Virginian-Pilot

DATE: Sunday, November 23, 1997             TAG: 9711230134

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C13  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   71 lines




THERE'S SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON AT SALEM MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER REESE BOWLES HAS ADDED ``ROD'' AND ``REEL'' TO THE TRADITIONAL 3 R'S.

Just watching her father fish, and maybe wetting a line herself once in a while, just wasn't getting it for Tammi Stemen.

The Salem Middle School seventh-grader craved to learn more.

And even though Angling 101 isn't in the Virginia Beach school system's curriculum, what better place to learn than at school?

Thanks to teacher Reese Bowles and his new Salem Middle School Rod and Reel Club, Stemen and other children are learning more about fishing than they ever dreamed of.

``I fish sometimes at a place where I live and my dad fishes a lot,'' said Stemen, 12. ``But I wanted to learn more. It's fun and I like it.

``But I never thought I could do this at school. This is great.''

When Bowles, who does the ``Catchin' with Captain Reese'' on-the-water fishing reports on several local radio stations during the summer, built a display case with fishing items and first spread the word about his club, he anticipated he might have 10 or so kids attend the first meeting.

``I had 38 the first meeting and 36 at the last one,'' he said.

Bowles jokingly said he is expecting about 136 at his next meeting, thanks in part to the success of the club's first fishing trip two weeks ago.

``All the kids at school are talking to the ones who went and they just can't believe they all got to go fishing,'' Bowles said. ``It's great.''

Stemen and Jimmy Gilbert have more to talk about than most. The two were paired as a team for a contest held during the recent outing to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and won, based on the total length of the four stripers they caught. Each won a new rod-and-reel combination from Princess Anne Distributors.

``Nice combos,'' Bowles said.

And the two, along with the club mates, know how to use them.

Earlier meetings of the club dealt with tackle boxes and equipment. The kids then learned about different types of rod-and-reel setups and learned how to cast each. They've learned about conservation and boating safety, and Bowles is hoping eventually to get some of the more promising students into rod and reel repair and small outboard engine repair.

``Most people thought I was crazy at first,'' Bowles said. ``Now a lot of them have something they want to help do.

``I fantasize about one day seeing one of my kids out fishing with their dad and something going wrong with the reel and watching the kid tinker with it and fix it so dad can keep fishing.''

Bowles sees other advantages to his club.

``There are a lot of kids who can catch a ball or run fast, and the schools offer something for them in sports,'' said Bowles, who coached girls basketball at the middle school level for 10 years. ``But for a lot of kids, there just isn't anything for them. Fishing is an alternative, but lots of parents don't know enough about it to teach them.

``This is a way I can share the things I know and teach them something they'll keep for a lifetime.''

Even kids like Eric Collett, an eighth-grader who was elected club president by the members because he already held quite a bit of angling knowledge.

``I've been fishing since I was 3 or 4. My dad taught me,'' the 13-year-old said. ``I like being on the water and I love to go fishing.

``But there was never anything like this at school before.''

Thanks to Bowles, now there is. ILLUSTRATION: Photos

LEE TOLLIVER

Reese Bowles' Salem Middle School Rod and Reel Club is drawing young

anglers by the dozen.

Seventh-grader Tammi Stemen's team came back a winner from a recent

bridge-tunnel fishing outing.



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