VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The Red, White and Blue Fishing Experience brings hands-on learning to help local kids get hooked on deep-sea fishing.
It’s put on by the Virginia Beach Bluewater Fishing Club and the Virginia Beach Sherriff’s Office.
This program has been going on for 21 years and it’s back on the water this year.
Sixty-five volunteers, mainly law enforcement officers, worked one-on-one with kids to teach them new skills.
“Just how to drop it,” said participant Eli Vazzi. “I have never done deep sea fishing.”
He put his new skills to the test and reeled in a bunch of fish.
“I’ve only caught an eight-inch and seven-inch,” he said.
He’s not the only one that got into the action.
“I was able to catch a fish,” Adrian Garcia said.
The 125 kids reeled in more than 1,300 fish, totaling 9,350 inches.
“I like going fishing,” Vizzi said.
That was the goal, to get kids hooked on another fun outlet and learn a valuable skill, and it also allowed the kids to build relationships with law enforcement officers.
