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Boardfishing
Articles
Here we will archive lots of cool articles that have been published on Boardfishing
I would love to get some of you out there to write articles for the site....drop me a line....
2002 Articles |
Ed Zieralski's Special Article
(just for us)
Village News
(Paul Gallegos)
Union Tribune
Send us any related articles that you can find, and we will get them up
The First Boardfishing Rig ?
Archive of the Articles covering the Boardfishing in the San Diego Union Tribune |
A
new dimension to fishing - from the top of a surfboard
The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego,
Calif.; Mar 15, 1992; ED ZIERALSKI;
It's
fishing with an attitude | All you have are a surfboard, gear and your nerves
The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego,
Calif.; Aug 7, 1994; ED ZIERALSKI;
Surfboard
fishing tourney produces thrills and meals
Union Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Aug 1, 1995; ED ZIERALSKI;
He's
not board with fishing | Angler/boarder takes contest with 34-pound halibut
Union Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 23, 1996; Ed Zieralski;
Surf's up! | Wave
riders never get bored fishing at the Board Fishing Tournament
Union Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul
15, 1997; Ed Zieralski;
New
angle on angling | For many, boat becomes optional equipment
Union Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 6, 1997; Ed Zieralski;
QUICK
SHOTS
The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jun 14, 1998;
`This
is a fish of a lifetime' | Surfer hauls in thresher shark after 1 1/2-hour
battle off La Jolla
The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 7, 1998; Ed Zieralski;
Board
Fishing Tournament no place for a party animal
The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 14, 1998; Ed
Zieralski;
Shark
sightings add intrigue to tourney
The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Aug 6, 1999; Ed Zieralski;
It's
slim pickings at Board Fishing Tournament
The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Aug 10, 1999; Ed
Zieralski;
Windansea
board-fish tourney lands picture-perfect prize
The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 14, 2000; Ed
Zieralski;
Record
turnout for board fishing
The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 17, 2000; Ed
Zieralski;
Tournament
combines elements of fishing and surfing
The
San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 19, 2001; Ed
Zieralski;
Outside
guy steals show with Windansea catch
The
San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 22, 2002; Ed
Zieralski;
North County Times Articles (Ernie Cowan) |
Early
arrivals successful at boardfishing tourney
Big game doesn't always
mean big bucks Website
Fishermen bring their surfboards for annual tournament.
Village News Articles (Paul Gallegos) |
Board of
Fishing? Try Boardfishing. (2001)
Board Anglers Go Trolling For Dollars (2001)
Man of the Beach Becomes Man of the Hour (2002)
Email ... allen @ boardfishing.com
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It's fishing with an attitude
| All you have are a surfboard, gear and your nerves Until Friday morning I somehow had lasted 19 years in California without
mounting a surfboard. Not even a boogie board. Not that I was chicken, but when playing in the ocean, swimming always
was plenty enough for me. The only time we hung 10 where I grew up in
western Pennsylvania was when we skateboarded. The big thrill was hooking
onto the back of an 18-wheeler hauling steel up Iron Street from the
local mill. People thought we were nuts, and we were. But this was different,
I was assured by my hosts, Windansea watermen Scot Cherry and Bill Deckr.
This was surfing with a twist, surfboard fishing, in which the sport
of taking fish is done atop a 10- to 13-foot board. Some people think
these guys are nuts, and they're right. "So, how far out are we going?" I asked Decker, the fog still blanketing
La Jolla Shores, and for some reason, the thought of Great White sharks
dancing in my head. "See that dark line out there?" Decker said, peering through the predawn
light. "That's the kelp, and that's where we're going." A quarter of a mile, maybe, and I tried not to look at the line. Just
get on the board and paddle, I thought. Think tough, repel any hungry
sharks with an aggressive, confident aura. I think I read that somewhere.
Once in the surf, I was amazed at how easily the board balanced and
moved through the water, considering the load on top. "Paddle like this, like you're swimming," Cherry instructed, cupping
his hands one at a time under his board. "You can steer with your feet
by hanging one or the other over the side." We reached the kelp in no time, and soon we were casting into potholes
in the sea grass. Decker and Cherry are veterans, and they weren't exactly
free with helpful hints. Decker, 46, has been surfboard fishing since he was 15. Cherry is a
long-time waterman -- surfer, diver and surfboard fisherman -- but he's
only been surfboard fishing for four years. He's learned most of his
tricks from Decker, with quick glimpses, I'm sure. We fished for a few hours, but it seemed like 15 minutes. It's no wonder
these guys endure eight to 10 hours on their boards with nothing more
than a Power Bar and water. One of the feelings I had while bobbing atop the kelp is that this
must be what it's like to hover over the rain forest, looking down into
the jungle. There is no fishing experience like it, the surreal act
of riding the swell and watching the ocean's food chain swim beneath
you. Small shrimp and fish dart around and use the huge kelp fronds
as cover. Gulls and terns swoop in. Sea lions feed at eye level. "It's not just a sport, it's an adventure," Cherry yelled, cracking
the silence as he released a small calico bass. Other silences are broken by boiling fish or the roar of a big wave
crashing La Jolla Shores. Cherry's reason for inviting me on this day is to discuss the seventh
annual Windansea Surfboard Fishing Tournament, which goes off from dawn
to dusk today. Allen Repashy, who owns South Swell, a screen print company, said the
tournament started as a private party of about five guys, but has grown
to 50-60 participants. This year they have 18 sponsors, with Bob's Bait
and Tackle, South Swell and Head Hunter lifeguard hats making big contributions. "A lot of surfers are watermen who will do anything to get into the
water," Repashy said. "Surfboard fishing is something to do when the
surf is flat." Most of the fishing surfboards are simple riggings of
a milk basket attached to a board. And some ride bare bones, toting
nothing but a fishing rod and reel, a backpack for fish and supplies
and a fanny pack for tackle. Then there's always the guy who takes it
to an extreme. Repashy and Thompson Smith, another organizer, described
fellow competitor Joe Roper's board as being in the U.S.S. Carrier Class. "He's got a fiberglassed seat, a fiberglassed tackle box, a fiberglassed
cooler, two outriggers and he uses a kayak paddle," Repashy said. "He
even painted the bottom in camouflage so the board blends into the kelp.
We had to ban that board." This year's tournament has been dedicated to David P. Andersen, a La
Jolla waterman who died in June while spearfishing. Cherry said it appeared
Andersen died after spearing a 45-pound white sea bass. "When they found him, he still had the spear gun locked in his hand,
and the fish was still on the rope," Cherry said, pointing to the area
where the tragedy happened. "He just didn't want to let go of that big
fish." To honor Andersen, Cherry joined a large group of other watermen
and paddled off Windansea Beach, where they formed a giant circle and
spread Andersen's ashes. These are hearty water sportsmen who wanted
to pay tribute to one of their own who died doing what he loved. "Then we went back and ate that big fish," Cherry said. Added Repashy, organizer of the boardfishing tournament: "That was
a prideful thing for us to do." Credit: Staff Writer |
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Surfboard fishing
tourney produces thrills and meals Perhaps no other ocean sport captures the true spirit of the California summer more than surfboard fishing. Board fishermen combine the grace and skill of handling a board in surf and swells with the knowledge and courage it takes to fish where no fishermen have gone before them. That's what a group of 31 die-hard watermen did Sunday at Windansea Beach, gathering there for the 8th Annual Windansea Boardfishing Tournament. Mike O'Connor of Ocean Beach took top honors with a 17-pound, 15-ounce 4-foot-long leopard shark, the first shark caught in the history of the tourney. O'Connor, who caught the big shark close enough to the beach to thrill an audience, beat out a couple of long-tooth veterans in Scot Cherry and Bill Decker of La Jolla. He used a Seaforth Special Worm King. Cherry weighed in a 9-pound yellowtail he caught after making mackerel bait with Lucky Joes off Scripps Pier and then paddling all the way back to the kelp off Windansea. Decker, one of the sport's founding fathers, paddled in a 6-pound calico bass. Tournament director Allen Repashy said participation was down this year, but he said that was fine because the tournament had begun to get too big. "We went back to basics this year," Repashy said. When a sponsor requested it be turned into a catch-and-release tournament and suggested other rule changes, Repashy said it was time to simplify. "Part of the whole deal is watching guys bring their catches to the beach," Repashy said. "And besides, everything that was cooked for lunch." [Illustration]1 PIC; Caption: Fine fins: Mike O'Connor of Ocean Beach hoists the winning leopard shark in the Windansea Boardfishing Tournament.; Credit: THOMPSON SMITH Credit: Staff Writer
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| He's
not board with fishing | Angler/boarder takes contest with 34-pound halibut
Union Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 23, 1996; Ed Zieralski; It takes a lot to impress a true waterman, but Andy Sturtevant managed to do that Sunday at the ninth annual Boardfishing Tournament at Windansea Beach. Earlier in the day, Sturtevant, fishing from his surfboard, landed a 34-pound, 4-ounce halibut. He battled the fish for nearly 15 minutes and mis-gaffed it once. But after finally gaffing it, he stuck an arm through the fish's gills to subdue it. He hung on to it with one arm and paddled with the other arm back to the beach to record the fish. "I could hear him yelling, and if I would have known then that he caught a 34-pound halibut, I would have come in," said veteran board fisherman Bill Decker of La Jolla. "The tournament was over at that point." But Sturtevant, 42, of Clairemont didn't stop there. The painting contractor backed that with a 17-pound, 5-ounce halibut, giving him a total of 51 pounds, 9 ounces for flatties in the day-long tournament. He paddled away with first place, which earned him a bundle of goods including a weekend stay for two at the Lakeland Resort near Lake Cuyamaca, a Sector 9 skateboard, a Board Bag from Julie Designs and a stylish beer mug from La Jolla Brewing Co. When he arrived at the beach with his second halibut, some of the other 45 surfboard fishermen greeted him by dropping to the sand and exclaiming: "Andy, the great fish god." Chilly water -- lifeguards said it was 64 degrees -- greeted the fishermen at their pre-dawn launching. But that didn't stop young Jason Norling, 10, from entering the water to fish for the first time from a board. Norling was the only competitor without a wetsuit, earning the Iron Man award from tournament founder and organizer Allen Repashy.. "He practiced fishing from a surfboard in our pool," said his father, John Norling, who supervised from shore. "Next year, our whole family is doing this. It's great." Repashy organized the tournament nine years ago. Back then it was 10 guys, tops, showing up at the beach for a good time. There are sponsors now, and the quality of fishing has improved. "It used to be that if you stayed sober, you'd go win the tournament," said Decker, still very sober at noon. To catch his two halibut, Sturtevant tipped a whole squid to a silver speckled and black (with white bottom) lure and 1-ounce jighead on 15-pound test line. Geoff Rose of Point Loma won the Dash for Cash. He was the first back to the beach with a legal fish (a calico bass) after 24 of the boardfishermen swam out in unison at 1 p.m. Actually he was the second, but James Grigolite, who swam back first with a 3-inch sculpin, deferred to Rose and settled for second-place cash, $50. [Illustration]1 PIC; Caption: Incredible catch: Andy Sturtevant won the ninth annual Windansea Boardfishing Tournament with these monster halibut.; Credit: ED ZIERALSKI / Union-Tribune Credit: STAFF WRITER
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| Surf's
up! | Wave riders never get bored fishing at the Board Fishing Tournament
Union Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 15, 1997; Ed Zieralski; Cathleen Davies studied the ocean from a unique perspective Sunday off Windansea Beach. A marine biologist whose life's work is the ocean and its critters, Davies fished for the first time from a surfboard. Her gear consisted of a surfboard, fishing rod and reel, a fanny pack for equipment and a jug of beer. Davies and a friend, Stacie Hathaway, were welcome additions to the 10th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament, heretofore an all-male competition. "It was so clear out there I could see 30 feet down, and the kelp beds were incredible," Davies said. "I could see moon snails, kelp crabs, all the different things that live in the kelp." The women didn't catch anything, but as Hathaway said to a dry male sand potato, "At least we got wet." Catching fish is a bonus for these adventurers. They combine the grace, skill and athleticism of handling a board in surf and swells with the knowledge and courage it takes to fish where few fishermen have gone before. The largest field ever turned out for the tournament's 10th edition, according to Allen Repashy, founder and organizer. What once was an activity reserved for a handful of San Diego's heartier watermen had 54 registered entrants. "This thing has gone from a beer fest to a family happening," said Repashy, owner of Southswell Screen Arts. "It's still a beer fest," said veteran board fisherman Bill Decker. Scot Cherry called Decker the "Grandfather of Board Fishing." At 49, Decker qualifies but showed he can paddle and fish with anyone. Decker, who has been fishing from a surfboard since he was 15, caught five yellowtail, a calico bass, a bonito and a mackerel to win the most-fish category. His 26-pound, 2-ounce total overshadowed Cherry's four yellowtail that totaled 21-5. But Cherry had the tournament's biggest fish, a 9-9 yellowtail. He dedicated his win to La Jolla's Albert "Tiny" Thomas, a local legend at Windansea, who died last week. Andy Sturtevant of Clairemont, a top board fisherman, won last year with tournament-record catches, a 34-4 halibut and a 17-5 halibut. Sturtevant was humbled this year. But he did have a fantastic adventure. Sturtevant saw fellow competitor Phil Joseph of Imperial Beach struggling to land a big fish. Joseph was fishing over the exact spot where Sturtevant landed his halibut last year, and now Joseph was fighting a huge halibut estimated to be in the 35-pound range. "I'd gotten it up three different times before Andy came over to help," Joseph said. "Andy put a gaff into it the fourth time, but the fish went nuts and jumped half way out of the water, straight up. The gaff, hook and line all popped out." Everyone had a story. David Woodworth saw a sea turtle. His boy, Dane, 11, fishing near the kelp with the big boys, swore he spotted a shark. Whatever it was almost scared the freckles off his face. Later he saw some garibaldi, the state's protected fish. "If you love the ocean," said Jim Hadzicki, "this is as good as it gets. You get so close." Randy Lind caught a 3-pound, 2-ounce calico bass on half a rod after breaking it moments before hooking the fish. His stringer was an old telephone cord. Mike Smith of San Carlos scored a double hook-up on yellowtail, paddle-trolling two live mackerel. Stacie Hathaway fought "something" for about 15 minutes. Could have been the bottom, she said. The sport not only is drawing women, it's also bringing out the next generation. "We may have to start a junior division next year," Repashy said. Jason Norling of Poway, 11, returned for a second straight year. He was first on the beach with a fish, a 2-pound, 1-ounce calico bass. His father, John, mother, Eletha, and brother, Kevin, 9, formed a support team on the beach. Norling's father is an avid fishermen, and his great grandfather was a lobsterman. "Jason could swim before he could walk," Eletha Norling said. "He's completely waterproof." Matthew Gruber, 13, fished the tournament for the first time and caught some keeper calico bass. Dane Woodworth, 11, landed a mackerel. His brother, Drew, 9, joined in the dash for cash. The dash for cash is a tournament inside a tournament. After paddling all morning, the competitors break for lunch, where they eat some of their catch. Following a group photo, those with any energy left re-enter the water to race for fish. "I'm dashing for sleep," Decker said. First one in with a legal-size fish earns $100. The prize money was put up by Patrick Bessie of Pacifically Landscape. Ian Campbell won the dash for cash, catching and releasing a calico bass. It was one of the few fish that didn't make it to the grill. [Illustration]2 PICS; Caption: 1. Eric Thorstenson of San Diego (bottom photo) hangs two -- yellowtail, that is-- off the front of his board paddling in at the Windansea tournament. 2. Meantime, Randy Lind (top) wades ashore with two calico bass and one broken pole.; Credit: 1,2. Union-Tribune photos by TONY DOUBEK Credit: STAFF WRITER
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| New
angle on angling | For many, boat becomes optional equipment
Union Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 6, 1997; Ed Zieralski; It used to be that a fisherman's dream was to own a boat. Not anymore. These days, many anglers are opting for alternative fishing styles that get them on the water and a lot closer to it for much less money. Fishing from a float tube, a kayak or a surfboard -- these are trends that have taken off in Southern California and are spreading to other parts of the country. "It's something that literally is changing the face of fishing as we know it," said Bart Hall, who produces the traveling Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show for his father. "It used to be that some of our kayak distributors would sell four or five kayaks a show, but they're selling over 100 a show now." Kayak fishing Kayak fishing is a sport to which only the hardy and adventurous need apply. Jim Sammons of San Diego said he entered the world of kayak fishing for one simple reason: "I couldn't afford a center console boat, and I love to fish," Sammons said. "So without two nickels to rub together, this seemed like a solid alternative." Sammons tried fishing off a surfboard, but he found sitting on the board irritated his aching back. "I like the comfortable seat of the kayak," Sammons said. "And I like being able to cover an incredible amount of area of water. Plus, I can get in and out of some very dangerous areas without any problems." His kayak trips usually are filled with eye-level sights that others see from a distance. Sammons said it's common for sea lions and dolphins to get close. The dolphins are quiet, but the sea lions like to make their presence known. "They like to come up behind me when it's really quiet and blow out a big old snort that usually scares the hell out of me," Sammons said. One day a young migrating gray whale spouted in front of him, not more than 10 feet in front of his kayak. "You can't truly realize how absolutely pretty it is on the water until you've tried fishing from a kayak," said Sammons, who owns La Jolla Kayak Fishing and is a guide. "It's a completely different perspective on the water. Motorboats are loud and noisy. But in a kayak, it's quiet, and there are no diesel fumes." Sammons has managed to build a business around his hobby. He guides anglers on the water, showing them not only the fundamentals of kayaking, but also his fishing secrets learned in more than two decades of fishing ocean and bay waters. He charges $125, and all his clients have to do is show up with a valid fishing license. He provides the rest. "I basically started the business to make some money and still enjoy something I love to do," Sammons said. Sammons recommends people try the sport before buying all the equipment necessary for kayak fishing. A kayak angler can get outfitted, fishing equipment and all, for less than $1,000. The kayak costs about $450. And once you're outfitted, Sammons said, it's important to go out and relax. "That's the whole idea of going out there," Sammons said. Float tubes Mike Long of Poway admits he's obsessed with float-tubing. His job as a superintendent for a rebar-fitting company allows him to set his own hours and, for Long, that means as much time on the water as possible. "The biggest advantage I've found to float-tubing is that it's the most quiet way to fish and be on the water," Long said. "It allows you to drift over spots quietly and sneak up on the fish. And you can stay there over rock piles or stumps, whatever, as long as you want." Long's claim to fishing fame is that he has caught the largest freshwater fish ever taken by a float-tuber. Long wrestled a 78-pound, 12-ounce blue catfish to submission one late winter day, only to release the fish after getting measurements and pictures. Long said the big blue actually towed him around the lake. "There was no doubt about the fact that a 78-pound catfish was kicking the tail of a 200-pound man in a float tube," Long said. Float-tubing has become the rage for so many Southern Californian anglers that some lakes look like a giant bowl of Cheerios on opening day. The biggest largemouth bass (13 pounds, 9 ounces) ever caught by a fly-fisherman was caught by float-tuber and fly fisherman Ned Sewell at Lake Morena on April 4, 1984. Float-tube anglers regularly catch bass over 10 pounds in San Diego County lakes. Long's biggest was a 15-pounder out of Lake Poway. Long releases almost all of his fish, but many float-tubers don't. In fact, the one negative thing about float-tubing, Long said, is that too many float-tubers are getting reputations for killing bass, a mortal sin in conservation-conscious Southern California. "They catch these big bass, and they want to go weigh them in and get pictures," Long said. "But by the time they get the fish out of the water and over to the lake rangers' office, the fish die. It's a problem, and the only solution is to release as much as you can." A good float tube, waders and fins cost about $250. Surfboard fishing And now for something completely off-the-wave, how about surfboard fishing, the art of catching fish aboard a 10- to 13-foot surfboard? Longtime surfer Bill Decker, the granddaddy of surfboard fishing, likens this alternative fishing style to hunting. Only instead of stalking game in the forest, fishermen peer through thick kelp forests from the water's surface. "It's the one kind of fishing left that's still exciting," Decker said. "But it's not for the faint of heart." It's all part of the adrenaline rush. All these anglers -- the kayaker, the float-tuber and the surf-boarder -- have that one thing in common. Most of the time they've gone where no fisherman has gone before them. And just as it is from a kayak and a float tube, fishing can be excellent from a surfboard. Andy Sturtevant won the Windansea Board Fishing Tournament last year by catching a 34-pound, 4-ounce halibut, followed by a 17-pound, 5-ounce halibut. The 10th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament is set for next Sunday. Tournament founder and organizer Allen Repashy, owner of Southswell, expects a field of 50 to 60 fishermen. "We started out with just a dozen or so guys, but now it's 50 to 60," said Repashy, who has been surfboard fishing for 15 years. "The sport has really grown. It's hard to drive by Windansea Beach without seeing a few surfboard fishermen bobbing around in the kelp. I think our tournament has helped turn people on to it." For information about the Windansea Board Fishing Tournament, call Repashy at (619) 457-7778 or (619) 459-5568. [Illustration]1 PIC; Caption: Afloat in paradise: Avid float-tuber and fly-fisherman Ned Sewell still holds the world record for the biggest largemouth bass (13 pounds, 9 ounces) ever caught on a fly rod.; Credit: ED ZIERALSKI / Union-Tribune Credit: STAFF WRITER
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QUICK
SHOTS
Surfboard FishingIt was the gray light of the morning of last year's 10th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament, as Allen Repashy remembers it, when he took a bad step and felt as though he broke his ankle in a hole in the rocks at Windansea Beach. Repashy, the tournament's devoted organizer and host, was still on an emotional high from winning $100,000 in a silkscreen contest at a Chicago trade show, but he still required some serious medication to kill the pain in his right ankle. Repashy, who owns SouthSwell in La Jolla, carried on, bad ankle and all. He played host to the ocean fishing competition that combines surfing and fishing, two tests of a waterman. Repashy's back. His ankle is still messed up and needs surgery, he said, but he's gathering the final sponsors for the 11th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament, set for July 12. Repashy said there will be a kickoff barbecue at his house Friday, July 10. Entry fee for the tournament remains $20, still the best deal in tournament fishing. The anglers -- a collection of young and old, men and women -- usually eat what they catch, and there's always plenty of food and drink and good beach vibes. Call Repashy at SouthSwell at (619) 457-7778 or at home (619) 459-5568 for tournament information.
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The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 7, 1998; Ed Zieralski; Abstract: [Scot] Cherry, a 38-year-old La Jolla waterman fishing from his surfboard, caught, gaffed, wrestled and subdued a 140-pound thresher shark. The shark, with its characteristic long tail, stretched out more than 9 feet long, nearly as long as Cherry's custom-made, 13-foot longboard. It's believed to be the biggest fish ever landed from a surfboard. Cherry paddled out from Windansea Beach during the morning gray light armed for yellowtail. He caught mackerel for bait in front of Scripps Pier and then muscled his board farther out. He soon realized there was more in the water than the usual suspects. The big shark nearly spooled Cherry's Penn Squidder reel twice, both times taking the 30-pound Trilene line so far down on the reel Cherry saw the plastic spool. But his reel, line and Daiwa Sealine rod held. He didn't know it was a thresher until 45 minutes into the fight. "I saw his tail, and that's when I knew," Cherry said.
Scot Cherry made the ultimate catch off a surfboard yesterday 1 1/2 miles off La Jolla. Cherry, a 38-year-old La Jolla waterman fishing from his surfboard, caught, gaffed, wrestled and subdued a 140-pound thresher shark. The shark, with its characteristic long tail, stretched out more than 9 feet long, nearly as long as Cherry's custom-made, 13-foot longboard. It's believed to be the biggest fish ever landed from a surfboard. "I'm just an ordinary guy, so for me this is a fish of a lifetime," said Cherry, who works for Costco. Cherry paddled out from Windansea Beach during the morning gray light armed for yellowtail. He caught mackerel for bait in front of Scripps Pier and then muscled his board farther out. He soon realized there was more in the water than the usual suspects. "Paul Elder was fishing near me on his kayak and hooked into a big thresher," Cherry said. "All of a sudden, the shark turned and attacked his kayak and broke loose." Cherry said he hooked up shortly after that. "I let it run with the bait for a slow 15 count before I set the hook because I knew it was something big," Cherry said. "As soon as I hooked it, it started towing me at about 10 knots through the water." The big shark nearly spooled Cherry's Penn Squidder reel twice, both times taking the 30-pound Trilene line so far down on the reel Cherry saw the plastic spool. But his reel, line and Daiwa Sealine rod held. He didn't know it was a thresher until 45 minutes into the fight. "I saw his tail, and that's when I knew," Cherry said. In true waterman fashion, Cherry refused help during the 1 1/2 -hour battle that took him through and around the fleet of private and commercial sport fishing boats off La Jolla and near the Children's Pool, four to five miles in all. He did borrow a larger gaff and some rope to tie the fish to his board for the long paddle back to Windansea Beach. "When I gaffed him, I had my rod in one hand, the fish in the other, and I gave it my best Tarzan of the Sea yell," Cherry said. Cherry said he dispatched the swiveltail shark with his Rapala fillet knife. "It wasn't a problem because he was so worn out from the fight," Cherry said. There is no record of a thresher shark ever attacking a person, but, as Cherry witnessed, they have attacked boats and kayaks. Cherry stroked back to the beach with his left hand and held onto his catch with his right. The catch happened nearly three weeks after Nathan Rayle landed a 277-pound thresher shark from the beach at Sunset Cliffs. And almost a year ago, on July 8, Mike Cliburn of Encinitas landed a 73.8-pound thresher on his kayak. But this catch was by a fisherman dangling his feet from his surfboard, with nothing but a knife and his wits to duel a toothy shark. "Threshers are tough enough to land from a boat, but to think Scot caught his this way is incredible," said Allen Repashy of SouthSwell, who runs the annual Board Fishing Tournament each year at Windansea Beach. Cherry returned to a hero's welcome at the Surf Shack at Windansea Beach, where his fiance, Heather Wilson, and a large group had gathered. Bill Decker, 50, of La Jolla, considered the grandfather of board fishing here, was in his kayak catching yellowtail and calico bass. He heard his former fishing pupil. "I could hear him yelling," Decker said. "But he earned it. He's the big dog right now." Cherry's glory might not last long. The 11th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament is at 5 a.m. Sunday at Windansea Beach. Cherry shattered the unofficial board fishing record, a 34-pound, 4-ounce halibut caught by Andy Sturtevant in the 1996 tournament. Cherry won the tournament last year with a 9-pound, 9-ounce yellowtail, and he said he'll be back to defend his title if he can get off work at Costco. [Illustration]1 PIC; Caption: Catch a wave or catch a shark: Scot Cherry of La Jolla landed this 140-pound thresher shark from his surfboard yesterday. It's believed to be the largest fish ever caught off a surfboard.; Credit: DAVID FRAPWELL Credit: STAFF WRITER
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Fishing Tournament no place for a party animal The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 14, 1998; Ed Zieralski; Abstract: Allen Repashy couldn't believe it when he saw the first contestant of Sunday's 11th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament. "A taxi pulled up, and it had a board sticking out of the trunk," said Repashy, the tournament's organizer. "A guy got out, cigarette in one hand, bottle of beer in the other, and he yells: `I'm all over this board fishing.' " Bill Decker and Scot Cherry won the team award. Decker boarded seven calico bass, most fish in the tournament for the second straight year, and Cherry had a 4.7-pound calico, the biggest bass of the tournament. Shawn Ancotta had the second-best calico, a 4.5-pounder. And Bill Thaxton had two 2-pound calico bass.
Allen Repashy couldn't believe it when he saw the first contestant of Sunday's 11th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament. "A taxi pulled up, and it had a board sticking out of the trunk," said Repashy, the tournament's organizer. "A guy got out, cigarette in one hand, bottle of beer in the other, and he yells: `I'm all over this board fishing.' " The party animal and fishing surfer had the tournament's order all mixed up. Most of the competitors fish first and then drink. And, actually, it has become a real family happening for most of the competitors. Young Cody Harstad, 4, was at his fourth tournament with his father and mother, Jeff and Sandy Harstad. Repashy said the tournament drew 68 board fishermen, the best showing in 11 years. "And the conditions weren't very good," Repashy said. "The water temperature dropped about six degrees, and it really shut off fishing." Ralph Schlotman took big-fish honors with a 9.5-pound yellowtail. Bill Decker and Scot Cherry won the team award. Decker boarded seven calico bass, most fish in the tournament for the second straight year, and Cherry had a 4.7-pound calico, the biggest bass of the tournament. Shawn Ancotta had the second-best calico, a 4.5-pounder. And Bill Thaxton had two 2-pound calico bass. Decker, the veteran board angler, staged a comeback after wiping out and losing a tackle box during his 4 a.m. launch. "I thought it was clear, but I took it right in the face," Decker said. Cherry quit early to go to work, but not before hooking another thresher shark that pulled him off his board. Cherry, who caught a 140-pound thresher last week from his surfboard, went armed for shark. He packed along a one-gallon bottle of chum and used heavy gear and wire leader. Bloody chum off a surfboard? "That's why I make them sign waivers," organizer Repashy said. Cherry, who attests, "I have guts, but I'm not stupid," said he fought the shark for about 50 minutes before it broke off. He managed a good look when it swam toward his board, jumped out of the water 5 feet from him and made eye contact. Cherry said it was about 40 pounds smaller than his other thresher, but it was meaner. The $250 Dash for Cash, sponsored by Patrick Bessie of Pacifically Landscape, produced more drama. The board fishermen get an hour to catch a legal game fish. Bruce Rice's halibut, caught a half-hour into the competition, was 1 1/2 inches short and released. Mark Saldana's senorita fish, a nongame fish, would have won if no one had caught a legal fish in an hour. Jack Power's 12-inch calico bass also would have won, but his wife, Ruth, was distracted by the kids and didn't sign him up when they arrived late. Power won a hat for the Heartbreak Award. Finally, Doug Fulton, 41, of Pacific Beach thrilled his wife, Sharon, and daughters, Jennah and Chammin, by paddling in with four minutes remaining toting a 22 1/8 -inch halibut, barely legal, but a winning fish on this day. As for that first contestant who arrived by taxi, he spent time in the hospital for exhaustion but returned later, humbler and sober. [Illustration] The 11th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament drew its biggest field in 11 years -- 68 surfboard fishermen. Ralph Schlotman caught the biggest fish, a 9.5-pound yellowtail. Bill Decker and Scot Cherry won the team award, with Decker catching the most fish for the second year in a row. Doug Fulton won the Dash For Cash with a halibut; Credit: STAFF WRITER
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Shark
sightings add intrigue to tourney
The water is colder than usual. The weather might be June-like with overcast gloom. And oh, by the way, there are reports of great white shark sightings off La Jolla. Hey, what better time to grab the surfboard for the 12th annual Windansea Boardfishing Tournament, set for Sunday at 5 a.m. at the foot of Westbourne Street. Only the hearty need apply, and they usually do. La Jolla waterman Bill Decker, the godfather of boardfishing, will be there to defend his numerous titles as the tournament's top veteran angler. So will Scot Cherry, the man who dances with threshers on his surfboard and also has his share of boardfishing wins. This year's mad, free-for-all Dash For Cash, set for 2 p.m. following the noon weigh-in and barbecue, is worth $500 to the lucky angler who returns to the beach with a legal sport fish. Entry fee remains $20 and includes a HeadHunter hat, commemorative T-shirt designed by Paul Elder, lunch and adult beverages from Ballast Point Brewing. Organizer Allen Repashy of SouthSwell is expecting a record turnout despite the conditions and talk of sharks. "We've had shark sightings before our tournament before," Repashy said. "No one has been attacked, but we're going to tell everyone in the tournament to make sure and watch their backs. Most of the people who fish from their boards are hip to what's being said on the street. The truth is we're more likely to be T-boned in our cars driving to the beach than get bit by a great white shark." Most of the fishermen fish close enough to each other to help out in case of an emergency, and there will be an assist boat (carrying live bait) motoring among the surfboard anglers during the event. "We had some people sucked south last year, so the boat will be there to help them out if they need it," Repashy said. Shark sightings are nothing new for those competing in the Windansea Boardfishing Tournament. In fact, one year a surfing angler caught a leopard shark and won the tournament. But that was a leopard shark, a relatively harmless fish that is known to be timid around divers. That's not the case with other sharks such as great whites, known for their aggressiveness and more likely to visit waters off Southern California during cold-water episodes such as the current one. Repashy doesn't expect the shark reports to dampen the spirit of the tournament, which has grown bigger and better every year. As usual, there's a warm-up barbecue tonight at Repashy's home in La Jolla, and he recommends newcomers attend to get tips and fishing information. Repashy can be reached at SouthSwell at (858) 566-3095 (day) and (858) 459-5568 (night).
Credit: STAFF WRITER
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The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Aug 10, 1999; Ed Zieralski; Abstract: As fishing events go, the 12th Annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament on Sunday was high on paddling, reeling and trolling, but low on catching. But it was a day for youth and staying close to the beach. Robbie Hixson, 12, of La Jolla, part of the new wave of board fishermen, thrilled his grandfather and others who watched from the beach as he landed a halibut just beyond the breakers. Shortly before noon and minutes ahead of the official weigh-in, young Hixson was doing just what his grandfather had said. And then, in full view of many of his fellow board fishermen already on the beach, and with Geoff Rose on the support boat nearby, Hixson landed a 6-pound, 8-ounce, 28-inch halibut and paddled it back to the beach to loud applause and cheers. It turned out to be the second-largest fish of the tournament.
As fishing events go, the 12th Annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament on Sunday was high on paddling, reeling and trolling, but low on catching. In fact, of the 76 entrants -- most ever -- in the tournament, only 11 caught fish, and this is a group that eats its catches at the traditional noon barbecue. "I already sent out for some extra chicken," organizer Allen Repashy said a couple of hours before all the hungry board fishers broke for lunch. The tough fishing made all the participants realize how blessed they were in years past when big halibut and yellowtail were stroked back to the beach. "When Bill Decker only catches two keeper calicos all day, then you know it's ugly out there," said Scot Cherry, who, like Decker, has won his share of these tournaments. Cherry blanked on this day. Many of the water men and two women, Amy Rogers of Ohio and Stacie Hathaway of San Diego, probably paddled eight to 10 miles looking for fish. But it was a day for youth and staying close to the beach. Robbie Hixson, 12, of La Jolla, part of the new wave of board fishermen, thrilled his grandfather and others who watched from the beach as he landed a halibut just beyond the breakers. Young Hixson was frustrated and disappointed early on and returned empty-boarded to the beach midmorning. There he found his grandfather, Rob Hixson II of Valley Center, ready to give him some sage advice. "I told him to go back out and troll a Fish Trap real slowly on the bottom just outside the breakers," grandfather Hixson said. Shortly before noon and minutes ahead of the official weigh-in, young Hixson was doing just what his grandfather had said. And then, in full view of many of his fellow board fishermen already on the beach, and with Geoff Rose on the support boat nearby, Hixson landed a 6-pound, 8-ounce, 28-inch halibut and paddled it back to the beach to loud applause and cheers. It turned out to be the second-largest fish of the tournament. Hixson's mother, Gina, and his father, Rob III, were on hand shortly after their son paddled in with his prize. "Now that I know he can catch halibut like that, I'm going to send him out there for dinner," Gina said. "Halibut is my favorite fish." Eric Thorstenson, 36, of San Diego went the more traditional route and scored for the older guys. He paddled four miles out to the weather buoy after catching mackerel for bait at Scripps Pier. Once there, he nailed a 10-pound, 8-ounce yellowtail with one of the live mackerel on 20-pound test line. As co-organizer Thompson Smith said: "He gets the Big Daddy Award," a prize package that included a painting, "Dorado Explosion," donated by artist Greg Gutierrez of Chula Vista. Gutierrez not only was a first-time sponsor, but he also fished the tournament and caught the fourth-largest fish, a 3-pound, 5-ounce bass. "I caught it on my last sardine," said Gutierrez, a teacher at Southwest High. Others who managed to catch fish included Bill Thaxton, Frank Ingrande, (four fish total), Stuart Gimber (four fish), Mike O'Conner, Phil Joseph, Mack Saldana and Decker. Mike Bonner, 40, of La Jolla won the $500 Dash For Cash with a barely legal calico bass. He outfished the 50 others in that phase of the tournament. Best news of all was that the calico was released alive. [Illustration]2 PICS; Caption: 1. They're off: Participants join in $500 Dash For Cash at Windansea Board Fishing tourney. 2. Proud moment: Robbie Hixson, 12, shows off second-largest fish, 6-pound, 8-ounce halibut.; Credit: 1. BILL DECKER 2. ED ZIERALSKI / Union-Tribune Credit: STAFF WRITER
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Windansea
board-fish tourney lands picture-perfect prize
Fishermen participating in Sunday's 13th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament will have some extra incentive to make the catch of the day. Tournament founder and organizer Allen Repashy said yesterday that marine wildlife artist Greg Gutierrez of Chula Vista has donated a spectacular, life-sized painting to the tournament. Gutierrez was a first-time sponsor last year and actually fished in it, catching the tournament's fourth-largest fish. Repashy said Gutierrez's painting of a jumping striped marlin, now on display at a gallery in Encinitas, was listed to sell for $1,200. It will go to the angler who catches the biggest fish of the tournament on Sunday, Repashy said. "We're stoked that Greg has donated this to the tournament," Repashy said yesterday as he finalized plans for what likely will be the biggest board fishing tournament ever. The yearly tournament drew 76 participants last year, but this year Repashy, owner of SouthSwell, is expecting more, possibly over 100. "We've had some calls from some board fishermen from Orange County and Ventura County, and they're coming," Repashy said. "There's a lot of interest right now." Fishing is limited to surf boards only. First boards are allowed in the water at 5 a.m. Weigh-in is at noon. All of the usual sponsors are on board once again. Patrick Bessie of Pacifically Landscape, one of the founding sponsors, will underwrite the $500 Dash For Cash set for 2 p.m., two hours after the weigh-in and barbecue. First legal sport fish brought back to the beach wins that booty. Baja Bob will do the cooking, along with Don Boyer, new curator of reptiles at the San Diego Zoo. Repashy also has kicked in a $250 bounty for any legal white seabass that is brought back by one of the boarders. The reward is in honor of the late La Jolla waterman, David Andersen, who died after spearing a 46-pound white seabass off La Jolla. He was found with his spear gun still in his hand, and his line attached to the big white seabass. To pay tribute, Andersen's buddies, including Repashy, ate the tasty seabass at his funeral at Windansea. The king croakers have been present recently, with kayakers and free divers nailing them off La Jolla. So this could be the year someone wins that $250. In 12 previous years, no board fisherman has weighed in a white seabass, but there have been some tremendous catches of yellowtail, halibut and calico bass, and even a leopard shark won the event one year. Repashy said he will dearly miss one important member of the tournament crew. His best friend, Thompson Smith, turns 40 along with his twin sister and is going back to Virginia to celebrate. The success of the tournament has surprised Repashy, who started it as a small outing at the beach for fishermen who like to fish from their surfboards. He gets calls as early as April and May from fishermen who plan their summer vacations so as not to miss the tournament. One angler, Ralph Schlotman, actually rescheduled a company fishing charter with 30 anglers so he could compete on his surfboard on Sunday. There's that kind of passion for this tournament. Noteworthy The American Sportfishing Association has presented a lifetime achievement award posthumously to Fred J. Hall, who founded the Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show in 1946. Hall, who died in March at age 79, was honored for his contributions to sportfishing, fishing conservation and his commitment to young anglers. His wife, Lois, and son, Bart, accepted the award at the ASA's annual Congressional Foundation Breakfast in Washington, D.C. The meeting was attended by members of Congress and leaders in the fishing industry. They heard how more than 1 million kids caught their first fish at Hall's fishing ponds that he set up at his shows for over 50 years. Kal Harvey of Blue Water Tackle in Solana Beach reports another striped bass was caught this week off Del Mar. Tracy Weaver of Del Mar, fishing with his son, Reese, caught and released a 12-pound striped bass. Harvey said Weaver reported he used a five-eighths- ounce Krocadile lure on just 6-pound test line. "He said it took him 45 minutes to land it," Harvey said. Credit: STAFF WRITER |
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The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Jul 17, 2000; Ed Zieralski; Abstract: Once again, Repashy had a great support team, with Jake Laws handling the weigh-ins and "Baja" Bob Mendoza on the grill, with help from Giselle Valdiez, Don and Tom Boyer and Ray Bay. Two support boats kept the surfboarders supplied with live bait, water and Power Bars. Larry Shea and Alan and Joe Kukel ran the Precision. James Nelson, his son, Brett, and Heather Marshall were aboard the Busty Rucket. That began changing 13 years ago when Allen Repashy organized the board men and women for a yearly tournament. The event has grown each year, and yesterday's 13th edition of the Windansea Board Fishing Tournament not only was the biggest, it was the best. Fishermen came from as far away as Laguna Beach, and there were a record-high 101 competitors, along with hundreds of friends and family crowded onto Windansea Beach in La Jolla.
Photoby varies Before the 1990s, surfboard fishing had a small cult following of surfer-fishermen who mostly practiced the art without much notice or fanfare. But that began changing 13 years ago when Allen Repashy organized the board men and women for a yearly tournament. The event has grown each year, and yesterday's 13th edition of the Windansea Board Fishing Tournament not only was the biggest, it was the best. Fishermen came from as far away as Laguna Beach, and there were a record-high 101 competitors, along with hundreds of friends and family crowded onto Windansea Beach in La Jolla. "All fishing tournaments should be like this; there's such a good vibe here," said Repashy, owner of SouthSwell and tournament founder . Mike Smith, a carpenter, landed the top fish, a 12-pound yellowtail, along with two other 11-pound yellows, thrilling his wife, four kids and grandparents. Smith took home a bundle of prizes that included a painting of a leaping striped marlin by artist Greg Gutierrez and a Graphite USA rod. "The best part is bringing the fish back to the beach and having everyone get excited about the catch," said Smith, who paddled more than four miles round trip to fish between two anchored sport boats. He slow-trolled mackerel for the fish. It was a day for young and old watermen. Drew Woodworth, 12, of La Costa, was the top junior angler (under 16) with a keeper sand bass and earned a Jigmaster reel. Bill Decker, who at 53 was the oldest competitor in the event, landed the heaviest calico bass, a nearly 6-pound whopper. And it was a day for father and sons. Terry and Devin Rodgers of Del Mar caught calico bass and barracuda. Terry, a Union-Tribune staff writer and surfing columnist, described an ocean teeming with life just after daybreak. "For about a half hour, I caught a fish on every cast," Rodgers said. Andy Sturtevant of Clairemont had the heaviest stringer, nine barracuda that totaled 36-plus pounds, and earned a Calcutta 700 reel. Geoff Rose of Point Loma boarded a nearly full stringer of barracuda and a yellowtail to take most-fish honors. Leisa Hollister of Cardiff was one of two women in the event; pro surfer Heather Pine was the other. Once again, Repashy had a great support team, with Jake Laws handling the weigh-ins and "Baja" Bob Mendoza on the grill, with help from Giselle Valdiez, Don and Tom Boyer and Ray Bay. Two support boats kept the surfboarders supplied with live bait, water and Power Bars. Larry Shea and Alan and Joe Kukel ran the Precision. James Nelson, his son, Brett, and Heather Marshall were aboard the Busty Rucket. Paul Gallegos of Clairemont won the $500 Pacifically Landscape Dash For Cash with 13-inch calico bass that he released immediately. "This is the best fish I've ever caught," said Gallegos. [Illustration]1 PIC; Caption: Mike Smith (left) and his sons haul out the three yellowtail that helped Smith win the 13th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament.; Credit: Ed Zieralski / Union-Tribune Credit: STAFF WRITER |
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This article was brought to me by someone at the 2002 Tournament. It was from Popular Mechanics, and is dated July 1952. It is the oldest published thing I have seen. It is purpose built for fishing, but it is as close to a surf board as a lot of the Rigs we are fishing on now. Thanks to whoever gave this to me, it is really a gem. I have heard stories that the old "San Diego Bottom Scratchers" fished off boards, and it would make sense that they did. If anyone can verify this it would be great to hear about it so we can slowly build a timeline for our crazy sport in the New World.
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Board of fishing? Try Boardfishing.
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Board anglers go trolling for dollars
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Manof the Beach Becomes Man of
the Hour Over the past 15 years that Allen Repashy¹s annual Windansea Board
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| Catch some good vibes, but stay on
board in Sunday tournament OUTDOORS REPORT By Ed Zieralski UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER July 19, 2002 One of San Diego's more unusual fishing tournaments takes place Sunday off Windansea Beach in La Jolla. What other event is open exclusively to fishermen who are restricted to fishing from a surfboard? That's what the 15th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament is all about. But it's much more than that. It's about more than 100 men, women and kids showing up around 5 a.m. at the foot of Westbourne Street, just north of the Windansea Shack, to launch their boards and fishing gear into the surf in the predawn darkness. It's about families gathering for a day of fishing or to honor the adventurer in the family who fishes from a surfboard. It's the one day these board fishermen, normally solitary figures, turn social. It's about Paul Elder's killer tournament T-shirt, and he's outdone himself this year with a Tee that truly captures the spirit of the competition. The $20 entry fee covers everything – fishing for prizes, T-shirt and barbecue. It's about Ballast Point's Yellowtail Pale Ale. It's about the fleet of "Wrangler" boats on the water, providing water, bait and Power Bars to the anglers. It's about the generous and always tasty barbecue that Baja Bob Mendoza throws together. All the fish caught are cooked for lunch, along with other donated items. It's also about what tournament founder and organizer Allen Repashy calls "the vibe," and as long as the tournament continues to produce lots of that, Repashy and his fellow watermen will continue to sponsor and run a tournament that started as a bunch of them getting together to celebrate their sport with a party. Repashy said yesterday the tournament's prize kitty is more than $11,000. He's stoked, of course. "I think that's twice as much as we've ever had," Repashy said. "We had an excellent prize committee this year, and they rounded up over 40 sponsors." The fishing goes from 5 a.m. to noon; the barbecue and social is from noon to 2 p.m. At 2:30 p.m., it's the shotgun start of the "Dash For Cash," the annual wild race to catch the first legal fish and paddle it back to the beach. This year's "Dash For Cash" is worth $1,000 – the highest amount ever – thanks to some new sponsors. Repashy said the entire $1,000 will go to one angler if only one legal sport fish is brought back to the beach in the one-hour limit. It's $700 and $300 for first and second, respectively, if two fish are caught, and $500, $300 and $200 for first, second and third if three fish are bagged. "We'll see that first fisherman come in with a fish and sit there praying to the fish gods that no one else catches another fish," said Repashy, always looking to add some theater to the event. The "Dash For Trash" finishes the event, with a collected pool of money given to the kids who pick up the most trash on the beach. "We want to leave the beach cleaner than we found it," Repashy said. For information, call Repashy at (858) 453-7006, or e-mail him at allen@boardfishing.com. The tournament's Web site is www.boardfishing.com. |
| Outside guy steals show with Windansea catch
July 22, 2002 One of San Diego's most unconventional fishermen stole the show yesterday at this city's most unconventional fishing tournament. On a bright, sunny day at Windansea Beach in La Jolla on which Mike McElhaney of Ocean Beach landed a 27-pound white seabass to win the 15th annual Windansea Board Fishing Tournament, a homeless man named Tom Pfifer caught his fish of a lifetime. Pfifer won $1,000, and everyone's heart. Pfifer, 41, prefers to say he lives "outside," as opposed to saying he's homeless. Pfifer, who says he has been sober since 1990, lives in the streets near Windansea Beach and subsists on a disability income check and money he gets from temporary work. He augmented that by winning the $1,000 "Dash For Cash," the sudden-catch playoff at the conclusion of yesterday's tournament. He was the only surfer-angler to paddle back to the beach with a legal sportfish in the one-hour time limit. Pfifer landed a 15-inch barred surfperch – a giant for that species – with about 25 minutes remaining. Earlier, his 6-pound, 5-ounce calico bass fetched a pack of prizes that included a $200 gift certificate from United Airlines (He's not sure where to go). Pfifer's victory speech, delivered via tournament organizer Allen Repashy's megaphone, was a yell: "ONLY IN LA JOLLA." The hundreds who were gathered on the beach erupted with laughter for the guy with the George Hamilton tan. Only in America can any guy borrow a surfboard and fishing rod and reel, use some strips of squid he found on the beach for bait and be a fishing star. "I lost my truck in 1990, and I've been living outside ever since," said Pfifer, a former drywaller. "There's a definite art to it. Most of the homeless guys I know are so far out there on alcohol that they really have trouble. Most people make their lives better when they quit drinking. My life fell apart when I quit drinking. Now I'm just trying to see how life should be lived." Michael Bonner, whose father is a missionary in Mexico, did some missionary work of his own with Pfifer. Bonner, a contractor, loaned Pfifer the surfboard and fishing gear, and the two prefished from their boards Wednesday night. Pfifer warmed up by catching an 8-pound calico bass. "He's a natural," said Bonner, who won the "Dash for Cash" a few years ago. Bonner paid Pfifer's entry fee, and Pfifer rewarded Bonner by giving him half of his "Dash For Cash" winnings. Early on, the focus was McElhaney's huge white seabass. At 27 pounds, the croaker is the second-best fish landed in tournament history, behind fellow Ocean Beach surfboarder Andy Sturtevant's 34-pound, 4-ounce halibut in 1996. McElhaney won the grand prize, a painting called "Day Dreamer" by artist Greg Gutierrez, plus the $250 bonus for catching the first legal white seabass in tournament history. The prize honored Repashy's late friend, David Andersen, a La Jolla waterman who died while free diving and still attached, by his line, to a white seabass he speared off La Jolla. McElhaney said he lost what likely was a bigger white seabass a half hour or so before hooking the 27-pounder. Fishing partner Mike O'Connor, who won this tournament three times in the 1990s, watched as that first fish towed McElhaney and then broke his 20-pound P-Line. McElhaney was down to the last of his two Channel Island Anchovy Fish Traps, but this one did the trick. He said they fished in the kelp outside Casa Cove. Kelly Watson of San Juan Capistrano had the best string |