Ocean City Fishing Club Hosts 114 for Surf Tournament

The fishing was good at the north end of Ocean City on Saturday, August 10, when 114 youngsters reeled in a total of 187 fish at the Ocean City Fishing Club’s 38th annual Boys and Girls Surf Fishing Tournament.

Catches during the two-hour tournament included summer flounder, croakers, weakfish, spot, sea bass, bluefish and sand sharks. The event, which is co-sponsored by the City’s Department of Recreation, took place from 10 a.m. to noon for young people between 8 and 16 years of age.

Among the young anglers taking home trophies and prizes were Alexis Erazmus, 9, of Yardley, PA, who had the most fish caught by a girl, and Justin Fanz, 14, of Atco, NJ, who caught the most fish by a boy. A 14-inch flounder caught by Lauren Roop, 10, of Ellicott City, Maryland, earned her an award for the largest fish caught by a girl. Her counterpart was Carmine Cantwell, 10, of Ocean City and Philadelphia, who caught a 17-inch flounder — just half-an-inch short of being a keeper.

All undersized fish were immediately returned to the water.

The tournament was somewhat bittersweet for Christina Hazewski, of Avondale, PA. She had taken home trophies from the last two tournaments. But this year Christina is 17 and ineligible. She was sitting in a beach chair, watching her sisters Lauren, 13, and Bridget, 8, compete for prizes.

Tournament chairman was OCFC trustee Ralph Miller, of West Chester, PA, and Ocean City. Club secretary Margaret Feil, of Ocean View, was in charge of registrations.

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding in 1913, the OCFC is the oldest, continuously operating fishing club in America.

The many activities and events taking place during this Centennial year include the club’s third Open House on Thursday, August 22, from 6 to 8 pm, and a first-ever, three-day 100th Anniversary Surf Fishing Tournament that is drawing teams from the East Coast to Ocean City on October 17-19.

For information about entering the fall tournament, go to the website, www.oceancityfishingclub.com, or look at OCFC Three Day Surf Fishing Tournament on Facebook.