Clear your schedule for upcoming fishing show
There has certainly been no shortage of outdoors shows lately, and there are still a few more this spring that are worth a mention.
If you like to fish and rockfish is your fancy, you should clear your schedule for this next show. You won’t have to drive very far to attend, and the proceeds are used right here in Southern Maryland to support youth interest in fishing and groom the next generation of anglers.
The Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association Southern Maryland Chapter is holding their annual Fishing Fair at the Solomons Firehouse on April 1 and 2. And it’s no April Fool’s joke that this show has a lot. Last year, my daughter and I had a great time cruising the tables, catching a demo and sharing a bite to eat.
It’s the perfect time for local anglers to get stocked up on gear before trophy rockfish season opens next month. More than 100 vendors will be in attendance. You’ll find rods and reels, lures, umbrellas galore even flies for sale. And if you’re in the market for a towing ser vice contract or looking to book a charter trip, you’ll find good people to help you with that, too.
The fair is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Admission is $4 and children 12 and younger are free. The fishing fair is MSSASMC’s major fundraiser for the year, and it’s a local event we should all support because the money raised goes back into our community through children’s programs, mentoring and scholarships.
You might wonder how a group of 15 guys who got together in 1981 to put pressure on the state to protect rockfish has grown into an organization of over 500 members. MSSASMC continues to be a voice for the recreational fisherman, but it’s more than just an advocacy group. The members take part in numerous community service projects each year, making a positive impact on the youth in our area.
MSSASMC volunteers have been part of the proud outdoor tradition of summer camps at Greenwell State Park in Hollywood for over a decade.
Since 2015, MSSASMC has been assisting with three week-long fishing camps and provides the funds to cover the cost of operations. Last year, 40 children had the opportunity to develop their fishing and kayaking skills, learn about the Chesapeake Bay and spend a week outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air thanks to the volunteers from MSSASMC. And upon completion of the camp, they presented the campers with their own rods, bottom rigs and lures.
MSSASMC has been
sponsoring a program called “Hooked on Fishing” for over two decades as part of an outreach program to encourage children to develop a hobby and stay on the straight and true.
In 2016, 87 children ages 6 to 12 had the chance to fish from the Point Lookout Pier with MSSASMC volunteers and the chapter gave away spinning rods and reels to one-fourth of the children so they would have the equipment to keep fishing.
But there’s more. A fishing rodeo, the Youth Anglers Club, and a scholarship fund are all ways MSSASMC continues the good work of teaching kids how to fish, helping kids appreciate and conser ve our resources, and funding the educations of future scientists and policy-makers.
For more information about MSSASMC and to join, go to www. mssasmc.com. Upcoming events include the spring tournament in April and the next chapter meeting on April 20.
Start thinking about summer
It may only be the middle of March, but do you know what your kids will be doing in July?
It’s time to start strategizing summer vacation because for a lot of families with two working parents, schedules can get complicated quickly. Hopefully many of you are considering summer camp options for your kids. They can fill up fast, so don’t delay. It’s time to research the possibilities and register now.
My normal parenting strategy is that if I can afford it, the kids can do it.
Summer camp was a rite of passage for me when I was growing up and I want my kids to have the same kinds of rewarding experiences at camp. And by camp I do not mean a week of playing video games or sitting in front of a computer. Kids get enough of that stuff in their free time — frankly more than is good for them. We all know kids should spend more time outside. They need hands-on activities that build self-reliance and confidence.
Kids today have poorer eyesight than kids did a generation ago. Their long-distance vision isn’t being developed properly because they spend so much time in front of screens just a few inches from their noses.
Hand strength is decreasing, too. And more and more kids report they don’t like playing outside because it’s hot, uncomfortable and the bugs bother them. You know where I’m going with this. It’s time to reclaim the outdoors as the supreme playground of imagination, exploration, and adventure.
This summer our family will be traveling quite a bit. We haven’t taken a real family vacation in several years, but now that the kids are a little older and more independent, we’re making up for lost time.
I’m sure I’ll have lots of material for future columns, but all that traveling won’t leave much time for summer camps, so earlier this month I told them they each had to pick one camp. Without a moment’s hesitation, they all belted out “Bunky’s” in unison.
Last year, I recounted what a great time my two oldest daughters had at Bunky’s Kids’ Fishing Camp. They learned the ins-and-outs of tying bottom rigs, caught and fileted some fish, piloted a boat, dip-netted for crabs and kayaked the creek. My younger daughter heard so many good stories from her sisters that her birthday wish last December was to be old enough to go to Bunky’s.
Her wish has come true because all three are registered for their July 17 to 20 camp. If you have a child who is 7 or older and likes boating, fishing and spending time on the water, the details are available at www.bunkyscharterboats.com/fishing-camp.html.