6th Annual Kids Classic Underway

OCEAN CITY- Young anglers will get their moment in the
spotlight this weekend when the Ocean City Marlin Club hosts its 6^th
Annual Kids Classic Tournament.

Throughout the summer, the big boys and girls get to show
off their fishing skills practically every weekend with one tournament or
another, but the focus during this weekend's 6^th Annual Kid's
Classic will clearly be on the younger anglers. The event is open to all
anglers age 19 or younger and will take place in the waters in and around the
resort area from the back bays to the ocean.

With several categories both inshore and offshore, there
will be opportunities for all young anglers participating to get on the
leaderboard. Inshore species targeted this weekend include flounder, mackerel,
trout, taug, seabass and spadefish. Those opting to go offshore will target
tuna, dolphin, wahoo, bonita and even billfish.

Many of the participants fished on the headboat 'Judith M'
including children sponsored by the Wish-A-Fish Foundation, a national program
that provides opportunities for kids with special needs, whether they are
suffering from a life-threatening illness or suffer from long-term disability,
to enjoy a day on the water catching fish. All of the profits from this
weekend's tournament will be donated back to the Wish-A-Fish Foundation.

The event gets underway tonight with registration and a
captain's meeting before the action inshore and offshore gets underway tomorrow
and Sunday. Participating boats and anglers will fish one or the two days,
Saturday or Sunday, in the bay or ocean or both and weigh-ins will be held each
fishing day at Sunset Marina in West Ocean City.

Every angler participating will receive an award, but
there will be additional prizes for the top three finishers in the billfish
release category and the heaviest fish category in each targeted species. No
points will be awarded for a boated billfish and sharks are not an eligible
species in the tournament. The entry fee for the Kid's Classic is a flat $200
per boat although the cost for anglers fishing from a head boat or for anglers
without a boat will be $25.

Sunset Marina will host the weigh-ins each fishing day but
most of the tournament activity will be centered at the host Ocean City Marlin
Club. For example, a cookout will be held on Saturday night at the club, while
Sunday's activities include a carnival and awards ceremony complete with
fishing and nautical-themed amusements for the participants. For more
information, contact the Ocean City Marlin Club at (410) 213-1613.