Youth crabbing enthusiasts are invited to register for the second annual “Take a Kid Crabbin’” contest. The contest, sponsored by the Connecticut Crabinators, runs through Nov. 30, and the group is hosting a registration day from noon-6 p.m. on Saturday, June 30 at McCook Point Park in Niantic.

Gene Wasicki, who leads the Crabinators, created the contest as a way for families to put down their phones and enjoy a day at the beach together; all they have to do is get some chicken legs or hot dogs for bait.

About 100 kids registered last year — he said there were more girls than boys because there were a lot of girls who learned how to crab from their grandfathers — and the kid who catches the largest crab is named “Crabinator of the Year” at the end of the season.

David Pasquale, whose family lives in Niantic during the summer, said Wasicki has done a great job putting together the contest. He said they spent nearly every weekend last summer crabbing, and his 11-year-old son Matthew was named Crabinator of the Year last year for catching the biggest blue crab; it ended up being one of the three largest blue crabs in the state caught by a kid last year.

“[Wasicki] has opened up the world of blue crabbing to the next generation of kids and given families like mine a fun activity to do together,” he said. “My Matthew has not stopped talking about his plans to go back crabbing with his brother Jack this summer!”

Matthew and Jack Pasquale will be the guests of honor at this year’s registration day, cutting the ribbon to open the contest.

The annual cookout is free and open to the public. Registration for the contest is $20 and includes membership to the Crabinators, a t-shirt, state crabbing rules and all the equipment needed to catch local crabs. Proceeds support Autism Speaks and the Niantic Sportsmen’s Club’s youth archery league. For more information, call (860) 287-0684.