^ —.

Herald * lantern 311 Mirth '84

29

outdoors vvil

sports

with Lou Rodia

Recalling Master Marlin Fisherman

Somewhere out there is a marlin with a yellow tag in its back, growing to be the world’s largest ever. It and a lot of others are free to swim the ocean after being caught and released because someone had sense enough to institute a tag and release program way back when there was a growing interest and a growing pressure on the exotic billfish such as the white and blue marlin and the sailfish. These fishes are of little food value. Their attraction to anglers stems from a dramatic fight after they are booked and even more adventuresome moments while they are involved in attacking trolled baits which are dragged behind

Tie Atop Cage Loop

Kiwanis remained in a tie for first place in the PeeWee Basketball League as it downed the struggling Casale's Shoes team 46-31. After being down by one point at half-time Kiwanis, used 16 second-half points by Mike Chelias to outscore Casale's 28-12 and cruise to the victory. Kiwanis’ Scott Holden led all scorers with 20 points. Holden was backed up by Chelius and Matt Dean, who scored 18 and 10 points, respectively. Pat ■Dwyer led Casale’s in scoring as he poured in 14 points followed by MaU McGaffney with 13. Hillhouse Greenery upped its record to 6-3 as it downed Model Cleaners 40-34 behind Tom Reid’s 16 points. Reid was backed up in scoring by Kevin Freeman and Tom Johnson, who scored 8 points apiece. Gary Frazier and Joey Norris led Model in scoring with 14 and 12 points respectively. Standings Kiwanis 64

**

a sleek sportfisberman. Most marlin are literally seen before they are hooked. The fishery is an intense one and is high adventure for those who have shared a marlin experience. The numbers caught are not listed in the thousands. A 1,000-marlin season for any major marlin port anywhere along the coast is considered a great one. Many anglers are lucky if they get to go, let alone see one, book one or eventually land one. Others more fortunate, see, hook, land, and hopefully release a few more. As is true of most rod and reel fishing, there are lots of people constantly entering the field. HoweveV, marlin knowledge was hardly in existence 50 years ago when the only ones being caught were by accident. EACH AREA WHERE marlin are available produced its pioneers. Not much is recorded as to who they were. Not much will ever be known about the early days because not too many people are still around who remember. In our own area, there is a handful of pioneers who explored the offshore areas beyond the lightships and even as far as the canyons in boats which were less than equipped or safe by today’s standards. Navigation was almost seat of the pants. There was little out there except water if a problem arose.

Bowl-A-Thon ERMA — Hie Lower Cape May Regional High School held its first Bowl-A-Thon recently at Wildwood Bowl. The Cape May Kiwanis Club and more than 100 persons sponsored the Key Club bowlers in the event, which will allow the group to continue community service activities. Michael Andreychak served as project chairperson. Key Club is a service organization open to all students of the school.

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Moreover, little was known about bow to catch these exotic fish. Today there are a lot of marlin ‘experts’ around. Some justifiably have earned the title. Others, who have picked brains, hired paid and train crews, or are serving their apprenticeship as mates and crewmen aboard a marlin boat. Some still have a long way to go to know enough to be considered a “pro.” But, they are learning and if they are dedicated, they will get better. If I were to have to draw from personal experience and select the best, one name would automatically be up in the top few. Unfortunately, be is no longer with us. Sportsfishing and all of us who knew him have-suffered a great loss with the passing of Olin S. Woolson, late of Wildwood Crest, recently at the age of 78. He left his wife, Marion, a son, O. Stanley Woolson, of Somerville, and three grandchildren. He leaves behind, in addition to family, a host of friends and fishing acquaintances worldwide. He was renowned as a sportfisherman and was a past director of the International Light Tackle Tournament Association. AS IS TRUE of many of us, we will remember people for a lot of things, but usually one or two incidents stand out. It was over 25 years ago that I booked and landed my first white marlin. I was aboard Dr. Jrv Suss man's Ripper that day in the company of Irv, Olin, Jules Slevin and Graydon Wetzler. Long time marlin anglers will recognize the weight of that talent. I, as a novice billfisherman, also recognized it. It was heady stuff for someone who had spent most of his fishing life in a rowboat bouncing around the inland waterway. It was not until late in the day that we had action. Skipper Irv spotted the first marlin and soon, there were two hooked — one by Jules and another by Olin. About the time the marlin were peeling off line a third attacked my bait and there we were — with three hookups all at once. It suddenly dawned on all four of those marlin “pros” that I was on opposite ends of the line with my very first marlin. In deference to the importance of that occasion, all four devoted every possible bit of attention to helping me get my fish, since I wanted to have my first one mounted. It is still on my office wall, and I see it daily, and many times as I write. It is a visible reminder of a courteous, sportsman-like act by some top anglers who helped me share what they had been doing for years. That was one recollection of Olin Woolson. Another is the dinner at the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor when be made his famous speech which turned the Cape May County Marlin Tournament from a catch and 'keep event to a primarily release event. In that speech Olin chastised all of us, who, for lack of knowing better or understandine

what it was all about, believed that marlin had to be brought in for all to admire to have a good day. IT WAS HIS speech of chastisement which awakened most of those present to the realities of catch and kill billfishing and made us understand the need for tagging and releasing as a conservation measure and as an aid to research.

Since that time, many marlin which would have wound up on the dump ha,ve been tagged and released to swim away free. Many of the tagged fish have been recaptured to give some aid to the research as to lifespan, growth patterns and migratory routes for billfish. Olin Woolson may well be remembered for many things, but for those who

have benefitied from a continuing quality marlin fishery, our thanks should go out for his efforts in helping promote conservation. Olin won’t ever catch that big marlin which is swimming around with a tag that be or someone put into it. Someone else will. Hopefully, the lucky one will remember to say thanks.

Myrtlp Ave. at Park • West Cape May, N.J

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