| When I take my kids fishing, they don't really care what they catch, as long as it pulls and pulls hard. Many older anglers get too caught up (no pun intended) in the type of fish they catch. If it is not a gamefish -- trout, red drum or snook -- they don't want to be bothered.
So that's why it is refreshing to hear that the Islamorada Fishing Club will host a Junior Fishing Derby next month that encourages kids to fish for nearly 50 different species of fish including amberjack, barracuda, cobia, dolphin, hogfish and even lizard fish.
The derby, scheduled for Nov. 27-28, stresses fun and sportsmanship. This catch-and-release event operates on the honor system, with grand champion anglers named in three divisions -- super small fry (up to age 6), small fry (ages 7-10) and junior (ages 11-16).
Participants can fish from land or from a boat. The Florida Keys have several great bridges and plenty of productive shoreline to accommodate young anglers. This event could become an instant classic. Islamorada is great in November and it might be worth building a mini-vacation around the derby. |
