Fishing and youngsters. There might not be a better combination to develop character in a young person.

Where do we start? You learn to follow rules. There are registration regulations, size and daily limit restrictions, and seasons. Then there are the unofficial guidelines.

Keep only the fish you need. Release fish back into the water carefully to swim away. Make your fishing area cleaner when you leave than when you arrive.

I was fortunate to grow up fishing. My father fished and started me fishing at a young age. We surf fished, took trips in party boats, bay fished, and even chartered a trip or two.

In addition, I grew up on LBI less than a block from the beach. It was easy to gather my gear and walk to the beach. More than once I rose early before school with bloodworms after kingfish.

I remember walking home and hurriedly cleaning my catch. Then, while I showered, my mother pan fried the kingfish. I enjoyed a fresh fish breakfast before walking to the bus stop.

Fast forward 65 years to 2023. We hear complaints about kids today staying inside, constantly glued to their cellphones. While there is some truth to this, let it be known we have organized activities locally that provide youngsters with healthy fishing opportunities.

Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven conducts fishing clinics for youngsters. Groups of happy kids learn about fishing while enjoying themselves and experiencing the great outdoors.

Surf City Bait and Tackle conducts weekly contests throughout the summer offering youngsters the chance to win prizes for the largest crab of the week. Photos of those happy kids holding their entrants warm any heart.

The Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association has conducted its successful Junior Mates Program in the summer for many years. Every summer a group of teenagers go through a series of classroom instructions and hands-on activities to learn about fishing and how to become a mate.

Their successful efforts to replenish local artificial reefs have received quite a bit of notice around the state.

The Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Club annually holds its “Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs” for youngsters to give them instruction on fishing and its benefits as a healthy recreational activity.

Participating youngsters not only learn how to fish but also receive fishing related gifts.

The Stafford Township Police Department conducts a similar activity every year involving freshwater fishing at the lake in Manahawkin.

The Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic every fall has a reduced price for youngsters to register along with prizes in a juvenile division.

I remember my first attempts in that tournament. In its early days it was called the Long Beach Island Striped Bass Derby. In its first few years I fished it with my dad, and we never seemed to have any luck at all.

Then one day in the mid-1950’s, it seemed my luck had changed. I was retrieving a metal Hopkins lure in the Holgate area when I had a strong bite. As I reeled in, I saw a “huge” tail thrash out of the water. I was sure I had my first bass to weigh in.

As the fish got to the beach, my heart sank. A 25-inch fluke was on the end of my line, not my prize-winning fish. Yes, we had a fine fish dinner, but I would have to wait a few more years for my first striped bass.

This year the 69 th Surf Fishing Classic will take place from October 7 through December 10. Final details of the event are still being worked out, but information will soon be available at any of the three official weigh-in stations. They are Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven, Surf City Bait and Tackle, and Fisherman’s Headquarters in Ship Bottom.