More than 50 people hopped aboard the Atlantic Pearl fishing vessel from Captain Lou Fleet on Freeport’s Nautical Mile for a fun-filled fishing event ahead of Father’s Day. The event brought together residents from all across Freeport, including some father-child pairings.
The Freeport Chamber of Commerce hosted the fishing event on June 13, which its leaders said was intended to help show village residents how accessible and successful fishing is in Freeport waters.
“Many people don’t realize that you don’t have to charter an entire vessel to enjoy a morning or afternoon of fishing,” Chamber of Commerce Second Vice President Jacques Butler said. “Given the right day, you can hop on a boat and try your hand at fluke, porgy, tuna, shark or other fish that populate the waters around Freeport.”
Butler, who is also a village trustee, added that he and his family took part in the fishing outing as a part of their annual pre-Father’s Day traditions. This year, his daughter Symone caught the first fluke of the trip.
“I had never caught a fish before,” Symone said, who had been on two family fishing trips prior. “It was 18 inches and the limit is nineteen-and-a-half, so I had to throw it back. But it was cool to get the first fish of the trip.”
Tickets for the fishing trip were $40 for children and $85 for adults, which included fishing gear, filleting and icing the fish caught. Amateur fishers and seasoned anglers, including members of the Freeport Tuna Club, fished alongside each other as they were led to various fishing opportune fishing spots. While most people caught fluke, porgy, dogfish and skate wing fish were also caught and often released.
“We planned the trip to offer people a chance to enjoy being on the water and see what the waterways offer,” Chamber of Commerce President Ben Jackson said. “I was just a good day to be on the water and we’re debating when we can do it again. We had a lot of people show up, and with more advance notice, I’m sure we’ll have more.”
Village of Freeport Mayor Robert T. Kennedy, a boat captain and avid fisherman himself, spoke highly of the Freeport waters and the recreational opportunities it offers.
“Our accessibility to inland and offshore waterways offer a variety of catch, from fluke and striped bass, to shark and tuna,” Kennedy explained. “That’s what makes us such a popular fishing and boating destination. You combine that with the beauty of the Nautical Mile and all the restaurants and shopping, and that’s why we’re considered the fishing and boating capital of the northeast.”
For information about the next Freeport Chamber of Commerce-sponsored fishing trip and other event opportunities, please visit freeportchamberofcommerce.org.
