Children dropped lines, hoping to catch a trout, while standing in the middle of the county fairgrounds in Costa Mesa on Thursday, March 7.
It was the opening day of the Pacific Coast Sportfishing Tackle, Boat, Travel and Outdoors Show, visiting for the 14th year.
The family-friendly event features manufacturers and dealers of outdoor products, tons of boats, travel lodges and more, as well as kids’ activities, live music and expert seminars. There are two trout fishing ponds set up for kids to try for a catch – which they will also release.
Organizers said this year’s show will feature more boat buying opportunities and several new manufacturers and retail shops. It is spanning seven of the fairground’s halls, making for 217,000 square feet of show experience that continues through Sunday.
“My husband is a big fisherman. We have a boat and we go out pretty often, but he wants to get into kite fishing so he wanted to come and scout it out,” said Samantha Villavicencio of Escondido, who was at the kid’s fishing pond with her two children Logan, 3, and Villavicencio, 5.
“This is my first time to the show, but my husband mentioned there were activities for the kids,” she said, “so we all came because we want to make sure our kids get into fishing.”
If you go
When: Noon to 7 p.m. on March 8; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 9; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 10
Where: OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa
Cost: $20 general admission, free for children 12 and younger and active duty military with ID, $12 parking
Information: sportfishingfestival.com, ocfair.com
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