Eighty-six boats and 300 volunteers from the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association take children fishing Saturday on Greenwich Bay.

The Providence Journal / Kathy Borchers

WARWICK — The radiance that emerged from fog-enshrouded Greenwich Bay Saturday morning was not from the sun.

It was the beaming smiles of young anglers as they alighted from their boats.

It was Delani Rosa, 12, of Providence, who had caught a fish for the first time in her life.

It was Andrew Clay, 15, of Providence, who had to work his fishing rod so hard to land two fish, “My hands are still red,” he said proudly.

It was Jade Collins, 9, and Haley Corsi, 8, both of Providence, who snagged a total of four fish between them, and released them back into the Bay.

And it was Dante Thomason, 13, of Providence, who would have nothing to do with the catch-and-release policy that some of his chums had adopted.

“Freeze ’em, then I’m going to eat ’em,” he said of his catch.

Saturday was Take a Kid Fishing Day, sponsored by the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, a recreational fishing group that promotes saltwater fishing and marine conservation, said its president, Steve Medeiros of Coventry.

Members volunteered to take about 300 youngsters fishing, “to give kids the experience of being on the Bay, riding on a boat, and fishing — something most of these kids have never done,” Medeiros said.

All told, the anglers association had 85 captains, 94 mates, and 42 shore personnel to help run the event, he said.

Home port was Brewer Greenwich Bay Marina on Masthead Drive, which offered its facilities for the event at no charge, Medeiros said.

Youngsters from throughout Rhode Island began gathering at the marina at around 8 a.m. to obtain instructions on water safety and other matters.

They included Scouts, members of youth clubs and other community groups, as well as children whose parents are on active duty with the military, Medeiros said.

About a half-hour later, they began boarding for an adventure at sea.

An armada of 85 powerboats — ranging in length from 17 to 43 feet — ferried the young anglers to an area a mile or so offshore, Medeiros said.

Then the fun began.

Shipboard radios crackled all morning with news of landings.

Visibility was limited when fishing began, but the fog began to lift as the morning wore on, said volunteers Peter Vican, of East Greenwich, and Donald Smith, of North Kingstown.

Using lures, the children and teens mostly caught bluefish and an occasional striped bass, Vican said.

Saltwater is best for such a trip. “You tend to catch a bigger fish in saltwater,” Vican said. Besides, there are more species available, and in greater abundance, Smith said.

Back on shore, parents, grandparents, community group organizers and others waited for the anglers.

Among them was Dorothy “Grandma” Fields and Isabel Tiodor, both of Providence.

Between them, they brought young people — ranging in age from 8 to 17 — under the banner of TrY CAPS, a teen and youth service program based at the Nickerson House Community Center in Providence’s Olneyville section.

“The kids, they love it,” Fields said. “It’s getting out and catching fish. They go back and tell the other kids in the neighborhood, ‘Look what I got.’ ”

At around 11:30 a.m., the vessels began motoring back into the marina’s slips. Then, in a kind of procession, the young anglers clambered onto the dock and up the ramp to display their catch, or just describe their experience, before taking part in a cookout.

“It’s great,” said Andrew Clay, the 15-year-old from Providence. “You get to try new things and look at new fish.”

Delani Rosa, the 12-year-old from Providence, said that her boat’s captain and mate were impressed with her performance. “They thought it was good, because I knew how to cast,” she said.

It was her first time fishing. She hates fish. “I don’t even eat it,” she said. But she plans to keep fishing, “because I liked it. It was fun,” she said.

ndowning@projo.com