Tell the kiddies to grab their fishing poles because the Fire Island National Seashore’s 4th Annual Snapper Derby is upon us. Saturday, Aug. 19, marks the first day.
Anglers ages 7 to 14 will have the opportunity to compete at three different locations.
dates and locations below:
- Saturday, Aug. 19, at Sailors Haven
- Sunday, Aug. 20, at the Smith Point County Park fishing pier
- Saturday, Aug. 26, at Talisman
Scroll down for directions on how to get to each place and where, exactly, to report.
It’s free to fish and registration is the day-of, with the tournaments beginning at 10 a.m. and capping off at 3 p.m. for the final weigh-in. There are unlimited spots for fishing.
Fire Island National Seashore will also supply a limited amount of bamboo fishing poles. For those who can’t make the start time, there is no worry, says Patricia Whitlock, a Fire Island park ranger who organizes the derby.
“[The children] can register all day, but we measure the last of the fish 3 p.m.,” she said.
Whitlock encourages as many people as possible to enjoy the memorable and fun day fishing like she did as a child. “I’ve been fishing for snappers for as long as I can remember,” she said. “So it brings me right back to my childhood.”
The largest snapper ever caught in the history of the derby was around 11 inches, according to Whitlock.
