Marlin Club Open House - plus Kid’s Fishing & Day at the Docks
April 24, 2005

Our annual open house is April 24th the same day as Day at the docks. Each year we have a free kid's fishing contest from our docks. Ed Waldman and Jim Konzal will be bringing the live bait to the club in the  MOONSHINE 2. Thanks guys! Thanks also to Everingham Bros. bait company for  the bait as well as goody bags! The fishing contest goes from 9 AM to 2 PM and is open to all kid's 15 and under. There will also be some of the  member’s boats on the docks for your viewing. As usual we will have free BBQ  and refreshments so stop by and enjoy.

Club Clean Up Day - April 16, 2005

Sign up to help - 619-222-8677

1. Refurbish bar including stripping, trim and varnishing. It would be great if someone could make us a canvas cover for the bar.
2. Finish permanent event lighting (Art)
3. R&R rub rails on docks and replace as necessary.
4. New canvas or shade material for rear of club.
5. Repair bad metal supports on main pier? Anyone good with metal???
6. R&R plants on deck to new pots as needed.
7. Lube Whirly bird on roof.
8. Haul old desk away from behind club or break it up and throw in dumpster.
9. Sand, chip and paint all dock railings.
10. Replace bad wood at bottom of ramp to small boat dock.
11. Trim shrubs and trees as necessary.
12. Clean out back storage area.
13. Install carpet
14. Paint kitchen.

Catch or Release
 

The progress of fishing science over the past 100+ years has introduced a lot of names into the lore of our sport – names like fiberglass, monofilament, pre-set drag, GPS, sonar, Sea surface temps, etc, etc, etc. The result has been great strides in our ability to find and catch the object of our affection – namely the billfish. And now we are hearing more and more about words like pop-up tags and satellite collection of data with significant increases in our understanding of that word that generates great emotional upheavals  – release.

            In the past 30 years or so I have been an outspoken advocate of the principal of “catch and release” and I have also stood up for the rights of all anglers to do as they wish with their catch – regardless of what I or any other individual or group of individuals might think. And yes, while I have practiced this principal, I have also exercised my right to take one or two depending on the status of the freezer inventory.

          More and more we are seeing much poorer results of marlin releasing and with the new information provided by pop-up tags serious questions are being raised as to the actual survival rate of released marlin – at least the striped variety. Attention is directed to the article “Mortality rate of striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) caught with recreational tackle,” Marine and Freshwater Research, 2003, Vol. 54, p. 435-45, by Michael L. Domeier, Heidi Dewar and Nicole Nasby-Lucas. Bob Woodard, Sr. was kind enough to pass this article on to us. It has been presented in earlier editions of the Gaff Line ( month?  2004? 5?).

           Without going through all the statistics their conclusions are: 1.) do not tag  fish that are bleeding from the gill cavity; 2.) do not tag fish hooked in the gut; 3.) do not tag fish that took more than 30 min to land; and 4.) do not tag fish in cases where the stomach protrudes from the mouth.

           They also found circle hooks to be equally effective in catching marlin as J-hooks, but having a significantly higher probability of lodging in the mouth (lessening the incidence of internal injuries – hence a higher survival rate).

           With a mortality rate of more than one out of  four striped marlin (i.e. >25%) caught and released with live bait it was recommended that when fishing with live or dead bait (drop-back, slow trolling, casting, etc), anglers should be encouraged to use circle hooks.

           Further, with the results of releasing fish caught after 30 minutes of fighting time serious questions must be raised as to the roll of light tackle fishing. Thus, if one plans to “take” the fish it shouldn’t matter what line strength is used. But if releasing is the goal then we must re-evaluate our thoughts as to the role of heavier tackle and, perhaps, 50 pd. tackle should be the norm and we should not look down our noses at those who opt to use this heavier tackle.

           It will be interesting to see how our Board of Directors address this problem(?), but, of course, maybe it isn’t that much of a problem. But, at least, it is something to talk about while waiting for the Yellowtail, Halibut and White Sea Bass to show up.

Marty Morris (“Ken-Dan”)