Junior anglers, along with parents and friends, were armed with the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club-provided handlines, bait, and buckets as they spread out along the marina docks and tried their luck. It did not take long for the fish-catching action to happen.
“We love it,” said Cinnamon DeMarco, who attended with her husband, with three of their children fishing the event – Omar, Eileen, and Lois Williams. “It’s a fun family event, it’s not overly competitive, and we get to see several other families we know. The kids get everything they need to fish, plus T-shirts and backpacks.”
Members of the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club walked the docks and helped junior anglers and adults alike with everything from fishing techniques to untangling lines.
Grunt, snapper, barracuda, a trunkfish, and a couple of crabs numbered among the day’s catch. Junior anglers practiced conservation by keeping their fish in a bucket of seawater until weighed and then released their catch back into the sea.
The overwhelming success of the tournament played out over the young faces as they ate pizza and drank cold drinks following the 11 a.m. call for lines out. Prizegiving followed shortly after.
Among the winners was 9-year-old Lynnea Steuerwald who captured two awards: Most Fish Caught by Weight, and Third Place Winner by Weight. “I fished last year and won a prize for the strangest fish – a mud crab,” said Steuerwald. Mangrove and yellowtail snapper were among her catch. “What I enjoy most was catching and then releasing the fish.”
Four-year-old Ahmori Colston enjoyed beginner’s luck in his first year fishing. He earned Second Place for his 1-pound-plus mutton snapper. When asked how he enjoyed the fishing, catching and prizes, Coleston smiled broadly and gave a thumbs-up sign.
“There were smiling faces up and down the docks. That’s what this tournament has always been about, passing these skills and a love of fishing to the next generation,” says Kelvin Bailey, Jr., president of the VIGFC Board of Directors.
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Tristan Brin proudly brought his palm-sized white grunt to the scales to have it officially weighed at the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club’s Annual Kid’s Fishing Tournament, held Saturday, September 30 at IGY’s American Yacht Harbor Marina, in Red Hook. “I knew it was a big one,” says 7-year-old Brin. “Just in case, I put my foot firm on the dock, so it didn’t pull me in!”
Minutes later, 9-year-old Keiron Harris brought his catch, also a white grunt, to the scales, which were manned by professionals from the Department of Planning & Natural Resources (DPNR) Fish & Wildlife Division. When asked how he felt when he caught the fish, Harris said, “It made me feel happy”. Brin and Harris were among the 148 anglers aged 15 years and younger who competed in this annually anticipated event.
“We love it,” says Cinnamon DeMarco, who attended with her husband, with three of their children fishing the event – Omar, Eileen, and Lois Williams. “It’s a fun family event, it’s not overly competitive, and we get to see several other families we know. The kids get everything they need to fish, plus T-shirts and backpacks.”
Members of the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club walked the docks and helped junior anglers and adults alike with everything from fishing techniques to untangling lines.
Grunt, snapper, barracuda, a trunkfish, and a couple of crabs numbered among the day’s catch. Junior anglers practiced conservation by keeping their fish in a bucket of seawater until weighed and then released their catch back into the sea.
The overwhelming success of the tournament played out over the young faces as they ate pizza and drank cold drinks following the 11 a.m. call for lines out. Prizegiving followed shortly after.
Among the winners was 9-year-old Lynnea Steuerwald who captured two awards: Most Fish Caught by Weight, and Third Place Winner by Weight. “I fished last year and won a prize for the strangest fish – a mud crab,” says Steuerwald. Mangrove and yellowtail snapper were among her catch. “What I enjoy most was catching and then releasing the fish.”
Four-year-old Ahmori Colston enjoyed beginner’s luck in his first year fishing. He earned Second Place for his 1-pound-plus mutton snapper. When asked how he enjoyed the fishing, catching and prizes, Coleston smiled broadly and gave a thumbs-up sign.
“There were smiling faces up and down the docks. That’s what this tournament has always been about, passing these skills and a love of fishing to the next generation,” says Kelvin Bailey, Jr., president of the VIGFC Board of Directors.
Sennai Habtes, Ph.D., bureau chief of fisheries for DPNR’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, echoed and expanded on those words as the prizegiving wrapped up. “We’d like to congratulate the parents, friends and supporters who brought their kids and are helping to keep recreational sportfishing alive in the VI. I know I enjoyed fishing on the docks here as a kid. It’s important for kids to enjoy our natural resources and to learn how to engage in fishing responsibly, sustainably, and enjoyably.”
The Kid’s Fishing Tournament and prizes were sponsored by American Yacht Harbor, Capt. Red Bailey/The Abigail, Dr. Billy Biscoe, G-Clef Music, Island Time Pub, Lattes in Paradise, Mixed Bag Sportfishing/Capt. Rob Richards, Neptune Fishing Supply, Ocean Surfari, Seas the Day, Shen Dragon, St. Thomas Swimming Association, VI Children Museum, Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club.
Results
By Weight
1st Christina Xu, 1145-gram Honeycomb Trunk Fish
2nd Ahmori Colston, 740 grams, Mutton Snapper
3rd Place Lynnea Steuerwald, 725 grams, Mangrove Snapper
Most Fish Caught by Weight
1st Lynnea Steuerwald, 1705 grams
Most Fish Caught Total
1st Christian Brin – 11
2nd Earl Questel – 9
3rd Stevie Annaclerio – 8
Smallest Catch
1st Omar Williams, 8.7 grams, blue crab
Most Unique Fish
1st Christina Xu, Honeycomb Trunk Fish
Last Fish Caught
Zendi Sewer
First Boy to Catch a Fish
Carl Benjamin
First Girl to Catch a Fish
Lucy Price
Youngest Participant
Connor Browne
ClubDr. Sennai Habtes, bureau chief of fisheries for DPNR’s Division of Fish and Wildlife echoed and expanded on those words as the prizegiving wrapped up. “We’d like to congratulate the parents, friends, and supporters who brought their kids and are helping to keep recreational sportfishing alive in the VI. I know I enjoyed fishing on the docks here as a kid. It’s important for kids to enjoy our natural resources and to learn how to engage in fishing responsibly, sustainably, and enjoyably.”
The Kid’s Fishing Tournament and prizes were sponsored by American Yacht Harbor, Capt. Red Bailey/The Abigail, Dr. Billy Biscoe, G-Clef Music, Island Time Pub, Lattes in Paradise, Mixed Bag Sportfishing/Capt. Rob Richards, Neptune Fishing Supply, Ocean Surfari, Seas the Day, Shen Dragon, St. Thomas Swimming Association, VI Children Museum, Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club.
For more information, call 775-9144 or Email: usvigfc@gmail.com. Check out photos from the event on Facebook
www.facebook.com/pages/Virgin-Islands-Game-Fishing-Club
