This Sunday, Sept. 22, its Kid’s Day at the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. This means children of all shapes and sizes get to fish from the Oak Bluffs Steamship Wharf from 6 to 8 a.m. In days of yore, most everyone fished from this wharf, but that was a long time ago, when the Island was still a lawless backwater.

Kids don’t have to be officially registered for the Derby to take part in Kid’s Day. Just show up at dawn and enjoy the ease of fishing from a pier stretching out into the fishing grounds. No need for casting skills or navigating wet sneakers on troublesome jetties. It’s both safe and a safe bet that afterwards the next generation of fishermen and women will be hooked.

A look at Derby leader board reveals that as of Wednesday one kid decided not to wait until Kid’s Day. Emma A. Toomey, a fourth grader at the Charter School, leads in the bluefish caught from shore category with a 14.18 pounder. Perhaps she honed her skills at past Kid’s Days, and is now fishing the big time. There’s a lot of Derby left, but here’s hoping youth continues to lead the way.

For more information about Kid’s Day and the Derby in general, visit mvderby.com.