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? That’s right! Children 12 and under fish for FREE with every purchased adult ticket at $46 (1 free child per paying adult). Hint: Come early to attend the free fishing clinic right before the trip. Kids 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.
Kids Free Fishing Clinic
Every Sunday from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm at Dana Wharf Sportfishing’s dockside, kids can learn hands-on fishing techniques from the experts. No reservations are needed for this part. 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. My kids had fun trying to catch live bait. 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!
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. 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.
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).
ADDRESS:
Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching
34675 Golden Lantern,
Dana Point, CA
Phone (888) 224-0603
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!
wpDiscuz