Archive for the Anglers Category

SUNDAY AUGUST 3rd, 2008 - PHOTO GALLERY
Save the date and enter our yearly SDYC Junior Coastal Angling Tournament with great prizes for largest fish of each species. Anglers ages 7-17 are welcome. Adult volunteers are needed. Fishing will take place on board the Sea Watch from Seaforth Sportfishing. Lunch will be provided (hot dogs), but we do recommend bringing snacks. Please wear sun-protective and wind resistant clothing. Rental fishing rods will be provided or you can bring your own tackle. We will meet Sunday morning at Seaforth in Mission Bay at 7:30 a.m. Return time will be about 4 p.m. Sign up at the SDYC front desk at or call 619-221-8400. 

The SDYC Anglers Awards Ceremony will be held March 28 at 6:30 PM, upstairs in the Staff Commodore’s Room. Everyone is invited! Come meet fellow anglers and hear stories about the ones that didn’t get away. We will be honoring our successful anglers, both Seniors and Juniors. Buz Guentner will be the Master of Ceremonies for the event.Some very special trophies will be presented. One is the J.H. Chambers Trophy. Also known as the Commodore’s Perpetual Award for the Most Outstanding Catch, this prestigious award has recorded on it, a true “who’s who” of SDYC Anglers. First presented to Frank Naso in 1959, and later won by Bill McWethy, and Seth Brown, it has lately been presented to Rick and Marie Johnson, Jack Santone, Gary Stephany, Buz Guentner and Don Waggoner. Interestingly, our junior anglers have often been recipients of this award, Brennan Clark for his huge Bigeye Tuna, David Larson and Nicholas Augustine for their Marlin catches. The trophy is a 26 inch tall brass urn with a wood and marble base and a figure of an Olympian on top.This year’s recipient is Mike Rivkin who earlier in the year also received the Stroud Award for service to the fishing community from the San Diego Flyfishers. Mike will be honored for his catch of a 23.2 lb.

Albacore on 12 pound old fashioned linen line.

Phil Johnson will be awarded the Club Championship/ D.D. Williams Trophy for his “hit for the cycle’” catch of Marlin, Dorado, Albacore, Yellowtail, Bottomfish, and Bonito.

His father Rich will win the Arthur Carey Trophy for being the captain of the boat with the most Marlin caught and released as well as flying the Bill Carey Flag for first Marlin of the year, released. Not to be outdone, Phil’s son William wins the Carrol Deem Trophy for his 23 pound Albacore. Proud grandmother Marie Johnson caught and released a Striped Marlin on August 5th. No wonder they call themselves the “Fish Family Johnson”!

The SDYC Anglers Awards Ceremony will be held March 28 at 6:30 PM, upstairs in the Staff Commodore’s Room. Everyone is invited! Come meet fellow anglers and hear stories about the ones that didn’t get away. We will be honoring our successful anglers, both Seniors and Juniors. Buz Guentner will be the Master of Ceremonies for the event.Some very special trophies will be presented. One is the J.H. Chambers Trophy. Also known as the Commodore’s Perpetual Award for the Most Outstanding Catch, this prestigious award has recorded on it, a true “who’s who” of SDYC Anglers. First presented to Frank Naso in 1959, and later won by Bill McWethy, and Seth Brown, it has lately been presented to Rick and Marie Johnson, Jack Santone, Gary Stephany, Buz Guentner and Don Waggoner. Interestingly, our junior anglers have often been recipients of this award, Brennan Clark for his huge Bigeye Tuna, David Larson and Nicholas Augustine for their Marlin catches. The trophy is a 26 inch tall brass urn with a wood and marble base and a figure of an Olympian on top.

This year’s recipient is Mike Rivkin who earlier in the year also received the Stroud Award for service to the fishing community from the San Diego Flyfishers. Mike will be honored for his catch of a 23.2 lb.

Albacore on 12 pound old fashioned linen line.

Phil Johnson will be awarded the Club Championship/ D.D. Williams Trophy for his “hit for the cycle’” catch of Marlin, Dorado, Albacore, Yellowtail, Bottomfish, and Bonito.

His father Rich will win the Arthur Carey Trophy for being the captain of the boat with the most Marlin caught and released as well as flying the Bill Carey Flag for first Marlin of the year, released. Not to be outdone, Phil’s son William wins the Carrol Deem Trophy for his 23 pound Albacore. Proud grandmother Marie Johnson caught and released a Striped Marlin on August 5th. No wonder they call themselves the “Fish Family Johnson”!

SDYC Anglers Awards 2007
Seniors Mike Rivkin First Gamefish (Kenneth Baker Trophy) First Yellowtail of Season Largest Albacore on 12lb. Largest Albacore on 8 lb. Largest Gamefish on 6 or 8 lb. – Dr. B.A. Guentner Trophy
Largest Gamefish on 3 Thread (12 Lb.) Frank Wishon Trophy

Most Outstanding Catch – J.H. Chambers Trophy 23.2 lb. Albacore on 3 Thread Linen Line Rich Johnson Boat “Marie B”- Boat with Most Marlin Caught and Released – Arthur Carey Trophy Boat with First Marlin of Season First Marlin Flag – Released Bill Carey Flag Largest Bonita on 8 lb. Phil Johnson Largest Albacore on 16 lb. First Dorado of Season Largest Dorado of Season Largest Dorado on 30 lb. Largest Yellowtail on 16lb.

Marlin, Bottomfish, Bonito

Club Championship – D.D Williams Trophy Danny Rivkin Angler with highest weight to line ratio 5.3/1 – SDYC High Ratio Trophy Largest Marlin by a Junior on 30lb. (Irving Fifield Trophy) Largest Marlin by a Junior (Nell Bowen Trophy) Rob Pennell Largest Albacore of Season Largest Albacore on 30lb Peter Van Horne First Albacore of Season First Marlin (Frank Pastore Trophy) Jeanne McGee First Tuna of Season Largest Tuna of Season Largest Tuna on 50lb. Jim Hill Largest Albacore on 20lb. (Thomas Hearne Trophy) Largest Yellowtail on 20lb. (Frank L. Hope Award) Largest Yellowtail of Season Don Waggoner

Outstanding Service Award (Robert S. Roulette Memorial Trophy) Jack Santone Largest Halibut of Season (Lucien K. Small Trophy) Louie Zimm Largest Barracuda of Season (Mission Bay Sportfishers Award) Largest Bonito of Season Gary Stephany Largest Yellowtail on 30 lb. (Mission Bay Boat Sales Award) Pete Johnson Last Marlin of Season (Irving Fifield Award) Kyle Clark Largest Marlin on 50 lb – (Frank Naso Trophy)  Juniors Taylor Rivkin First Yellowtail of Season by a Junior Largest Yellowtail by a Junior on 20 lb. (Charles W. Patrick Memorial Trophy) Nicholas Augustine Largest Yellowtail by a Junior Largest Yellowtail on 30lb. by a Junior (Tanner Electronics Award) Collin Cummins Largest Tuna on 20 lb. (Miss Leona Trophy) First tuna of Season by a Junior David Larson First Marlin of Season by a Junior Marlin by Youngest Junior (Depew Marine Award) Last Tuna of the Season William Johnson First Gamefish by a Junior (Don Waggoner Trophy) First Albacore of the Season by a Junior

Largest Albacore by a Junior

Largest on 20 lb. (Carrol Deem Trophy)

By Rich Johnson 

Thanksgiving, a wonderful time with family, friends and, of course, turkeys. Being an outside kind of guy, I am thankful for butterflies, rainbows, green flash sunsets, the gentle roar of surf and stream, the wind in the trees, rain on the roof, and the Marlin strike.

It is October and the phone beside the bed rings at 0600. Our son Pete, said that he had just boarded the plane in Phoenix and would land at 0730. We struggled from the warm covers, made coffee and drove to the boat. Pete arrived on schedule and we left the dock at 0800. At 0930 we were just past the Nine Mile Bank when a trolling reel gave a short chirp. Pete tossed in a bait which the Marlin took. When we struck the fish, it outwitted us and cherry-picked the mackeral from the hook. We rebaited and trolled back over the spot. The Marlin was deep under the water following the teaser when it’s pectorals suddenly burst into a flourescent blue. We slowed the boat and tossed in another bait. The marlin took a lure instead and, at 1000, we were locked in battle with what may be the last marlin of the season as of this writing. How can it happen that Pete was in Phoenix and we were snug in bed in La Jolla only 4 hours ago and are now fighting a marlin from our 8 knot cruising boat? We caught, tagged and released the marlin after a long fierce battle and lost another one that afternoon.

How thankful we are to live in a beautiful city of millions so close to the wild beauty of nature– green flash sunsets, the roar of the surf, wind in the palms, birds and butterflies all year, and every now and then, in late summer and fall, a chance meeting with the most spectacular fish that swims the far flung fathomless depths.

Rich Johnson and the crew of the Marie B.

By Rich Johnson 

It had been some 22 years, since the Cone Head had fished for marlin, with his Mom and Dad, in California waters, aboard the Marie-B. The captain wasn’t feeling real hot, and was too weak to argue, as our course was set for the 371 bank, better known for paddy hopping, than the hunt of the majestic marlin. In a word, I never go there. But there were dorado to be caught, and I was resting in the salon after lunch. Cone was trolling two rods from the cockpit, which we never do, with a teaser we never use, in a pattern never seen. The starboard cockpit reel burst into song, unheard by the Cone and his mother on the bridge. I picked up the rod and yelled “Fish on!”. Marie didn’t have her hearing aid in, and the Cone’s ear was to the radio. Of course, the marlin nearly spooled me, before this alert crew stumbled into action.
“Unforgivable!!!”– I calmly shout, trying to catch the fish, and run the boat by myself. By some miracle, everything stays attached, and the tagged marlin swims away to fight another day.

We spent a rolling night at anchor off the South Coronado Island, as the tuna cowboys had a wild time, as attested by the screaming and laughing of imported feminine companionship. The next morning we rounded South Island into a stiff breeze and a light bulb pounding chop. We smash our way back to the 371. Our arrival is greeted by another marlin strike, unloading a bunch of line, before it throws the hook in a spectacular display.

After spending the morning trolling around in the wind and tumultuous seas, I again find myself laid out in the salon after another delicious lunch. This must be the key to our success, as all the five reels start to scream. I stagger into the cockpit, to see marlin jumping everywhere behind the boat. Of course, we put in a live bait to see if we can get a sixth marlin on. We end up with three fish that stay hooked up. Leaving one rod in the fighting chair, I let the chair swing freely to stay pointed at the marlin. Phil and Marie battle their fish that go in opposite directions. After 30 minutes, Marie’s fish pulls free of the hook. The marlin on the rod in the fighting chair is still hooked up, so she begins her struggle with her second marlin.

The Cone Head’s fish gets tail wrapped and dies in the deep, while Marie’s fish is still fresh as a daisy. Marie is not. She has all the fun while the Cone winches up his dead fish which we gaff at the boat and secure with a tail rope. Cone is trying to wrestle his fish on to the swim step, while I run the boat to help this grandmother of 10 catch her marlin. A big wave washes Cone’s marlin off the step. Wails of anguish fill the salty breeze until he discovers that I had cleated the tail rope, and his fish is stiil there, down in the deep. We open the transom door, and pull his marlin into the cockpit. Now, it is easy to run the boat, and we then tag Marie’s fish in textbook fashion.

So, that is our story, and we are going to stick with it. The wonder of sea stories is that, you can’t make up these bizarre tails — Fish tails, of course.