PORT ANGELES — Five youngsters bounded off of small fishing boats at Port Angeles’ Boat Haven, carrying coho salmon — and their first fish stories.
“Amanda [Crueger] got, like, 15 fish, but they got away. They were too big,” said Michelle Alvarez, 12, who proudly held her own catch.
Anchor Marine, of Port Angeles, and six of their customers teamed up with the Port Angeles Unit of the Boys & Girls Club of the Olympic Peninsula on Sunday to take children who had never been fishing on an expedition to go out to deep water and learn to catch fish.
“Can we come back?” Alvarez asked after showing off her silvery catch.
Alvarez said that her fish, which she said she named Willy, would be dinner Sunday night, but that her parents would take over as cooks.
“I caught it. They have to do something too,” she said.
There were initially 10 children on the trip, but several got seasick despite the near-perfect weather conditions, and they had to return to port early, said George Rodes, director of the Port Angeles unit.
Those who were not sick returned to the fishing grounds to make another try at catching salmon, Rodes said.
The trip was organized by Erik Hogenson, an outboard motor technician at Anchor Marine, whose own children are members of the club.
Many of the children at the club seemed bored and needed something to do beyond what is typically offered, Hogenson said.
“I wanted to get them off of the couch and away from the video games, he said.
Anchor Marine owner Dallas Campbell agreed to the program, he said, and gave Hogenson and service manager Ryan Mills the go-ahead to lead two fishing trips on one of the company’s own boats, to oversee the six fishing boats that carried the children.
Hogenson said a second trip, with an additional 10 children, will leave Boat Haven for a day on the water Oct. 27.
“Hopefully next year will be bigger,” he added.
Many of the fishing boat captains who volunteered their time are also volunteers for the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides free fishing trips to injured soldiers, Hogenson said.
Participating fishing boats and crews included Capt. Jeff McFarland on Jordans Dream with first mate Ryan Stamper, Capt. Justin Peterson on Straight Shooter with first mate James Beasley, Capt. Tim Oachs on Ol’ Blue with first mate Dana Hogenson, Capts. Tony and Cody Dunscomb on Reelhrd with first mate Nate Hinsdale, Capt. Jay Burley on Yachtzee with first mate Sean Smart, and Capt. Mark Predovich on an unnamed boat with first mate Fred Robinson.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
