“Where are all the fish?”
That was a frequent question asked by many of the 200 anglers participating in the Ocean City Fishing Club’s 47th annual Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Unruly surf, generated by far-out-to-sea Hurricane Gonzalo, may have had something to do with the lackluster tournament results recorded by 31 six-member teams and 24 individual competitors.
The largest fish caught in the men’s category was a 14-inch bluefish landed by Jim Camburn, of Cape May. Renee Kelly, of Sicklerville, earned a trophy for the largest fish in the women’s competition: a 12-inch kingfish.
The first-place team winner was Team CTS, with 178 points, followed by the New Jersey Beach Buggy Association with 131.25 points and the Surf ‘N Land B team with 131 points.
J.C. Hinkle won a trophy for the most fish points as an individual.
The event attracted a number of young people, some of whom went home with trophies.
Mark Anthony, 12, of Drexel Hill, Pa., won several awards, including one for the biggest fish caught by someone under 14 years. Chase Kephart, 8, of Williamstown, N.J., fishing with the Brigantine Sharks team, won a trophy for the most fish points tallied by a youth who was assisted with his casts. His score: 5 points, one each for the five sand sharks he caught.
The annual event received strong support from 35 area businesses, vendors, restaurants, hotels, and individuals that donated many door prizes.
The Ocean City Department of Recreation co-sponsors the tournament.
— By George Ingram for the Ocean City Fishing Club
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