The Ocean City Fishing Club’s 46th annual Boys and Girls Surf Fishing Tournament will be held Saturday, August 12.
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.
The tournament has three age categories: 8-10, 11-13, and 14-16 years old, with a boys’ and girls’ division in each grouping. Parents can help children 8-10 years old cast, but those youngsters have to do their own fishing after that.
Ed Hoban, who chairs the tournament for the club, says every child who fishes will be given a prize. In 2019, the last time competition was held, the event drew about 110 participants.
“We have lots of prizes and every boy and girl who signs up for the tournament will go home with something,” Hoban said. “We have lots of certificates for McDonald’s Happy Meals, and many other prizes donated by other businesses in the area. Our club members are donating and collecting gift cards for prizes, too.”
Among the prizes that will be awarded, a boy and a girl who land the biggest fish in each of three age groups will receive a rod and reel donated by Fin-Atics, a local bait and tackle shop on West Avenue. The boy and girl who land the most fish overall will win $300 gift certificates from Century-Advanced Fishing Rods of Avalon.
OCFC members will be on hand to measure fish to determine winners, as well as give expert advice. Founded in 1913, OCFC is the oldest, continuously operated fishing club in the nation.
