Kids Can Fish: Building a Future of Anglers Through Community
If they’ve done it, most people remember the first time they caught a fish. Breaking barriers such as cost or accessibility can have a massive impact on any ambitious young angler - which is especially true if they otherwise may not have had the chance to cast their first line. That’s the mission of the Kids Can Fish Foundation: build confidence and inspire children, strengthen families, and bring people together around the timeless joy of fishing.
What began with one father’s passion and his daughter’s natural talent has grown into a thriving 501(c)3 foundation based in St. Simons Island, Georgia, where James joins founder Tom Lewis to record this episode of Retire Southern. With the generous support of donors, sponsors, and fishing professionals, Kids Can Fish provides high-quality fishing gear and training to children of all backgrounds through camps and training sessions.
Finding The Salt Life
Growing up just south of Cleveland, Ohio, Tom Lewis developed a deep love of the outdoors. After attending Ohio State University, he landed in St. Louis, met his wife and started their family. In 2014, the family picked up and settled permanently in St. Simons Island, GA.
Although he dabbled in hunting, Tom says he always gravitated more to fishing. It was on annual family trips to the Everglades that he got his “first baptism into the salt life.” The thrill of catching that first saltwater fish, he recalls, is unlike anything else.
It turns out that the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree, and Tom’s daughter Caroline soon developed a flair for fishing. At age seven, she asked for a cast net for Christmas and stunned everyone when she opened it perfectly on one of her first throws. By nine, she was catching fish seasoned adults would struggle with. On one offshore trip, Caroline brought in a determined cobia while a tiger shark circled nearby, shouting triumphantly: “Girls can fish!” That moment sparked something in Tom.
How to Join Kids Can Fish
Caroline’s catch inspired her to draw the Kids Can Fish logo, which also led to the creation of a Facebook group. Tom and Caroline hosted the first kids’ fishing camp for 35 children at a local pond in St. Simons. Kids Can Fish soon became a fully-fledged foundation, hosting up to 12 cost-free camps and clinics each year. The mission is simple: eliminate the financial and logistical barriers that can keep kids from the opportunity to fish.
The program has expanded to Florida, with camps in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Crescent Beach, and the Panhandle. This August, Tom’s uncle encouraged him to expand the same camp experience into Pennsylvania for a special event on a private pond.
Camps take place about every five to six weeks and announcements are made two to three weeks in advance on KidsCanFish.net and through social media. Each camp intentionally keeps group sizes small, pairing children with professional-level volunteer fishing coaches, many of whom are charter captains or major YouTube personalities. The camps are often so popular they fill up within two hours.
The Running of the Bulls Charity Surf Redfish Tournament
The biggest event of the season for Kids Can Fish is the Running of the Bulls Charity Surf Redfish Tournament. This two-day, catch-and-release surf fishing event brings together a maximum of 300 anglers on Columbus Day weekend. This event provides funds for the foundation for the following events season.
Registration for the tournament is $75 for adults, $40 for kids. There is an optional $25 Calcutta side pot for the redfish with the most spots, recently winning a 16-year-old angler a whopping $3,900. The next event is scheduled for the weekend of October 10th, and as of now, registration is closed.
The tournament begins with a welcome party at Queen and Grant, a popular wedding venue in Brunswick. Registrants and guests can check in early, buy last-minute gear from sponsors, and enjoy live music. Local favorites Tramici and Halyards host the food trucks and there’s a fun raffle for prizes ranging from grills to chainsaws to premium fishing gear.
Champion Angler Wyatt and his winning fish with Tom & Caroline
After two days on the beach, the tournament closes on Sunday with an Awards Banquet at Village Creek Landing, another scenic local venue, complete with food, live music, raffles, and family activities.
The tournament rules are simple: Anglers must keep their feet in the sand — no piers, jetties, kayaks, or drones allowed. The fish are measured “snout to fork” using an official Rapala 60-inch ruler, with photo and video verification uploaded to the tournament’s Facebook group.
Here’s where the excitement is: 60% of the entry fees is split by the winners in a tiered fashion. The more entries, the higher the total earnings, with just 40% of the earnings powering the foundation for the year. The tiers are as follows:
Adults: $7,000 (1st place), $3,000 (2nd), $2,500 (3rd), $750 (4th), $500 (5th).
Youth: $1,000 (1st place), $500 (2nd), $300 (3rd), $200 (4th), and $150 (5th).
Last year, the winning redfish measured 38.5 inches, though Tom noted his son reeled in a nearly 50-inch fish in local waters just weeks prior, setting an international youth record. Tom also shared the story of Wyatt, an inspiring young man, who reeled in the biggest fish of the tournament and won two years ago. Memories like these, Tom says, are the moments that Kids Can Fish exists to create.
Reeling In the Funds: How to Get Involved
Every camp is cost-free, with the mission to include anyone who’d like to learn. This is done through the generosity of the fishing community, corporate sponsorships, and vendor partnerships.
You can donate via KidsCanFish.net through PayPal or Venmo. You can also sponsor a child or donate gear to help keep kids fully outfitted and inspired. Each level of involvement counts to help Kids Can Fish create meaningful, lasting experiences for children who want to explore the lifelong passion of fishing. Please email thomas@kidscanfish.net if you’re interested in making a larger, tax-deductible donation.
Additionally, Retire Southern would love to show support by spotlighting this incredible organization and this year’s Running of the Bulls competition Columbus Day weekend. If you enjoyed this podcast episode, please share it with your friends and family who might enjoy it too. Fish on!