By JP Wong
Growing up on Long Island is an amazing experience. You’re surrounded by water and becomes a part of you.
When I discovered the fishing club at Ward Melville I knew I had found a home where I could share my stories with like-minded people. One of these stories happened this past summer with my buddies on a charter out of Port Jefferson.
My friends and I were aboard the Celtic Quest out of Port Jefferson, NY for a final night of summer fishing. The moon was out and hopes were high as we set sail from the docks.
The serenade of waves filled the air as we casted our lines hoping to catch some Stripers and Blues. As the time went by, the captain continued to say how we were sitting on a hot spot as people reeled in monster Bluefish. At the same moment the three of us were smiling with unbitten hooks and empty buckets.
We moved from spot to spot on the boat hoping to get a few nibbles, but it was like the fish knew where we were and were swimming away to the other side. Finally, my friend David and I got bites and as we reeled these fish in all we could think about was whose fish was going to be bigger and when we pull them out…Sea Robbins.
By now everybody’s lines had run cold and the captain decided to run overtime to make up for the slow catch. To keep busy between stops we fooled around & even got a different friend John to take a bite out of frozen bait for pure entertainment. He did, hey, were 17 years old and looking to have fun.
At the final spot of the night we pulled in 6 Bluefish. After taking a few pictures we released them and could now head home with some sort of pride after 4 hours on the water.
Memories like these stick out to me not because of the caliber of fish we caught, but the emotions that were tied to that night. What this shows is that even on a mediocre night of fishing, you can have a great night of fun.
All of us at Coastal Angler are committed to sharing the sport we love with the next generation. We are especially grateful when we find young folks like JP Wong who can share his passion for fishing through stories, or teacher/leader Bob Wilson who puts his time and resources to work for the kids 24/7.
The Ward Melville HS Fishing Club will be sharing their stories and photos through a monthly column for us, sharing their fish tales and passion for fishing on Long Island.
For information on how to start your own high school fishing club, or to submit a teen article for this column please contact me at LisaD@coastalanglermagazine.com
If you would like to reach out to Bob with ‘atta boys for him or his fishing club you can reach him at:
Ward Melville High School Fishing Club
Bob Wilson
380 Old Town Road
wmhsfishingclub@gmail.com
rwilson2@3villagecsd.kl2.ny.us
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