Fishing club helps disadvantaged youth

By John Loesing Acorn Staff Writer

Each year, the Ventura County Sport Fishing Club takes a group of disadvantaged youth out to sea and gives them a day of fishing they might not ever enjoy.

The kids are usually wards of the court—often abused or in some kind of trouble, said club spokesman Wayne Pulver. A group of about 50 boys and girls will be treated to a day of fishing on Aug. 6.

"They earn the trip and it is wonderful because some of these kids have never been on the water," said Pulver, an avid fisherman himself.

Several non-profit organizations participate in the fishing program, including interface and Casa Pacifica.

"We take pictures and there are smiles and they get a Polaroid every time they catch a fish," Pulver said. "We don’t fish ourselves as members of the fishing club, we just aid them and help learn more about the sport."

Two days later, Aug. 8, the Ventura club will take another group of young people to the Channel Islands fishing grounds. These will be the sons and daughters of military personnel—many of whom served in the Iraqi conflict.

The second trip is being made possible with a donation from "Friends of Rollo," a nonprofit group out of San Diego whose goal is to introduce kids to the ocean life.

"We’d like them to experience a day of beauty and nature on the water," says the group’s mission statement "To see dolphins swim in the bow’s wake, to watch whales surface for air, to witness sea lions at play around the boat. These are a few of the pleasures a day at sea can provide.  These experiences can truly broaden a child’s horizons."

James "Rollo" Heyn was a much-loved, Southern California fishing captain who died in 1999. The charity was set up in his name.

While the organization focuses on inner-city kids, it also encourages church groups, Scout groups and school classes to participate. Boats and tackle equipment are usually donated for the cause.

Pulver said 90 percent of today’s anglers started fishing before the age of 10. That’s why trips such as these are so important.

And the catch of the day?

Probably sea bass, sand bass or yellow tail this time of year, Pulver said.

"Some of the boys and girls don’t even want to handle a fish, but as the day goes on, they’re all having a good time and getting their pictures taken and we’ve had some wonderful trips," he said.