11th Annual Maritime Days event is this Saturday
By Barb Pert Templeton
The Maritime Days Festival has been a summer staple in Marine City for many years now and when the free Kid’s Fishing Tournament was introduced it quickly became one of the most well-attended events on the schedule.
“The last few years we have seen over 80 kids per event, we have a goal to one day break 100, and we hope that this is our best year yet,” Fishing Tournament Chair Matt Horn said.
The 2024 tournament will be hosted on Saturday, Aug. 3 with registration for the event starting at 8:30 a.m. at the lighthouse at Nautical Park. The event is free for all kids ages 16 and under.
If participants have a rod and reel, they are asked to bring it, otherwise organizers do have a limited number available at a first come first serve basis to those that don’t own a fishing pole. There will also be basic tackle and bait on hand for those who may need it.
The number of kids who have shown up to take part in the fishing contest has increased almost every year.
During registration, kids will also receive a bag full of candy and items including a certificate for a free cone from The Sweet Tooth in Marine City.
The boundaries for the tournament go as follows, the northernmost part of the Lighthouse Park, all the way to the southernmost part of Drake Park.
Horn, 29, actually started the Kids Fishing Tournament at Maritime Days in 2013 hoping to support his community while sparking children’s passions for fishing and the outdoors.
“I started this event when I was 18 in 2013 to give back to the community in the best way I could and wouldn’t have ever dreamed that it would end up where it is today,” Horn said in a recent Facebook post about the event.
In an interview on July 31, Horn said the contest goes by the weight of the biggest fish to determine a winner.
First, second and third place prizes are given away for the biggest fish.
“We will typically see a wide variation in size and species caught throughout the tournament,” Horn said. “The most common species are perch, smallmouth bass, and freshwater drum.”
He said the winning fish usually averages over five pounds.
As incentives to the young fishing crew Horn said he’s got over $2,500 in prizes and giveaways this year plus they give out awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places.
In addition, this year a prize for the smallest fish, in length, has been added to the contest.
The first-place winner will also receive a free mount of their fish courtesy of The Fish Studio Taxidermy.
“We also have two fishing charters to giveaway this year, courtesy of Hook One Charters and Reel Hard Sportfishing, winners will be chosen at random so you don’t even necessarily have to catch a fish in order to win,” Horn said.
Horn also noted that the event would not be possible without the community’s generosity, and he hopes to continue to watch this event prosper for many years to come.
“You don’t want to miss this event I promise you that,” Horn wrote on Facebook. “Sign-up will be at the lighthouse and if you have kids 16 or under, we hope to see you there.”
