Thirteen-year-old Maykaiya Smith had never caught a fish before… until Saturday. That’s when she proudly pulled in a small blue runner using a handline and hook while fishing on the docks at IGY’s American Yacht Harbor Marina in the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club’s Halloween Kids’ Tournament.
“I wanted to do this for a long time,” said Smith, who was fishing during the 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. morning session of the tournament with her parent and siblings. “I was so excited.”
Smith placed her catch in the small blue bucket provided, ran it up to the tent where professionals with the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife weighed the catch. The conservation-minded event encouraged kids to release their fish once weighed, which Smith did with delight.
Smith’s brother wasn’t far behind her. Maykaijah Smith caught a remora, sometimes called a suckerfish.
“The way it latched onto the scale when it was weighed was so weird,” says the 11-year-old Smith, who also has brought a blue runner and yellowtail snapper to the scale.
On the next dock, 6-year-old Kai Bailey screamed with delight as he brought a yellowtail snapper up from the water and into his bucket. It was Bailey’s fourth catch of the morning.
“Chumming,” said Bailey of the secret to his success. “We throw some squid in the water first and the fish start coming up.”
This is the same method that earned 10-year-old Shane Berry a prize for catching the most fish in his age group, 10.
“Someone had just thrown the rest of their bait in the water and went fishing somewhere else. I saw that and went over there. I had all 10 fish in under 10 minutes,” said Berry.
Two-year-old Jahzeel Ashby and his 5-year-old brother, Lester Ashby, sat with their mother Rosa Feliz, trying their luck. Both boys were costume-clad; the older brother as a Ninja and the younger as Iron Man.
“This is a really nice event. I hope they do it again,” said Feliz.
An enthusiastic turnout of kids, ages 14 and under, fished either in the morning or afternoon session from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., designed by organizers to maximize participation yet minimize crowds in a COVID-safe fashion. The event was free, with junior anglers receiving backpacks, buckets, handlines and bait. Members of the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club walked the docks and offered fishing tips. Afterward, kids were treated to pizza and then prize giving.
Trophies, prizes and gift certificates were awarded to kids’ catching the three largest fish, the smallest fish, the strangest fish and most fish in two categories: ages 10 and under and 11 to 14 years. Since masks are required to be COVID-safe, youth were encouraged to wear Halloween costumes, and there were prizes for best costumes too.
Mangrove or grey snapper and blue runner or hardnose were the most common catch. A porcupine fish, horse-eye jack, yellowtail snapper, blue striped grunt and green moray eel also came to the scale.
“This was a great event to promote the wonderful and sustainable way that young people can enjoy the natural resources of the Virgin Islands,” said Dr. Sennai Habtes, Ph.D., bureau chief of fisheries at the Division of Fish & Wildlife who headed up the weigh and measure team.
Youth participants were encouraged to take the handlines and buckets they received in the tournament and fish again on their own throughout the year.
“I would like to thank all the participants, especially the Boys and Girls Club, for attending the event. It was really special to hear the adults passing along tips on catching fish to the next generation,” said Kelvin Bailey Jr., president of the board of directors of the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club.
The club’s Halloween Kid’s Fishing Tournament organizers thank the donors: American Yacht Harbor, Island Time Pub, Ocean Surfari, Parasail Virgin Islands, Guardian Insurance, G-Clef Music Academy, St. Thomas Swim Association, The Children’s Museum, Coral World, Lattes in Paradise, Mixed Bags Charters, Abigail III Fishing Charters, Sue Boland and Guardian Insurance.
For more information about the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club, call 775-9144 or email: usvigfc@gmail.com.
RESULTS
Morning
Largest Fish – Top 3 – 0-10 Years
- Keeon Connor, 0.94-pounds
- Shane Berry, 0.60-pounds
- Kamron Douglas, 0.57-pounds
Largest Fish – Top 3 – 11-14 Years
- Lesha Nordstrom, 0.61-pounds
- Lesha Nordstrom, 0.38-pounds
- Leah Williams, 0.34-pounds
Most Fish
- Shane Berry, 10
Smallest Fish
- Tucker Edwards, 0.02-pounds
Strangest Fish
- Maykaijah Smith, Remora
Afternoon
Largest Fish – Top 3 – 0-10 Years
- Aben Dellinger, 1.51-pounds
- Noble Dellinger, 0.76-pounds
- Sage Steuerwald, 0.76-pounds
Largest Fish – Top 3 – 11-14 Years
- Luke Quetel, 0.68-pounds
- Mensah Jacobs, 0.24-pounds
- Luke Quetel, 0.06-pounds
Most Fish
- Christian Berry, 15
Smallest Fish
- Earl Questel, 0.04-pounds
Strangest Fish
- Lynnea Steuerwald, Mud Crab
