HARPSWELL

A couple of misty days didn’t stop fishermen of all generations from participating in the Casco Bay Tuna Club’s annual fishing tournament this week.

“It always starts out foggy,” said Monique Coombs, weigh master and club secretary.

The 77-year-old fishing tournament is the oldest on the East Coast and the third oldest in the nation, according to Liz Curtis, weigh master and vice president of the club’s junior tournament.

Participants of all ages, including 117 juniors — children under the age of 12 — and 30 tuna boats, entered the competition this year.

The tournament kicked off on Monday morning and participants would weigh their catch outside Cook’s Lobster House to qualify for fish categories including tuna, striped bass, bluefish, mackerel, haddock, pollock and shark.

The competition will end with an award ceremony Saturday at Cook’s Lobster House, where cash prizes will be given out to those who have weighed in with the heav- iest catch this week.

As of Thursday, for the tuna category, there were a total of nine entries, with the highest for the week being 715 pounds caught by Joe Geumont on his fishing boat Off-the Hook.

In addition to daily cash prizes for the heaviest catch of the day, some will walk away with a hefty prize at Saturday’s ceremony. For the tuna category alone, cash prizes are as high as $3,000 for first place and as low as $400.

Over the years, Curtis said local and visitor participation has steadily grown through word of mouth, whether it was through family or friends.

Visitor Matt Prashaw, who travels from New York to Maine every summer, says he has been participating in the tournament for six years.

“It’s just a fun thing to do … to spend time out on the water fishing,” he said.

And with a significant junior turnout, Curtis said they try to make the tournament “about the kids.”

Curtis herself was 12 years old when she won the striper category in the competition.

It appears to run in the family as her father, Peter, loves to fish and is also the club’s current president.

“During the tournament he wants to be out there fishing just like everyone else,” she said.

She added that family participation is what she enjoys the most about these tournaments.

“You have parents who are going out to take their kids fishing. (It’s) the excitement that a little kid sees and a parent sees for their child when they bring in the tiniest little fish,” Curtis said. “It’s not that impressive, but to them, it’s the world. And it’s really exciting.”

Friday is the last day of the tournament and all fish must be entered and weighed by 4 p.m. to qualify.