OC Fishing Club to Hold Youth Surf Fishing Tournament

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OCEAN CITY — Young anglers can show off their skills with rod and reel in

the Ocean City Fishing Club's 44th annual Boys’ and Girls’ Surf Fishing

Tournament on Saturday, August 10.

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Registration for the free event will begin at 9 a.m. at the north end beach

near the Ocean City-Longport bridge. Parents or guardians will be asked

to sign a waiver for insurance purposes before their children can

participate. Each child must bring his or her own fishing gear and bait.

Fishing starts at 10 a.m and ends at noon, followed by an awards

presentation. The event will be held rain or shine.

“Last year, we had to curtail the tournament after about an hour at the first

sound of thunder and lightning,” said Ed Hoban, OCFC chairman of the

event. “Hopefully, we’ll have better weather this year.”

The tournament has three age categories: 8-10, 11-12, and 13-16 years

old, with a boys’ and girls’ division in each grouping. Parents can help cast

for children 8-10 years old, but once their lines are in the water, those

youngsters have to do their own fishing. Three anglers who catch the most

fish in each age category will win a rod and reel. The boy and girl who land

the biggest fish overall will receive bicycles and trophies.

“The Miller family donates the bikes each year in memory of Ralph Miller,

who ran the tournament, and his wife, Marion,” Hoban said.

Eighty-four youngsters participated last year and caught 32 fish. Flounder

was the biggest fish reeled in at 16.25 inches and 15.5 inches in the girls

and boys divisions, respectively.

“We get a lot of support from local businesses that donate prizes,” Hoban

said. “There’s a variety of things to award the winners, such as fishing

supplies, gift cards for food, backpacks, coolers—just about anything you

can think of that young people like.”

OCFC members will be on hand to measure fish caught to determine

winners, as well as give expert advice. Founded in 1913, OCFC is the

oldest, continuously operated fishing club in the nation.