JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Later this week is the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament at Sisters Creek Marina. All week leading up to Friday’s main event, kids are getting the chance to participate.
Over 200 kids hit the water to be competitive fishermen at the Junior Angler Offshore Tournament on Tuesday.
“I caught two,” said 5-year-old junior angler Greyson Schoening.
Junior anglers were competing to catch the largest kingfish.
“I thought it was only going to be like 32 pounds, I didn’t think it was going to be that heavy,” said junior angler June Buehler who caught a 38-pound fish.
In the event’s 43rd year, it’s always a highlight for the volunteers and tournament chairman Mel Hammock.
“This is the most fun we have with the kids,” Hammock said. “Hopefully we’ll have a bunch of fish coming in and you’re going to see some smiles like you’ve never seen before.”
While most kids proudly carry their fish to the weigh-in.
“It was actually pretty easy,” said Peyton Brown who caught a 25-pound fish. “He didn’t put up too much of a fight like some of the ones we caught before.”
Others let their parents do the heavy lifting.
Junior anglers were 15 years old and younger, competing for 25 prize places.
“That’s an award,” Greyson’s dad Derek Schoening said. “Yeah, they gave you an award for catching a fish.”
Junior anglers took to the open waters from 7:30 a.m. and had to be in line to weigh their biggest catch at 3:30 p.m.
“As soon as her daddy gaffed it she said ‘Can we go in? Are we done? I want that one on the ice,’” Peyton Brown’s mother Jamie Price said. “I want it in the box with the ice and I want my picture.”
The Junior Angler Offshore Tournament promotes fishing participation among kids and teaches junior anglers the importance of the conservation of marine life.
“The kids are our future,” Hammock said. “We try to teach them about taking care the natural resources. They get a lot of lessons in this about preparation.”