FOCUSED: Greg Raffo, 8, of Kendall, prepares a rod.

Tyler West sat in the front of a 70-foot vessel sailing away off the coast of Miami Beach.

He was going fishing with his family and friends for the first time.

``I like it so far,'' said Tyler, 10, who lives in Miami Gardens. ``I'm not getting sea sick or anything. It's very relaxing.''

Tyler learned what it feels like to be in the ocean on July 24 during the kick off of Kids Fish Fridays, a program that provides children with a chance to learn about Florida's marine ecosystems while fishing in shallow waters.

``Having kids on board is very refreshing,'' said Wayne Conn, captain of the boat where the program takes place. ``We teach kids proper fish handling, fishing regulations, species recognition and good environmental practices.''

The expeditions leave every Friday from the Miami Beach Marina or the Haulover Beach Park marina through Aug. 21.

Conn said fishing is a healthy way to unplug kids from their daily distractions.

``We know once they get out here in the water, they are not going to be texting and playing Game Boys,'' said Conn, whose two daughters often accompany him on fishing trips. ``They are going be involved with fishing and having fun with it.''

His youngest daughter, 17-year-old Kayla, was along for the ride that day.

The program is a partnership between the Miami-Dade County Sea Grant Extension program, which provides educational programs about marine environments and industries, and the Fishing and Conservation Trust, a nonprofit group of local fishermen who want to promote responsible fishing.

Conn, president of the Fishing and Conservation Trust, said he hopes the new partnership will help spread the word about the benefits of fishing.

``I don't think kids are getting outside enough,'' he said. ``Their faces are in their computers, cellphones, and their relationships are in the cyberworld.''

More than 30 kids and their families sailed away from the Miami Beach Marina at 2 p.m. Before getting on board, they learned to identify the different kinds of fish they could catch, how to hold them right once caught and the proper way to release them.

``This is to have fun,'' said Lisa Krimsky, an agent with Miami-Dade County Sea Grant Extension, and who goes fishing with the kids. ``We need to teach the future generations to respect the environment and the resources so they are there for us to enjoy in the future.''

During the three-hour trip, Conn made several stops, moving depending on the amount of fish caught at each spot.

``I think it's more important that they actually have action and see it work,'' Conn said. ``Fishing in shallow waters and doing catch-and-release gives them more action and takes away the emphasis on having to kill them.''

For Tyler, fishing required patience.

``I haven't caught anything yet,'' said Tyler after the second stop. ``But I'm not giving up yet.''

On the third stop, he finally made a catch -- and got cheers from his boat mates.

``I caught a scorpion fish,'' he said. ``It felt so good. It made me feel proud of myself.''

But Tyler's venomous and spiny fish wasn't the only remarkable catch.

Kendall resident Ken Jones, 69, caught the first -- and only -- octopus of the day.

``It was a surprise,'' said Jones, who was fishing with his 8-year-old grandson Greg Raffo. ``I fish a lot, but I've never caught one before. And I'm using squid as bait.''

Greg was thrilled, but not only for the palm-sized octopus his grandpa caught.

``I like fishing with my grandpa,'' said Greg, who caught about eight fish. ``It's fun.''

For Conn, fishing is a bonding experience, even for those parents who might think they have nothing in common with their children.

``A lot of parents think they have no common grounds with their children, like moms and sons, but people have a blast,'' he said.

``Moms and sons had a great time together.''

For Redland resident Katyna Martin, the trip was about spending time with her two daughters, Kaily, 6, and Krizia, 18, and her son Justin, 9.

``I haven't fished before. My kids are encouraging me. They are my support system,'' said Martin, 35.

``And catch and release is an important thing to teach the kids. It's a critical lesson that is good for them to save the environment.''

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