The author, Bruce Ingram, and his son, Mark Ingram, admire a 22-pound flathead that Mark caught last July on the James River. The father and son fishing trip was guided by Richmond guide Mike Ostrander. Photo courtesy of Bruce Ingram.

When many people think of family fishing expeditions, they imagine a trip with Mom, Dad and cute, cuddly tykes between 4 and 8 years of age. Obviously, kids of those ages are prime ones to introduce to this pastime. However, there's nothing wrong with bringing an older child, or young man, on an angling junket.

My son, Mark, is 21 and is busy in life with college, a girlfriend and two part-time jobs, but going fishing with him is still a rewarding experience and a marvelous way to share time together. Last July, for example, we arranged an excursion for catfish with Richmond guide Mike Ostrander, who operates James River Fishing School.

On the drive from our Botetourt County home to the Virginia Cliffe Inn in Glen Allen, where we spent the night, we talked politics, religion, women and sports, just about curing most of the problems the world faces. That night, we sat around, watched sports shows, and conversed some more.

After Margaret Clifton, who operates the B&B with her husband, James, fixed us a breakfast highlighted by cranberry nut bread, cheese omelets and biscuits, we met Ostrander at one of the access points below Boshers Dam on river right off Riverside Drive.

"I love working with kids and also taking older young people and their parents fishing," Ostrander told us. "I feel I have the patience to work with and train someone how to catch fish. It's especially fun to show someone how to catch catfish, because many folks have never seen or caught fish these big."

And, indeed, the freshwater James in Richmond between Boshers Dam and the fall line (which is sometimes called the City Section) is known for its super-sized flathead catfish, which Ostrander said often run between 7 and 35 pounds. Channel catfish also fin these waters and often weigh between 2 and 5 pounds (with fish up to 18 pounds having been caught), as do blue catfish, which can tip the scales between 5 and 10 pounds but many times go between 10 and 20 and sometimes surpass the 30-pound mark.

The entire game plan that Ostrander has set up is fun for both kids and adults. For example, we began the day by Mike and Mark employing 2-pound-test line, 1 1/2-inch grubs, and ultralight spinning outfits to catch bluegills and redbreast sunfish for bait. My son managed to hook a 1-pound channel cat while fishing for panfish, a cat that gave him quite a tussle on the light tackle.

Next, we anchored in a rock-laden pool, and the guide's choice of tackle changed considerably. For these monster cats, Ostrander opts for heavy-duty baitcasters, spooled with 30-pound-test main line and a leader of fluorocarbon line that has a breaking rating of 50-pound-test. Rounding out the setup is a 90-weight swivel, a 1- or 2-ounce weight, and an 8/0 circle hook. If anglers really want a challenge, the Richmonder will give them the option of fishing with medium spinning gear and 6-pound-test.

Mike places the hook between the sunfish's lateral line and above the anal fin. Doing so enables the sunfish to more easily swim upright. Sunfish will often survive three casts before needing to be replaced, but will usually need to be replaced after a catfish has hit them once. Then they become cut bait, which sometimes will outperform the live versions.

"When a catfish hits the bait, the rod clicks into free spool as the catfish takes line," the guide explained. "A cat will often bang the bait, bang it, bang it, and then move steadily away. After a cat has done that and moved away about 6 feet, that's when you should engage the reel, load the rod at a 45-degree angle, and make a big sweeping hookset."