“The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of something that is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.” – John Bucha
The fish weren’t biting Saturday morning but numerous organizations, including the Greater Vallejo Recreation District, are hoping the sport “catches on” with children and gives them hope after a free event at Dan Foley Park’s Lake Chabot.
GVRD partnered with Friends of Lake Chabot and the Vallejo Rotary Club as well many Vallejo Police officers, the Boy Scouts and the Medic Ambulance for the “Fishing in the City” event that aimed at teaching participants how to fish, as well as the basic skills that come with it, including casting, knot tying, putting a worm on the hook, safety and watershed education.
Oh yeah, and being patient.
“I’ve learned to be patient and not be too close to the water and just have a lot of fun,” said 9-year-old Sheriaya Hicks.
Sheriaya Hicks’ father, Sherard, was on hand to help his daughter as well as experience some new memories to go along with numerous old ones fishing at Lake Chabot.
“This takes me back to when I grew up fishing around here and I’m definitely thinking about the first fish I ever caught when I see so many people learning here today,” Sherard said. “You have to be patient and safe when there is a lot of people around here like today.”
Sherard and Sheriaya didn’t catch anything as of 11 a.m. on Saturday morning, but both of them are experienced anglers and smiled when asked about the first fish Sheriaya ever caught. Sheriaya has been fishing for five years.
“I was excited and I was jumping up and down, but it was hard holding on to it,” Sheriaya said. “It was wiggling around and it was heavy.”
Radley Ferguson, 8, was also trying his luck at catching a fish on Saturday. Although he had no luck early in the morning, he said he had once caught a big catfish in Oklahoma. When a reporter asked how big it was, Ferguson held his arms about a foot apart from each other to which his father replied, “Oh it was bigger than that.”
Doug Darling, a watershed advocate and member of Friends of Lake Chabot, hoped many of the kids fishing would not give up on the activity.
“If you don’t catch anything don’t be sad,” Darling said. “It can still be a pleasant experience. Fishing says with people a lifetime. Sometimes you play a sport growing up but then give up on it, and I’m hoping that doesn’t happen today. Even though a lot of parents don’t know how to fish, I’m hoping this event gives kids the incentive to come back for repeated experiences.”
Darling helped set up the nets and prepped many of the fishing rods prior to the event. He also made sure people had the necessary tools like tackle boxes and power bait.
Andrea Mendoza, the GVRD Recreation Coordinator at Special Events, was glad many people were at the sold-out event.
“I think my favorite part today has been watching the faces of the kids when they are taught how to properly cast a line,” Mendoza said. “You see them first starting out and they can’t even throw it a few inches so when they finally are able to cast it 20 or 30 feet they get really excited.”
Mendoza remembers being at a similar event growing up in Hercules.
“I have often thought back to that first day I fished,” Mendoza said. “Now, watching all these kids do the same thing it’s kind of come full circle for me. I just wish somebody would catch a fish today, because that’s the best part.”
Also helping out was the Vallejo Rotary Club, which is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.
“I love watching the kids go out there along the waterfront and learn about the environment and how to fish,” rotary club member Jean Kilkenny-Turk said. “When kids actually catch a fish and are able to take pictures of themselves with the fish, that’s the best part of the day.”
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Youngsters learn to fish at Dan Foley Park - Vallejo Times-Herald
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