"June is a great time for families with children as young as 6 or 7 to go after Spanish mackerel and Taylor blues," she said. "These fish are located only a few miles or less off the coast, so it doesn't take very long to find them. And the mackerel and blues aren't so big that they're a struggle to catch, but they're abundant enough so the action can be continuous."

Norton relates that both the mackerel and blues typically weigh between 1 and 5 pounds and that on a four-hour trip, several youngsters should be able to tangle with 12 to 30 or so fish. The standard method of going after the duo is trolling cut bait (finger mullet), so being proficient with a baitcaster is not required.

If a family has older children that would like more of a challenge, Norton states that June is an excellent time to chase after flounder, king mackerel, cobia, tuna or dolphin.

"June is one of those months where there is something for everybody who likes to fish, no matter what their skill level is," says Norton. "We can customize charters for families or groups."

A convenient place for families to stay near Virginia Beach is First Landing State Park, which, as Norton notes, is only a few miles from the Virginia Fishing Center. My family and I have stayed there and can recommend it.

In my opinion, the most amazing aspect of the park is the fact that it consists of 2,888 acres of undeveloped land in one of the most overdeveloped parts of the Old Dominion. The park features 19 miles of trails, and obviously as this is a Tidewater establishment, none of those trails feature steep inclines. One more interesting tidbit is that the park is where the Virginia Company individuals, the folks who went on to settle Jamestown in 1607, initially landed.

SARAH'S LAST JAB
After my family had fished at the Franklin County pond for several hours and after everyone except me had landed plenty of fish, Sarah spouted one last barb.

"I hope this is not going to be one of those trips where we can't go home until you've caught a fish," she chortled. "If that's so, we could be here all night."

Ah, there's nothing like going fishing with your offspring. Find out for yourself this summer.

IF YOU GO
For more information on fishing destinations, contact the VDGIF at www.dgif.virginia.gov.

For more on Hungry Mother: www. dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/hun.shtml, or call (276) 781-7400.

For more information on Douthat: www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/dou.shtml, (540) 862-8100.

For more on the Virginia Fishing Center: www.virginiafishing.com, (800) 725-0509.

For more information on the First Landing State Park, go to the Web site www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_ parks/fir.shtml or call (757) 412-2300.