COUNTYWIDE : Youngsters From Barrios Are Hooked on Deep-Sea Fishing

Priscilla Magana landed a feisty barracuda on her first deep-sea fishing trip this week, but only after battling the effects of rolling seas on her digestive system.

“They gave us seasickness pills, but I still got sick,” said the 11-year-old Saticoy girl.

Priscilla joined 50 other Latino children from the barrios of Oxnard, Ventura, Saticoy and Santa Paula on Monday who caught more than 200 sand bass, barracuda and mackerel during a free day of angling courtesy of Cisco Sportfishing in Channel Islands Harbor.

The trip, organized by El Concilio del Condado de Ventura, an Oxnard-based community advocacy group, was intended to show the participants, ages 10 to 17, that they need not hook up with gangs to enjoy life.

“These were kids from different cities who got an opportunity to leave the gang signs and slogans behind for a day,” said Carlos Aguilera, a volunteer chaperon. “They got out there and were all interested in who was going to get the next fish, and cheered on the next person to land one.”

Aguilera wrangled the seven-hour outing from Cisco General Manager Rick Grant without trying. He called to request two free day trips for a raffle and instead got full use of a 65-foot boat that rents for $2,000 a day, along with a crew, tackle and bait.

“We decided to do this because more businesses should try to help these kids out,” Grant said. “The captain radioed me and said they were having a ball.”

Alex Berumen, 13, of Santa Paula found the trip thrilling. “When you hook a fish, you’re all excited, not knowing what kind it is or how big it’s going to be,” he said.

With the fruits of his leisurely labor--two meaty sand bass--Alex planned to prepare his family a dinner Monday night of fresh fish “barbecued in foil, with a lot of spices, lemon, onion and tomatoes.”