Free kids fishing tournament fun for first timers

First 100 kids get free rod and reel

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If you're a parent looking for something fun for your kids to do, you can bring them out to learn a new skill and they could potentially bring home some dinner.

The Jacksonville Marine Association is sponsoring the free kid's dock tournament on Saturday, Oct 5th at 9:00.a.m. at Beach Marine. The first 100 kids to arrive get a free rod and reel.

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. at the Hook the Future office at Beach Marine. Kids will get the chance to fish until 11:00 a.m., reeling in everything from croakers to flounder and redfish. There will be prizes for biggest fish, most fish, craziest catch, and most skillful angler.

Captain Don Dingman of Hook the Future says, "We catch a lot of fish at these. A lot of people say well were probably not going to catch anything or it's probably going to be small fish. We get croakers, trout, flounder and a big redfish."

Digman says it's a perfect event for kids who have never been fishing before.

"We're going to have plenty of volunteers to help out," Dingman says. "We'll have bait there. Just bring your favorite rod and reel and your tackle and we can tie it up and fix it up for you and make sure you catch fish and have a good time. We'll have somebody to take the fish off put the bait on all that good stuff."

Everyone who participates gets a backpack from West Marine full of fishing goodies like Eagle claw hooks, Fishbites and tackle.Hook

For more information, visit Hook the Future's Facebook page at Facebook.com/HookTheFuture