Kid's Free Fishing Clinic Sundays at Dana Wharf Sportfishing

Disclosure: We attended as media.

We've been Whale Watching with Dana Wharf out of Dana Point before, but have always wanted to try their Sportfishing. Did you know that kids can fish for free on Sundays? There's also a free fishing clinic right before the trip where children can win cool prizes. Even if you don't go fishing, you can stop in as long as you have a kid that wants to participate.

Kid's Free Fishing Clinic Sundays at Noon

Every Sunday from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm, kids can come down to the Dana Wharf Sportfishing dockside and learn hands-on fishing techniques from the experts. No reservations are needed for this part. They also draw names at random for prizes. We were really lucky that day, because one of my kids won their Grand Prize which included a cap, t-shirt, stickers, reusable water canister, coupons, and a Free 1/2 Day Kid's Fishing Trip!

The fishing clinic is fun for the kids and it's educational, because it's interactive and they learn safety tips. They also learn about the different type of weights and baits. It's pretty informative for being only thirty minutes. (See video below). Some were there for Sunday brunch and happened to walk by and ended up joining in on the fun.

Kids Free Fishing Sundays

If you have a reservation, the fishing trip is right after the clinic. Children 12 and under fish FREE every Sunday from 12:45 to 5:15 pm with the purchase of one adult ticket! Rental gear is included. Please note that space is limited and it's one free child per paying adult. Adults are $46 plus fishing license and equipment.

How Crowded Does It Get?

Someone was asking me if it gets too crowded. The free fishing clinic is open to everyone without a reservation even bystanders. The actual fishing trip needs a reservation that could sell out, because they only sell a certain amount of tickets. Everyone gets a spot to fish and we rotated 2 times.

My Notes: The most crowded spot on the boat is in the back which is where my family started, but then a seal was hanging out and eating our bait (some had birds eating theirs), but it didn't stop some from catching sea bass and other fish. By the end of the trip, my family ended up in the front of the boat while everyone was catching left and right in the back. I think it all depends where you start (maybe start in the middle), but everyone gets a spot in the back eventually. Also, it's out in the ocean so you'll never know what you'll see. Possibilities are whales, dolphins, and other marine life.

We had a fun day on the water. We caught a few just for fun and threw it back. Others caught sea bass and other fish throughout the trip. You can certainly keep the fish that you catch as long as it meets the minimum required length. What's nice about it is a deck-member will also fillet and clean it for you.

Thx @danawharf for a fun day on the water!
A photo posted by Mary K Tran @LetsPlayOC (@letsplayoc) on Jun 28, 2015 at 6:31pm PDT

Here's What To Pack:

There are bathrooms and a cafe on the boat so if you don't pack food, you can always purchase food, drinks or snacks.

Bring bottled water.
Pack snacks or money to purchase snacks.
Bring hand sanitizer. There is no sink to wash hands, but some of us rinsed our hands in the bait tank.
Wear sunblock. It was cloudy that day and we still got sunburn.
Wear hats.
Dress in layers. It gets hot when we're at idle and waiting for fish to take the bait, but it gets cold when the boat is at high speeds (especially on the return trip).

Whale Watching!

Dana Wharf also offers Whale Watching year round! We went earlier this year, you can read all about it here PLUS Tips for the family!

Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA (888) 224-0603 danawharf.com

Dana Wharf Kid's Club

The Dana Wharf Kid's Club is an amazing value. For a $39 Membership Fee (a portion of the proceeds benefit Fish for Life), membership includes:

(1) free 1/2 day fishing trip for 1 child and 1 adult
(1) free 2 hour whale watching trip
an official kids club pin and membership card,
kids club tshirt or hat,
25% off all merchandise,
$10 off all kids 1/2 & 3/4 day fishing trips, and
$10 off all kids whale watching excursions.

DEAL: 2 FOR 1 TUESDAYS

On Tuesday (all year long), you can fish for half price! Valid on 1/2 day and 3/4 day fishing trips and all whale watching cruises. Check their half priced trip schedule.

GET THIS GROUPON DEAL!

Save 50%!

Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching