The Ocean City Fishing Club will welcome the public to tour its pier for the first time since visits were suspended when the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020.
Two open houses will coincide with the city’s Family Nights on the Boardwalk. The first will be held Thursday, July 27, while the second will be conducted Thursday, August 10.
The pier, located on the Boardwalk at 14th Street, will be open to the public both evenings from 6-8 p.m. The public is encouraged to bring non-perishable food or make a cash donation that will be given to the Ocean City Food Cupboard, a tradition that began in 2013, when the fishing club celebrated its centennial anniversary. This year all the food items and cash will be given in memory of Bob Roth, a long-time OCFC member who died in 2022 and had a strong commitment to the Food Cupboard throughout his life.
In 2019, during the most recent open houses, 1,112 visitors donated 185 pounds of food and gave $340 to the Food Cupboard. Fishing club members will be on hand to guide visitors, answer questions and demonstrate casting and fishing techniques. The pier extends nearly 750 feet from the Boardwalk, over the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The club began a pier extension project in December 2020 to add about 113 feet to the structure. The addition was completed in Spring 2021.
The Ocean City Fishing Club, founded in 1913, has a strong commitment to community involvement through its youth fishing tournaments, awarding scholarships and advocating for recreational fishing. OCFC is the oldest continually operating fishing club in the nation.
The club’s Boys and Girls Surf Fishing Tournament will be held Saturday, August 12, rain or shine, at the city’s north end beach near the Ocean City-Longport bridge.
Registration will be begin at 9 a.m. for youngsters 8-16 years old. Fishing will start at 10a.m. and end at noon, followed by awards presentations.
