On October 3, a team of volunteers from the CCA NC Onslow Bay Chapter gathered in the Swansboro…
On October 3, a team of volunteers from the CCA NC Onslow Bay Chapter gathered in the Swansboro Piggly Wiggly parking lot to once again welcome over 100 kids and their parents to the annual CCA NC Fishing for the Future kids fishing tournament and pass out new spinning combos and swag buckets to a steady flow of excited children aged from 4 to 16.
This year saw 117 kids registered, and each received a new Penn spinning combo and a custom boat bucket filled with additional fishing gear and information on conservation and ethical angling practices.
“We first and foremost want the kids to have a fun fishing day, but we also want to provide a little education on responsible stewardship to our next generation of conservationists,” said Eastern Regional Director Stuart Creighton. “We call it ‘Fishing for the Future’ for a reason.”
Lines were in the water Saturday, October 4, and participants could fish from shore, wade the marshes, or fish from a boat or kayak. Catches were reported throughout the day from 31 different youth anglers.
At the conclusion of the fishing day, all of the young anglers and their families were invited to the waterfront lawn at the Waterway Inn for hot dogs, games, and the handing out of awards and prizes.
The outstanding anglers in the 12-and-under age group were recognized: Grayson Moon (11) – 19” speckled trout; Ozzie Cordero (10) and Van Cordero (7) – 28” red drum; Sofia Grantham (7) – 17.5” flounder; Allison Hall (5) – 15” lizardfish; and Nash Anderson (4) 17.25” flounder.
The outstanding anglers in the 13-and-older age group were also recognized: Gavin Plocica (15) – 13.75” lizardfish; and Gabriella Larson (14) 14.75” flounder.
