as Savage helped steady the rod so she could use both hands when she had to.
It wasn't long before she had the bluefish whipped and she was excited to see it jumping behind the boat. It was the first fish she had ever caught.
``I caught that?'' she asked amazingly. ``All I did was turn the handle. Wow!''
Savage swung the toothy critter into the fish box and a rubber band with Nicholes' named on it was wrapped around the tail to identify her catch for later weighing purposes.
While the action was better than last year's tournament - no fish showed that day - it was still slow for the half-day affair.
Another fish hit one of the balao, but only managed to mangle the bait - not hitting hard enough to get the hook in his mouth.
Such bad luck had Savage thinking, and he soon asked the all-important question.
``All right, whose got bananas on board?'' he smiled. ``Anybody bring bananas for their lunch?''
Stunned by the seemingly ridiculous question at first, two youngsters went to their lunch boxes and withdrew bananas.
``Ah hah,'' Savage said. ``I thought so.
``You see, bananas on a charter boat are bad luck. Anything banana flavored. You just can't have it on the boat. Those things have to go.''
Laughing, the two chunked the fruit overboard reluctantly - all the while wondering if Savage had lost his mind.
Toby Drake, a third-grader at Red Mill, gazed over the seemingly endless waters as the crew waited for another strike - contemplating how big his catch was going to be. Or if there would even be one.
There was.
Within minutes, another chopper struck and was hooked. Chaperone Dan Steere helped the youngsters control the rods while they battled the fish. As Savage hurled the fish onboard, he had to ask.
``Anybody got any doubts about the banana thing now?'' he asked.
The response was unanimous: ``NO!''
But still, the action was slow - until Wright got a call from the folks aboard the White Lightning.
``High Hopes, come in,'' they radioed.``You guys got those youngsters out looking for bluefish today?''
``Sure do,'' Wright responded.
``Well, we've been looking for tuna and we can't stay out of the bluefish,'' the White Lightning called. ``We're a few miles southeast of you guys.''
Wright plugged in the coordinates and called for Savage to pull in the baits. The High Hopes was making a run for the fish and it was quickly rewarded.
By noon, each child had caught two fish for the tournament weigh-in and it was time to head back for a cookout and awards ceremony.
The Virginia Bluewater Gamefish Association has been hosting the tournament for the past few years and gets considerable volunteer help from captains and mates who donate their boats and time to take the youngsters out fishing.
The lucky kids came from 10 area elementary schools.
They had to write essays on the evils of drugs and the winners got to go fishing. The eight top anglers in the bluefishing tournament will participate in a deep sea trip for tuna and billfish later this summer.
Results of the tournament are pending. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by STEVE EARLEY
Toby Drake, a third-grader at Red Mill, gazed over the seemingly
endless waters as the crew waited for another strike - about 20
miles southeast of Rudee Inlet in the Atlantic Ocean.
ABOVE: As John Savage, 23, rigged a balao that would be trolled
behind the boat, Red Mill Elementary students Natalie Koepp, left,
Scott Maguire and Toby Drake watched intently, asking questions
during the baiting lesson. RIGHT: Monica Nicholes, a fifth-grader,
was up first in the fighting chair and the first with a fish. ``I
caught that?'' she asked of the bluefish. ``All I did was turn the
handle. Wow!''
John Savage pulls a big blue aboard High Hopes. By noon, each child
had caught two fish for the tournament weigh-in and it was time to
head back for a cookout and awards ceremony.
LEFT: Dan Steere, a chaperone, puts his shoulder into his job as he
helps Red Mill Elementary's Scott Maguire reel in a fish.
ABOVE: My Boy IV, another of the charter boats with students aboard,
fishes near High Hopes.
RIGHT: A bluefish, one of 16 choppers caught by the High Hopes
students, is brought to the surface.
by CNB