The crew on the Gret’s Three J’s took first place in the billfish release division of last weekend’s Kid’s Classic tournament with four white marlin releases to go along with a nice wahoo.
Submitted photo
OCEAN CITY- The Ocean City Marlin Club’s 15th Annual Kid’s Classic last weekend was a huge success with hundreds of young anglers all competing for a worthy cause.
Throughout the summer, the big boys and girls get to show off their fishing skills with one tournament or another almost every weekend, but last weekend belonged to the smallest and youngest anglers in the community. The annual Kid’s Classic tournament hosted by the Ocean City Marlin Club is open to all young anglers age 19 or younger and takes place in the waters in and around the resort area both inshore and offshore. 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 illness or suffer from long-term disability, to enjoy a day on the water catching fish.
In the billfish release division, it was the crew on the Gret’s Three J’s taking first, while The Chaser was second and the Billfisher was third. Gret’s Three J’s caught and released four white marlin. Roll Groove took first in the dolphin division, while Spring Mix II was second and Haulin and Ballin was third. Fish On took first place in the tuna division, while the No Quarter was second and the Roncito was third. Max Bet took first in the wahoo division, while Gret’s Three J’s was second.
In the inshore divisions, Fish Bound took first in the flounder category and tied for second with the I-Cart-Er. Wigg One took first in the bluefish division and tied for second with the Buckshot. The Maverick finished third in the bluefish division. In the mackerel division, Buckshot took first, followed by the Jeb in second and the Family Tree in third.
In the bonita division, Double Trouble took first, followed by Canyon Hunter in second and Kingfisher in third. Little Byte, Partnership and Captain Jaac filled out the first three places in the croaker division. The Partnership crew swept first and second place in the spot division while the Just Fold took third. In the seabass division, Fish Bound took first, while the Jezebel took second and third. Fish Bound also took first in the taug division.
One of the unique elements of the Kid’s Class tournament is a prize for the most unusual catch. In some years, it might be a fish not often seen in local waters, and in other years it might be something not even in the fish family such as an old boot or a tire.
This year’s most unusual catch award went to a young angler who accidentally snared a pigeon and nursed it back to health the rest of the day on the boat. An angler on the Partnership also caught a 30-pound bull ray, while another young angler on the Fish Bound caught an eel.
