Marlin Club event focuses on youths

Connor Campbell shows his sister, Emma one of the six dolphin he caught while fishing aboard Reel Estate during the Marlin Club's Kids Classic last year. (July 17, 2009) This weekend is all about the junior anglers as approximately 350 are anticipated to participate in the Marlin Club's fifth annual Kids Classic fishing tournament.

The Classic's popularity continues to grow each year. About 80 junior anglers took part in the inaugural tournament and last year, 327 competed.

"Our objective is to get kids out fishing," said tournament co-chairman Pat Svehla. "The kids just love it."

Svehla and Marlin Club board member Bill Regan started the Classic five years ago after they looked at the annual tournament schedule and realized there was nothing that recognized youth. They wanted to create a tournament to introduce youngsters to fishing and get them interested in the sport at an early age.

"When we first started the tournament, we thought if we could get 100-150 kids fishing it would be a success," Svehla said. "Word continues to permeate throughout the community and people keep asking when the tournament is. I can't believe how much it has grown. It's one of the most fun things the Marlin Club does all summer."

The tournament is open to junior anglers 19 and younger. Registration will begin at 6:30 p.m. today (Friday) at the Marlin Club, on Golf Course Road in West Ocean City.

The cost is $200 per boat with unlimited anglers. Those without a boat can participate for $25 and fish from areas including the surf, Route 50 bridge, OC fishing pier and Assateague Island. Tournament head boat, the Angler, will take participants who don't have access to a boat fishing on Saturday. The cost is $25 per angler. Parents are invited to come along free of charge.

Youngsters will fish one of two days, Saturday, July 18, or Sunday, July 19. Weigh-ins will take place 4-7 p.m. Saturday and 4-5:30 p.m. Sunday at Sunset Marina.

Eligible species include rockfish, mackerel, bonita, spadefish, spot, tog, bluefish, flounder, croaker, trout, sea bass, tuna, wahoo and dolphin. There is also a billfish release division.

Every child will receive a certificate and goodie bag for participating. The anglers with the three largest fish in each species category will win prizes.

The billfish category is catch-andrelease only. The three anglers who catch and release the most billfish will receive awards.

Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Wish-A-Fish Foundation, whose mission is to "provide a little relief for a family from the daily stress of having a child with special needs, such as a lifethreatening illness, mental or physical disability, by taking the entire family out for a day of fun and fishing on the water."

Last year, about $4,000 was donated to the foundation through the Classic. Marlin Club member Frank Goodhart handles the Wish-A-Fish component of the tournament and said the goal is to exceed that amount this year.

The Judith M out of Bahia Marina took out approximately 50 special needs children and their families fishing during the 2008 tournament, free of charge. This year, since the number of families interested has increased, the Tortuga, also out of Bahia Marina, will bring the children and their families out fishing as well.

A cookout is scheduled for participants on Saturday evening at the Marlin Club. The Wish-A-Fish anglers will receive their awards at the party. The tournament concludes on Sunday with an awards banquet and carnival.

For more information, call 410-213- 1613 or visit www.ocmarlinclub.com.