Harbor Docks Charities will host its 31st annual Take-A-Kid-Fishing Day on Sunday, Nov. 1, offering 300 children a free day of fishing aboard professional charter boats in Destin.
- Reservations open Thursday, Oct. 1, and will be accepted until all slots are filled. The trip is for children ages 7 to 13, and pre-registration is required.
Over the past 30 years, thousands of area children have spent a day fishing aboard Destin charter boats through the event. Organizers said many of this year’s participants do not often get the chance to fish the waters around Destin, including the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay.
Off-duty law enforcement officers and firefighters from Destin and Fort Walton Beach, along with other Harbor Docks Charities volunteers, will serve as chaperones on the charter boats.
Children will be split into two groups, and a boarding time will be assigned when each reservation is made. The first group of approximately 150 children will sign in at 7 a.m., and the second group will sign in at 8 a.m.
Participants will meet downstairs at Harbor Docks Restaurant for a breakfast of orange juice and doughnuts. Boats for the first group will board at approximately 7:30 a.m. and return roughly four hours later. The second group will board at 8:30 a.m. and return at 1 p.m.
Every child will receive a T-shirt and a rod and reel, and the day also includes a family fish fry.
Organizers reminded families not to forget the daylight saving time change when planning for the morning of the event.
Families can make reservations by phone or email. Each reservation should include every child’s name and age, along with a parent’s name and phone number. For group reservations, Harbor Docks can email a parent release form upon request, which must be completed by the parent of each participating child.
To make a reservation or get more information, call Harbor Docks at 837-2506 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and ask for Jackie.
Teachers, first responders and firefighters interested in volunteering or serving as chaperones can also contact Jackie at Harbor Docks at 837-2506.
