Fish tales from Jackson-Feild Homes

Don Lancaster, host of Fishing Tidewater, and a Jackson-Feild resident fishing.

For the boys and girls at Jackson-Feild, an annual rite of fall is a saltwater fishing trip at the Buckroe Beach Fishing Pier in Hampton. Old Point Bank sponsors the event in conjunction with the City of Hampton Roads Parks and Recreation.

 

The young anglers - none of whom had ever been saltwater fishing - arrived bright and early and ready to fish using rods, tackle and bait provided by Old Point Bank. Don Lancaster and Matt Smith (hosts of the Fishing Tidewater radio show), Al Nazaruk, and Dan Minnick volunteered their expertise and served as mentors.   Don provided a brief "Fishing 101" lesson in which he showed the boys and girls how to bait hooks, protect their hands from the fins, and then release the hooked fish.

 

According to one enthusiastic participant, the kids caught "a bazillion fish," releasing most but keeping enough to fill a cooler to bring back to campus for dinner. The new anglers had so much fun that did not want to leave.

When asked why he volunteers each year, Lancaster responded "These youngsters have had so many challenges in their lives. It does your heart good to see them have such a good time enjoying a simple pleasure."