OCEAN CITY- The Ocean City Marlin Club’s 9th Annual Kids Classic tournament last weekend was a big success with fish of all shapes and sizes hauled in by young anglers and lots of money raised for a great cause.
Throughout the summer, the big boys and girls get to show off their fishing prowess practically every weekend with one tournament or another, but the focus last weekend was on the young anglers with the 9th Annual Kids Classic. The event was open to all anglers age 19 or younger and took place in the waters in and around the resort area from the back bays to the ocean.
The annual tournament is held for the benefit of the Wish-A-Fish Foundation, a national program that provides opportunities for kids with special needs, whether they are suffering from a life-threatening disease or a long-term disability, to enjoy a day on the water catching fish. The tournament was held last Saturday and Sunday with weigh-ins each day at Sunset Marina in West Ocean City. The event concluded on Sunday for a party for the participating young anglers at the Ocean City Marlin Club including a cookout, a carnival and an awards ceremony.
Young anglers caught fish in every category both inshore and offshore during the two-day tournament. The crew on the “Zipper” took first place in the tuna category with a 119-pound blue fin, while the crew on the “Espadon” took second with a 69.8-pounder and the crew on the “Reel Estate” took third with a 66-pounder.
In the dolphin category, the “Drillin & Billin” crew took first place with a 7.4-pounder, while the “Shelly II” and the “Espadon” share second with a pair of seven pounders.
The team of young anglers on the “Get-R-Done” took first in the bluefish category, while Nick Hoxter on the “Aquadance” took second and the crew on the “Shelly II” took third. In the sea bass category, the crew on the “Absolute Pleasure” took first, while Kannon Cropper on the “Karen Sue” and the “Absolute Pleasure” and “Myra HT” crews shared second place.
In the spot category, Walker and Harper Hastings and the crew on the “First Try” shared the honors with the crews in the “Reel Fantasy,” the “Tooned In,” and “The Partnership.” Kannon Cropper on the “Karen Sue” took the top prize in the tog category. In the rockfish category, Cooper Clarke on the “Myra HT” took first with a 13-plus pounder, while the crew on the “Ashy’s Boat” took second.
In the flounder category, the crew on the “Ocean City Guide Service” took first with a 4.4-pounder, while the crew on the “Jezebel” was second and angler Ella Peters on the “Gretchen Ann” was third. In the croaker category, it was Kannon Cropper again on the “Karen Sue” taking first place, while Bradley and Brian Marks on the “Stacey” were second, the crew on the “Shark Tooth” was third and Case Tilghman on the “Karen Sue” was fourth. Among the fish caught in the most unusual catch category were a red drum, a black drum, a blowfish, a ming cod, a kingfish, a sea robin, a trigger fish, an oystertoad, a skate and a trout.