- May 6, 2024
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George Riano perfects his cast netting at the kids4reel fishing clinic at Herschel King Park. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sarah Russell helps her daughter Imani Russell tie a fishing knot at the kids4reel fishing clinic at Herschel King Park. Photo by Michele Meyers
Deputy Jeremy Chambers (right) is part of the Marine Unit with the Flagler County Sheriffs Office and Officer Grant Self with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission talk to kids at the kids4reel fishing clinic at Herschel King Park. Photo by Michele Meyers
Jorge Riano said he is serious about teaching the new generation to do the right thing. Photo by Michele Meyers
Capt. Mike Vickers Jr. (left), Flagler Sportfishing Club Vice President and owner of Hammock Bait and Tackle, and Capt. Adam Morley, Flagler Sportfishing Club President and owner of Genung's Fish Camp. Photo by Michele Meyers
10-year-old St. Augustine resident Jory Viant fishes behind his house every day and has been fishing for five years. Photo by Michele Meyers
Volunteers from the Flagler Sportfishing Club help kids catch and release fish at the fishing clinic held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
Flagler Sportfishing Club volunteer Chuck Durkee leads the group through the steps to basic knot-tying during the fishing clinic held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
Flagler Sportfishing Club volunteer Chuck Durkee congratulates Imani Russell on tying a successful knot as mom Sarah Russell smiles during the fishing clinic held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
Florida Fish and Wildlife Officer Steve Chamberlain loves what he does and hopes to teach kids all about wildlife and fisheries at the kids' fishing clinic held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
Florida Fish and Wildlife Officer Steve Chamberlain hands out stickers and information about wildlife, fisheries and safety at the kids' fishing clinic held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Wrights and McDaniels of Palm Coast are out to enjoy the outdoors at the kids4reel fishing clinic. From left to right- Zechariah Wright, Brittney Jackson, Alexis McDaniels, Everest McDaniels (front left), Bianca Wright, Jan Jackson, Racer McDaniels (front right), Jaida McDaniels
Volunteer Jorge Riano tells kids about the importance of wearing a life jacket when riding in a boat during the kids4reel fishing clinic at Herschel King Park in palm Caost. Photo by Michele Meyers
Carson Pilvinsky runs ahead of his dad David to go fishing during the kids4reel fishing clinich held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
President of the Flagler Home Builders Association, Brad Thomas, tries his hand at cast netting during the kids4reel fishing clinic held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
Flagler Sportfishing Club volunteer Maria Kelly helps C.J. Soldevilla learn how to cast net during the fishing clinic held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
Stella Dean, Jeff Murphy and Bryson Dean at the kids4reel fishing clinic held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
Alex Hall concentrates on catching a fish during the kids4reel fishing clinic at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
Flagler Sportfishing Club volunteer Jim Kelly helps Alex Hall bait his hook and shows him where to fish during the kids4reel annual fishing clinic held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
10-year-old Jory Viant checks his line at the annual kids4reel fishing clinic held at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. He has been fishing since he was five years old. Photo by Michele Meyers
Zechariah Wright grabs a selfie with his catch before a Flagler Sportfishing Club volunteer releases it back into the Matanzas River at Herschel King Park. Photo by Michele Meyers
Zechariah Wright smiles with his catch before a Flagler Sportfishing Club volunteer releases it back into the Matanzas River at Herschel King Park. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sarah Russell and daughters seven-year-old Imani and Ayanna Russell learn how to tie knots during the annual kids4reel fishing clinic at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. Photo by Michele Meyers
Zechariah Wright looks at his catch before returning it to the Matanzas River. Photo by Michele Meyers
Over 150 kids received free rods and reels at the kids4reel and Flagler Sportfishing Club’s annual kids’ fishing clinic on Saturday, July 29, at Herschel King Park in Palm Coast. The event was free for kids 5 to 13.
Concerned that kids were sitting at home on their phones, computers or game systems, Capt. Mike Vickers Sr. started the event with some friends 20 years ago to entice families to get their children outdoors and teach them about angling.
This year, the clinic was run by Vickers’ son, FSC Vice President Capt. Mike Vickers Jr., and President Capt. Adam Morley.
Morley took charge of the promotional and behind-the-scenes aspects of the event, while Vickers handled day-of logistics.
From 9 a.m. to noon, kids circled from station to station, learning knot-tying, rod and net casting, bait hooking and angling.
They also listened to a safety lecture and information about Florida wildlife.
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers were available to answer questions.
We want to bring people in. We want to help them gain access to this beautiful world we have here, learn how to fish and take care of it. We are doing that with the kids. If we start them young, maybe we can get them hooked.
—Capt. Mike Vickers Jr., Flagler Sportfishing Club vice president, Hammock Bait & Tackle co-owner
FWC Officer Steve Chamberlain said he was a street cop before he transitioned to his current job.
Now, he said, he feels like a kid in a candy store.
“Honestly, I love what I do,” he said. “I would hope that kids could grow up and enjoy what they do, as far as work goes and our wildlife and fisheries.”
Palm Coast resident Jan Jackson and her sister, Brittney Wright, brought their kids out for some outdoor activities.
Jackson said she and her husband like jogging, hiking and camping with the family.
“We just love outdoor activities,” Jackson said. “We like to come out and be outside and get the kids away from their phones and computers.”
Morley and Vickers were both raised on the Matanzas River and its outlying waterways.
Vickers’ first means of gas-powered transportation was a small jon boat with an outboard motor. As a teenager, Morley worked at Genung’s Fish Camp, where he got his captain’s license and participated in FSC fishing tournaments.
Morley and his wife, Janine, now co-own Genung’s. Vickers and his wife, Erica, co-own Hammock Bait & Tackle.
Morley picked Vickers as vice president because they have similar goals.
“We have a lot in common in wanting to get families back engaged and involved in the outdoors and in fishing,” Morley said. “It worked out really well. His goals are in line with mine as far as wanting to see more families get involved. It’s our upbringing, and we would like to see other kids grow up in the same way.”
Vickers said it doesn’t matter where you go or where you’re from: If you’ve done any type of fishing, you can relate to other fishers.
The FSC is all about teaching people to fish and helping them access the waterways to do so, he said.
“We want to bring people in,” he said. “We want to help them gain access to this beautiful world we have here, learn how to fish and take care of it. We are doing that with the kids. If we start them young, maybe we can get them hooked.”
