Lure of fishing is more than trout and bluegill, for moms

AS SEEN IN THE VENTURA COUNTY STAR

By Betsy Crowfoot

May 14 2006 VENTURA, CA - Logan Kovarick, 10, was eager to catch his first fish.

Standing on the dock at Lake Casitas he proved a tenacious angler, repeatedly throwing his line against the wind into the choppy green water – pausing only to gasp at the outstretched wings of a great blue heron soaring overhead.

An hour into the outing Logan had nearly perfected the art of casting, unlike Rebecca Crowley, 14, whose last furious pitch dislodged the bait from the hook, launching it back in her face.

“Ewww!” she squealed, peeling a six-inch nightcrawler off her cheek.

“’Rebecca got worm-slapped!” roared Coco Crowfoot, also 14, and the whole group crumbled in laughter.

Welcome to the unpredictable world of moms, kids and the great outdoors.

Fishing and camping have traditionally been dad’s realm. But today nearly one-quarter of America’s children are being raised by single moms. And with that shift has come a disruption in tradition. Without fathers or grandfathers to bait the hook or set up the tent, more and more children are missing the boat – literally and figuratively – on the out-of-doors.

Studies, such as a 2002 report from the University of Florida, have indicated that exposing children to the “complex and dynamic” natural world helps them grow up to be stronger, more flexible adults; with a keen sense of stewardship for the environment.

Author Richard Louv called current trends towards sterile, controlled play, the source of “nature-deficient disorder” in his book Last Child in the Woods. Reuniting youngsters with their natural surroundings, he said, is therapeutic for both kids and mother earth.

So a handful of intrepid moms and youngsters recently set off for Lake Casitas in search of fish, adventure, and a new legacy.

Just 10 minutes north of Ventura, the 2,500-acre reservoir was close, convenient, and accommodating. Park Services Officer Rob Weinerth met the group, introducing himself to the youngsters as ‘Ranger Rob’, and helped select the menu for the day: a buffet of nightcrawlers, mealy worms and mackerel. With the aid of several Park Hosts he showed the kids how to attach hooks and bait to a cache of loaned rods and reels, then advanced to the tricky art of casting, and intermittent checking of nibbled-off worms, re-baiting, and re-casting.

“For kids, fishing can be hard because they’re impatient,” admitted Jan Kovarick, Logan’s mother. “But this is one of those situations when you’ve got a lot of time for things to come to the surface. If parents and kids have anything to talk about, this is the time to do it.”

While Jan was looking to connect with her son, Connie Crowley was seeking to “increase the cool factor.”

Her teenage daughter Rebecca, son Maxx and friend Harrison Merritt (both 12), “Got a kick out of the idea of me taking them fishing because it’s out of the general mom mode,” she said. “I want them to know that certain activities are not gender-based.”

Although no one was catching, the group wasn’t deterred. The boys alternately fished, or skateboarded along a roadway edged with poppies and lupine. The girls giggled as an overly-curious mallard tried to steal Coco’s lure. Fast-moving clouds decorated the sky, and the lake turned a frothy green.

Despite the idyllic setting, there were few visitors. Attendance at Lake Casitas has steadily declined over the last decade, said Ranger Rob, who identified competition from extra-curricular sports and activities as the culprits. “Parents aren’t taking their kids fishing anymore,” he observed.

Concurrently the fishing industry has bemoaned a decline in the sport, as reflected in sales of licenses. Thirty years ago more than one in ten Californians carried a sportfishing license; nowadays it’s nary three-percent, with just 1.4-million issued in 2005. License fees have increased $10 in the last decade to $34.90, prompting more people to opt for an $11.30 day pass.

To encourage residents to try their hands at fishing the California Department of Fish and Game sponsors two license-free days each year (June 10 and September 23 in 2006). And private recreational entities like Lake Casitas continue to lure anglers with the promise of fish, fish and more fish.

In addition to Trout and Bass, Lake Casitas is regularly stocked with Florida Bluegill, Black Crappie and Catfish: species -- according to Ranger Rob -- that the average person can catch with ease.

“It doesn’t really matter what you catch,” explained young Harrison. “You can catch anything, and you feel really proud of yourself.”

“It’s an adrenaline rush,” Coco piped in, recalling her initiation as an angler.

“At 30-something I still remember my first fish,” Ranger Rob reflected. “I was four years old, fishing off a pier in San Luis, and I caught a big Cabazon. My dad helped me bring it up because it was too big.”

“It’s still exciting to catch fish, and be with friends and family when you do it,” he continued. “I've made it out on the water 60 to 90 days a year since I was 12. For our family it’s a lifestyle: we’ll probably be fishing until we die.”

Predictably, Ranger Rob was the driving force behind annual Kids Fishing Days at Lake Casitas. Free events aimed at getting kids hooked on fishing included casting games, prizes and ponds jam-packed with Trout. Most of the 333 youngster who attended March 25 caught their first fish ever.

Eric’s Tackle Shop in Ventura provided hooks, line and sinkers for the event. “I love to see kids fish,” said proprietor Eric Huff. “I don’t know too many kids who go out there, who don’t end up loving it once they catch a fish. They go berserk!”

For youngsters like Logan, still awaiting that sweet moment of success, the payoff is worth the wait.

“I bet it’ll feel cool,” he whispered shyly, looking forward to that rite of passage.

“Just being out here, letting Logan cast a few times, has been worthwhile,” his mom added. "Anything that gives kids a little more confidence in handling something they’ve never done before, is just awesome.”