Fishing course and instructor mentioned in feature about Westhampton Lake

A Richmond Times-Dispatch article about the flora and fauna surrounding Westhampton Lake on the University campus found its inspiration in regular fishing courses offered through the Office of Personal Enrichment and Professional Development at the School of Continuing Studies.

Fishing courses that include hands-on experiences on the lake, which are offered by SCS instructor and local guide Mike Ostrander, prompted friend and Times-Dispatch reporter Andy Thompson to investigate the lake for his Urban Oasis series. Thompson's article is titled "UR lake offers different type of summer school."

"Friend and local fishing guide Mike Ostrander teaches a fishing class at UR's School of Continuing Studies every year that includes hand-on instruction on the lake, so I know it holds bluegill, largemouth bass and even a few yellow bullhead catfish."

Ostrander, whose summer course "Discover the James: Richmond to Presquile Island" has already filled, offers personal enrichment courses in the School's Think Again catalog of non-credit classes. As noted by reporter Thompson, Ostrander also offers classes on beginning and intermediate freshwater fishing.

The reporter marvels at the flora surrounding the lake as his dogs explore the lake's feeder stream and the tightly-woven trees and undergrowth. And he muses about where a portly cottontail rabbit might find its home in what appears to be a crowded campus of buidlings, roads and parking lots.

Posted July 3, 2009