RECREATIONAL FISHING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
"THE BEGINNINGS"
Resource Material| Books Santa Catalina Island> By Iza Williams published in 1905 by M. Rieder, 234 New High Street Los Angeles |
This pictorial account of the pleasures of vacationing at Catalina Island depicts fishing from the docks in Avalon Bay and documents giant sea bass and bluefin caught at the island in 1905. |   |
California Fishing By Charles Frederick Holder published in the Early 1900's |
Mr. Holder describes the fish and the fishing grounds along the California Coast from Monterey to San Diego, out to the Channel Islands and back to the inland lakes. Over 75 angling clubs are listed as are the fish and game laws of the time. |
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The Channel Islands of California By Charles Frederick Holder published May 21,1910 by A.C.McClurg & Co., Chicago Mr.Holder describes in detail the physical features of the Channel Islands,above ground as well as the bounty found under the water.Entire chapters are devoted to a specfic species of fish and how to catch them.This book describes the Tuna Club,its foundation,conservation rules,and documents the largest tuna,yellowtail and giant sea bass caught according to The Tuna Club Requlations. |
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 Tales of FishesBy Zane Grey published in 1919 by Harper Brothers, New York Zane Grey describes his fishing adventures all over the world and devotes an entire chapter to Avalon. In 1917 Mr. Grey remembers the " barracuda and white sea-bass showed up in great schools; the ocean appeared to be full of albacore; yellowtail began to strike all along the island shores and even in the bay of Avalon; almost every day in July sight of the broadbill swordfish was reported,"..." in August the bluefin tuna surged in, school after school,"...and " in September returned the Marlin, or roundbill swordfish that royal-purple swashbuckler of the pacific." However, Zane Grey also laments that as for " swordfish, white seabass, yellowtail, and albacore -their doom has been spelled,"...The " Japanese, the Austrians, the round-haul nets, the canneries and the fertilizer-plants -that is to say, foreigners and markets, greed and war, have cast their dark shadow over beautiful Avalon." |
| The Salt-Water Fisherman's Bible By Erwin A.Bauer published in 1962 by Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York |
A book on angling techniques for various species of fish. Chapter Thirteen is devoted to "Offshore Fishes of the Pacific Coast". |  |
Hook Up By Charlie Davis published in 1977 |
A book by a local commercial and sport boat captain described as the "Complete Guide to Southern California and Baja Ocean Sportfishing". |
| The Last of the Blue Water Hunters By Carlos Eyles published in 1985 |
One man's adventures in blue water (deep ocean water) spearfishing (with-out tanks) -from his initiation to the sport in the 60's to his re-entry in the early 80's. One sees through the author's eyes the underwater world at Catalina and the changes that occurred in 20 years. |
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| Tales of the Golden Years of California Ocean Fishing 1900-1950 By Ed Ries published in 1997 by Friends of the Los Angeles Maritime Museum & Los Angeles Maritime Museum Research Society. A book documenting the history of ocean fishing in California from 1900-1950. ARTICLES The Forgotten Birthplace of Big Game Fishing by Michael Farrior, The Tuna Club Historian, published in Spring 1997 Volume 10, Issue 2 of the Big Game Fishing Journal |
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| VIDEOS Hurricane Holiday Originally produced by Matt McClintock in 16mm for Bill and Winn Knott and shown on the TV show Fishing Flashes in the 1950's. The 16mm show was given to Michael Fowlkes who restored the film in 2001 for airing on Inside Sportfishing. A wonderful documentation of sportfishermen headed to Santa Barbara Island when they get stopped by a school of bluefin tuna within sight of the west end of Catalina Island. After catching all the bluefin desired,they continue to their original destination for a nice day of rockfishing. The trip finishes off with Skipper Charlie Davis catching a broadbill swordfish off Catalina Island on the way home. |
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 The Tuna Club of Avalon established in 1898The Tuna Club's main goals were to elevate the sport to its highest possible standard,and "for the protection of the game fishes of southern California." In order to achieve this, Holder established strict angling rules designed to give the fish what he considered an even chance for its life.The logic behind this being that far fewer fish could be taken with rod and reel than by handlines,therefore protecting the resources.Soon anglers and boatmen alike endorsed the club's motto of "Fair play to game fishes." Only catches made while strictly adhering to these rules were recognized.Any infraction,willful or not,would disqualify anglers from club membership and the highly coveted Blue Button awarded to a successful angler.And special awards were also given to the Island's boatmen for participating in this somewhat radical conservation movement.The "Gentlemen Anglers ",as they soon become known,also began an active lobbying effort against commercial fishing interests in the waters surrounding Catalina. These angling rules became the foundation of IGFA's rishing regulations for fish to qualify for its record books. |
