Kids, Sharks and Prizes Take Center Stage at Seal Beach Fishing Derby

Marissa Cerda had some advice for kids fishing on the Seal Beach Pier Saturday morning: "Wait and wait then reel up really fast," said the 5-year-old.

Marrissa shared her words of fishing wisdom as she weighed in a mackerel that she caught during the 20th Annual Seal Beach Fishing Derby on the Pier.

The derby is orginized by the Los Alamitos-Seal Beach Rotary Club in partnership with the United Anglers of Southern Califronia, the Montrose Settlements Restoration Program, California Fish and Game and NOAA to sponsor the event.

Rotarian Sean Payne said the derby is one one of the Rotary's outreach programs that is focused on the children of the community. The Rotary supplies fishing gear, bait , a weigh station and lunch for the 200 young anglers who registered for the event, said Payne.

Volunteers Jeff Fried and John Mount were busy cutting up bait for the young anglers, estimating that they will dice over 100 pounds of squid and anchovies before the end of the day.

Los Alamitos-Seal Beach Rotary Club President Patricia Eskenazi was happy with the turn out of volunteers and children. Eskenazi checked out two threshers sharks that had been caught during the derby. This is the first time any sharks had been caught during the annual event she said.