Area children will get a chance to catch their limit in catfish this morning when the Greenville Jaycees hold their third annual Kids Fishing Day at Sherling Lake.

The fishing day was postponed last week because of the pouring rain from the effects of Tropical Storm Arlene.

But good weather is in the forecast for today's fishing day.

Children ages 5-14 will be allowed to fish on the pier or along the shore of the upper lake area from 7-11 a.m., said Greenville Jaycees President William Martin.

The Kids Fishing Day typically is held during National Boating and Fishing Week, which concludes last Saturday.

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources commissioner Barnett Lawley also proclaimed last Saturday as Free Fishing Day. During that day, residents and non-residents can fish within the state without a fishing license.

But the Free Fishing Day has also been postponed because of the heavy rain expected today, according to Nick Nichols, who is assistant fisheries chief of research for the department of conservation and natural resources.

Nichols said the Free Fishing Day will be scheduled for another Saturday, but was not sure whether it would be this month.

This is the third year the Jaycees have been apart of the fishing day along with the City of Greenville and Wal-Mart. Thousands of catfish will be brought into the lake area and netted off so that the children are all but assured to catch a fish that day on Sherling Lake.

"It's a big deal for the children," Martin said. "The main reason we do this is for those children who do not have a chance to fish, introduce it to them and also get more children involved in fishing. It's a thrill for the Jaycees to get involved in the community and to help children."

More than 70 children participated last year, and Martin said he would not be surprised if that many or more are fishing next Saturday.

Martin said that the kids will be allowed to keep what they catch, but he said there will be a creel limit of 6-8 fish per person.

Following the half day of fishing, a hot dog lunch will also be served to the children.