Marina del Rey Anglers (MDRA) recently kicked off its summer Youth Fishing Program, and young angler Heidi Romos became a star after landing a monster 30-pound halibut aboard Betty-O.

Photo by: Ray Eichel, MDRA
Heidi Romos became a star after landing a monster 30-pound halibut aboard Betty-O.

One of the first groups invited this year was from the nonprofit youth center A Place Called Home, located in South Central Los Angeles. Romos and the rest of the group boarded Capt. Mike Reinsch’s 65-foot Betty-O, out of Marina del Rey, and landed in the right spot.

The crew, MDRA volunteers and the eager youths went to work. Lots of mackerel, calico bass and sand bass were caught to the happy cheers and laughter of the kids, many of whom had never been fishing before. Some had never been on a boat, and a few had never seen the Pacific Ocean. Almost all the kids are hooked and are already asking about next year, organizers said.

Young Romos is now definitely hooked on fishing. “It fought so hard, it pulled and pulled and I couldn’t even turn the handle,” Romos said.

Everyone on board was glued to the drama unfolding, as Romos fought her monster until it was finally gaffed by Betty-O crewmember Nick Allen. There was a spontaneous sigh of relief and an explosion of cheers, high fives and photos, as the fish came on deck.

Capt. Reinsch congratulated Romos and praised all of the youngsters and counselors from A Place Called Home.

“Heidi has become a local folk hero around here overnight,” Reinsch said.

MDRA president Josh Gerson spoke on how the club’s youth fishing program and white seabass program attract a lot of members to the club.

“These are the two programs of which I am personally the most proud,” Gerson said. “We have made a long-term commitment to introducing kids to fishing and to our marine conservation programs, and both are critical to the future of our sport.”

Romos’ halibut was landed on a Shimano spinning reel and rod donated by Shimano exclusively for the MDRA Youth Fishing Program.

For more information on MDRA’s Youth Fishing Program or to join the club, visit www.mdranglers.com