As anglers know, you catch a special thrill when a fish bites. The sudden snap and tug and the whirring sound of the spinning reel as the fish takes off sends the steadiest of hearts racing. Pulling a big one into the boat is pure joy. Catch a Special Thrill events give that experience to children with disabilities, along with a day of camaraderie and outdoor recreation. Since 1991, when the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation held its first event on Banks Lake in Washington, the charity has been organizing fun, free and accessible fishing days. Next month, Lake Fork will host its third C.A.S.T. day May 3 at Pope’s Landing marina.
James Dobson, volunteer event coordinator of the Lake Fork event, said C.A.S.T. events have been taking place in Texas for over 20 years. Last year, the organization served more than 7,300 participants and family members at 96 events nationwide. Texas hosted 40. At the Lake Fork event, each angler will be fitted with a life jacket, paired with a boat captain and loaded down with free goodies. Dobson’s wife and daughters make a “snackle box”—like a tackle box, but with snacks—for every angler to take on the boat with them. After all, they could get hungry on their two-hour fishing trip. Each participant also receives a free rod and reel, tackle box, hat, medal, and an award plaque with their photo on it. Anglers, their family members or caregivers, and volunteers also get lunch after fishing.
Producing a C.A.S.T. event takes many hands. Coordinators like Dobson work all year long and especially hard on event
days, when they are joined by scores of volunteers who work on the water and shore to keep everything running smoothly. Most importantly, everyone helps celebrate the anglers during the awards ceremony.
Considerable help comes from high schooler anglers on the Alba-Golden and Grand Saline fishing teams. These teens descend en masse to volunteer and help wherever they can. The volunteer-to-attendee ratio at events is always high because some participants need extra attention or accommodations due to visual, mobile, auditory, neurological, cognitive, medical or psychological disabilities. The Lake Fork event has averaged about 27 participants and 126 volunteers. Every care is taken to ensure safety and a good time, including requiring a parent, guardian or caregiver to accompany each child throughout the event.
While C.A.S.T. is primarily targeted at disabled children ages 6–18, coordinators have discretion when it comes to age restrictions.
“At the third event I volunteered at, I got the privilege to take a 37-year-old individual out fishing,” Dobson says. “It was his very first time on a boat, and he caught his first fish. The smiles I got that day and the almost tears from his mother melted my heart. Right then and there, I vowed that for any event that I coordinate, there will never be an age limit.”
The event also depends on sponsors to give money and offer in-kind donations. S2 Marine, a boat dealer and service and repair shop in Quitman, sponsored in 2024 and will again in 2025. Owner Steve Glenn says he loves to give back to the community, especially to the anglers of C.A.S.T. “The majority of these kids are local,” Glenn says. “The high
school teams get pretty good support, but not as many give to C.A.S.T. People should be lined up for miles to give back to these kids. We take so much for granted, and it’s an honor to give to them for half a day.”
The venue—Pope’s Landing, owned by James and Jody Thompson—is another important donation for the event’s
success. “Pope’s waives all boat ramp fees, and they do a lot to support the event,” Dobson says. “They give us the run of the place for the day.”
Michael Roggendorf, the tackle manager for Pope’s Landing, says the location is ideal for the event. “When the Thompsons were approached with the request to donate the use of their marina as the event site, they said ‘absolutely’ without hesitation,” he says. “We have a nice, covered pavilion. There are docks that the kids can fish from when they are not in a boat or if they do not want to get in a boat.” Prior to the event, Roggendorf and his team will make sure everything is ready for the volunteers, who will arrive at 7 a.m. At 8 a.m., the real fun begins as guests are greeted and registered.
Once all the fishing is complete, it’s time for lunch. Dawson Kirk, owner of Texas Tails open-air restaurant and food truck, provided the lunch last year, serving fried fish and the fixings to a hungry crowd, and he plans to do it again this year. “It was nice to give back,” Kirk says. “They definitely had a good time. It was great to see the community come together to make this day happen.” “I’d come just for the food,” Roggendorf says. “It was that good.”
After lunch, it’s time for the awards ceremony. While every second of a C.A.S.T event is great fun, Dobson says the ceremony, when each angler gets a medal, is the best part of the day. If they are willing, the kids get a chance to talk about their day. If not, their boat captain may say a few words. “Every kid up there has a different story, and it is special to hear and see,” Dobson says.
He sums it up this way: “At the start of every event, I tell the first-time volunteers, from this moment forward, you can’t blame the coordinator or whoever got you to volunteer for getting you hooked on these events.”
Dare to join C.A.S.T. as a sponsor, volunteer or participant, and you’ll be reeled right in too.
