- Joined
- Mar 11, 2001
- Messages
- 70,011
- Reaction score
- 1,003
S.D. sportfishing dean relishes his Day at the Docks
By Ed Zieralski, San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 28, 2003
About 30 yards. That was the distance that separated the man who established and nurtured long-range sportfishing here from the sport's future at yesterday's 24th annual Day at the Docks.
There up on the main stage was captain Bill Poole, 81, honored by the International Game and Fish Association for his contributions to sportfishing here.
As Poole received the award from Michael Farrior, the Rancho Santa Fe-based IGFA trustee, a romper room full of 3-, 4-and 5-year-olds, the sport's future, lined up 30 yards away. They were fishing at captain Nick Cates' Wild Fishing Adventure, as youngsters have for the last 24 years of the event.
Cates' fishing hole, a converted old refrigerator box, has been hooking kids every year. The kids fish for prizes, or sometimes a tennis shoe or an old sock, if they sneak a peek into the huge box.
It was a day to bring in the young and honor the legendary. That's what yesterday's Day at the Docks was for the estimated 50,000 visitors who passed along the sportfishing landing fronts in Point Loma.
Poole, the dean of the local sportfishing fleet, received his award and thanked his wife, Ingrid, for her support.
"Believe me, she's done everything on our boats from paint the deck to clean the heads," he said.
The IGFA recognized Poole for "developing the San Diego sportfishing fleet into the world's finest and most highly respected operation in the world . . . " and for his "unwavering commitment to excellence and leadership in the industry since 1946 and for setting the standard for others to follow."
Poole is credited with helping many enter the sportfishing industry. His two latest captains on the Excel, Bill and Pat Cavanaugh, following a long line of successful former Excel captains, both own their own boats now.
But Poole hasn't just helped boat captains.
Doug Kern, part-owner of Fisherman's Landing Tackle Shop, said he owes his career to Poole.
"He gave me the opportunity to own my part of the business with him and Frank LoPreste," Kern said. "That allowed me to raise my family in a nice home and spend 18 years here on the waterfront in a career I enjoy."
Poole said the San Diego fleet hasn't always enjoyed a great relationship with the IGFA, the Florida-based organization that sets international angling regulations and records world-record catches.
"One of their rules was that we couldn't have a gaff over eight feet," Poole said. "We caught a world-record tuna, but we told them we needed longer gaffs to reach the water from our boats. They bent on that rule and have been bending ever since. They've made some adjustments for us, and they'll have to make more."
One big adjustment, Poole said, would be to allow a deckhand to assist an angler during battles with big yellowfin around the anchor on the bigger sport boats. Poole said that's one obstacle that yacht fishermen don't have to deal with, but it has cost San Diego boats world-record tuna catches.
Poole's IGFA award was the highlight of a glorious day on the waterfront. The sunny, slightly breezy day brought out a huge crowd that may have set an attendance record for the event.
"I think the big thing is that we saw a lot of people come out today who were interested in learning about fishing," said Catherine Miller, the event's co-founder and producer. "When Pete Haynes of Izorline gave his beginning sportfishing seminar, a lot of people approached him afterward to ask more questions."
Many of the captains opened the gangways on their boats. Poole's Excel, a luxurious long-range boat, was swarmed with visitors. But so were captain Buzz Brizendine's Prowler and captain Ray Sobieck's Producer, which also served as a tour boat around the bay.
Captain Nick Cates of the New Lo-An credited Brizendine for having the idea for Day at the Docks. Cates remembers the first one well.
"We had free hot dogs and free beer, and I think we drew about 5,000 people," Cates said.
There were an estimated eight to 10 times that many yesterday, and you didn't have to look far to see the important lineage from the sport's rugged pioneer, Poole, to its future, the kids at captain Nick Cates' Wild Fishing Adventure.
By Ed Zieralski, San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 28, 2003
About 30 yards. That was the distance that separated the man who established and nurtured long-range sportfishing here from the sport's future at yesterday's 24th annual Day at the Docks.
There up on the main stage was captain Bill Poole, 81, honored by the International Game and Fish Association for his contributions to sportfishing here.
As Poole received the award from Michael Farrior, the Rancho Santa Fe-based IGFA trustee, a romper room full of 3-, 4-and 5-year-olds, the sport's future, lined up 30 yards away. They were fishing at captain Nick Cates' Wild Fishing Adventure, as youngsters have for the last 24 years of the event.
Cates' fishing hole, a converted old refrigerator box, has been hooking kids every year. The kids fish for prizes, or sometimes a tennis shoe or an old sock, if they sneak a peek into the huge box.
It was a day to bring in the young and honor the legendary. That's what yesterday's Day at the Docks was for the estimated 50,000 visitors who passed along the sportfishing landing fronts in Point Loma.
Poole, the dean of the local sportfishing fleet, received his award and thanked his wife, Ingrid, for her support.
"Believe me, she's done everything on our boats from paint the deck to clean the heads," he said.
The IGFA recognized Poole for "developing the San Diego sportfishing fleet into the world's finest and most highly respected operation in the world . . . " and for his "unwavering commitment to excellence and leadership in the industry since 1946 and for setting the standard for others to follow."
Poole is credited with helping many enter the sportfishing industry. His two latest captains on the Excel, Bill and Pat Cavanaugh, following a long line of successful former Excel captains, both own their own boats now.
But Poole hasn't just helped boat captains.
Doug Kern, part-owner of Fisherman's Landing Tackle Shop, said he owes his career to Poole.
"He gave me the opportunity to own my part of the business with him and Frank LoPreste," Kern said. "That allowed me to raise my family in a nice home and spend 18 years here on the waterfront in a career I enjoy."
Poole said the San Diego fleet hasn't always enjoyed a great relationship with the IGFA, the Florida-based organization that sets international angling regulations and records world-record catches.
"One of their rules was that we couldn't have a gaff over eight feet," Poole said. "We caught a world-record tuna, but we told them we needed longer gaffs to reach the water from our boats. They bent on that rule and have been bending ever since. They've made some adjustments for us, and they'll have to make more."
One big adjustment, Poole said, would be to allow a deckhand to assist an angler during battles with big yellowfin around the anchor on the bigger sport boats. Poole said that's one obstacle that yacht fishermen don't have to deal with, but it has cost San Diego boats world-record tuna catches.
Poole's IGFA award was the highlight of a glorious day on the waterfront. The sunny, slightly breezy day brought out a huge crowd that may have set an attendance record for the event.
"I think the big thing is that we saw a lot of people come out today who were interested in learning about fishing," said Catherine Miller, the event's co-founder and producer. "When Pete Haynes of Izorline gave his beginning sportfishing seminar, a lot of people approached him afterward to ask more questions."
Many of the captains opened the gangways on their boats. Poole's Excel, a luxurious long-range boat, was swarmed with visitors. But so were captain Buzz Brizendine's Prowler and captain Ray Sobieck's Producer, which also served as a tour boat around the bay.
Captain Nick Cates of the New Lo-An credited Brizendine for having the idea for Day at the Docks. Cates remembers the first one well.
"We had free hot dogs and free beer, and I think we drew about 5,000 people," Cates said.
There were an estimated eight to 10 times that many yesterday, and you didn't have to look far to see the important lineage from the sport's rugged pioneer, Poole, to its future, the kids at captain Nick Cates' Wild Fishing Adventure.
