Because many people are not registered, it is believed 

 that this figure represents only about half of the 

 number of people with significant vision loss in the 

 state, according to division officials. 



Of the number registered, about 1 6,500 are 

 residents age 55 and older. This is not surprising 

 because vision loss is one of the most common 

 disabilities among the aging population. Macular 

 degeneration, glaucoma and vision loss as a secondary 

 effect from diabetes are among the common eye 

 diseases in the older population. 



"This tournament gives many older participants 

 the chance to return to something they once enjoyed 

 doing — fishing," says Jackson. "And, it gives others 

 the chance to develop a new leisure activity after 

 losing their vision." 



Because the VIP Fishing Tournament involves 

 a special population, the N.C. Division of Marine 

 Fisheries waived all catch limits for participants. 



With ideal weather conditions for fishing 



— 71 degrees and winds between 1 and 1 5 mph 



— participants caught a record number offish. 



The winner of the Bill Reynolds trophy for the 

 heaviest fish was Hubert Ward of Watauga County, 

 who reeled in a 2.4-pound croaker on the Avalon 

 Pier. 



Lisa Trent of Lexington caught the most fish at 

 40 pounds. Participants caught a total of more than 

 701 pounds of fish. All three winners for the total 

 amount caught — Trent, Emily Smith and Linda Swain 



— were at Nags Head Pier. 



"It was the first year that participants had caught 

 so many fish," says White. "They were impressed that 

 they could reel in two fish at a time." 



For Trent, it was only the second time that she 

 has fished. "It was wonderful and made me feel good 

 catching that many fish," says Trent. 



Some of the participants on the boats were 

 experienced anglers and even baited their own hooks. 



"I spent my whole life saltwater fishing on 

 the West Coast," says 49-year-old Kevin Jenkins of 

 Durham, who placed third on the Miss Virginia Dare. 



TOP: Sylvia Baldwin, left, checks out her first fish with 

 Ida McGill. MIDDLE: Volunteer Bonnie Phfennighaus, 

 right, baits Linda Swain's line with bloodworms. 

 BOTTOM: As a Lions Club member, Gwen White has 

 been involved with the VIP tournament for many years. 



14 SPRING 2005 



