On June 10, Punta Gorda Elks Lodge #2606 hosted a children’s fishing tournament on their long pier in the Charlotte County community. There were 181 children participating with 58 members volunteering their time to register children, cut bait, untangle lines, prepare and serve lunch, take photos, and award prizes. The children competed by age — 2-5, 6-10 and 11-14 — and received medals in each category for first fish caught, longest fish, most fish and most unusual fish. A 5-year-old received a trophy for the most fish caught overall, two. The children and parents were treated to a picnic lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, watermelon and juice boxes. Each child also received their own fishing rod to keep and a backpack that included tackle/lures, a visor, lip balm, coloring book, sunscreen and sunglasses. The event was sponsored by Fishing Franks, who provided rods and tackle at cost; Punta Gorda Isles Fishing Club members Rick Sanders and Mike White, who solicited donations for additional rods and tackle; the Elkettes, who donated $1,500; and the Lodge PER Association, which donated $1,000. The variety of fish caught in the Peace River were redfish, stingray, red snapper, catfish, mango snapper, spadefish and toadfish.
Pictured are kids fishing on the pier and Tom Shoecraft, Exalted Ruler.