"The History of The Tuna Club of Avalon"
 

Preserving the Tuna Clubs History has remained an important tradition to our membership since our club's founding in 1898. The unique display of angling artifacts within our clubhouse on Catalina Island document more than the first rod and reel captures of tuna, marlin and broadbill swordfish. They provide the world's blue water anglers with an insight to the sports very origins, and the key to understanding its proud heritage.

 It can be said that the history of the Tuna Club and the history of big-game fishing are one and the same. This is due to the fact that the life of the legendary organization from Catalina Island has been in existence more than a century. It's angling pioneers have literally presided over the birth of this segment of the sport. Here is where the world's first rod and reel captures of tuna, marlin and broadbill swordfish took place.

 Among the many angling milestones attributed to The Tuna Club, our founders' concept of promoting conservation, by designing regulations which gave the fish a sporting chance, represents what is believed is our greatest legacy. That the spirit of these rules were subsequently adopted by angling clubs the world over, and continue to endure to this day, is testimony to our profound influence.

Just how The Tuna Club came to be is a classic turn of the century American story, a culmination of ideas from the established eastern United States blending with the frontier spirit which still lingered in the Southwest. The essential ingredients, such as an abundance of large fish, the evolution of tackle, and the arrival of men who possessed the appreciation of these resources and the determination to meet the challenge, came together at Catalina Island. But the history of the sport of big game fishing, as with most notable events, has one man who stands out among the several participants, his vision being a catalyst and his efforts of being recognized as a beginning.

Southern California was experiencing a population and real estate boom in the late 1880s. A strong sense of adventure and opportunity lured travelers who could now make the hazardous transcontinental journey with relative ease by railroad. Dr. Charles Frederick Holder, an accomplished author, sportsman and naturalist from Massachusetts was among those who chose this decade to relocate to Los Angeles. Dr. Holder possessed an insatiable curiosity for nature which he had developed in his youth, collecting numerous specimens for his father at the Natural History Museum in New York, and similar contributions for The Smithsonian Institution.

Given his background, he was understandably drawn to explore what was then a somewhat remote island located 22 miles offshore known as Catalina. During his visit in 1886, he wrote that he was astonished by the abundance of marine life. Here was a nearly virgin body of water literally teaming with a great variety of fish, some of which were not yet cataloged by men of science. Bald eagles, sea elephants, sea lions and whales could easily be observed from the shore.

It was common sight within the little bay of what was then "Tim's Landing" to see schools of bait frantically attempting to escape feeding yellowtail and white sea bass which had forced them into the shallows. It was considered great entertainment to throw baited handlines into this mayhem in order to hook one of the predators for an exhilarating tug of war.. The method was so effective that when Dr. Holder first witnessed this inequitable match, he considered it a slaughter.

The realization that even this bountiful body of water could not survive this kind of pressure compelled him to begin promoting conservation. He wrote that he was "Amazed and horrified at the sight of men fishing with handlines from the beach, pulling yellowtail from 25 to 35 pounds as fast as they were cast." He was particularly appalled at the waste, Calling it "a depressing sight as most of these fish were thrown to the sea lions and sharks." Just how to go about achieving this change in consciousness was his challenge.

Charles Holder's fishing experience in the east had exposed him to a variety of freshwater species as well as what was then considered the epitome of the nation's sea angling, striped bass on the eastern seaboard, and the newly discovered tarpon in the Gulf of Mexico. Having had this exposure enabled him to immediately recognize the sportfishing potential these Catalina Island fish represented. He immediately sent for his tackle, claimed by him to be "the first to bend in these quiet bays". Jose Felice Presiado, affectionately known on the island as "Mexican Joe", was the first and only boatman" or fishing guide in the town now known as Avalon."

When Dr. Holder's tackle arrived, he hired the congenial captain, but when the two rowed out to capture a yellowtail with what Holder described a "trout gear", Joe laughed. It took a few seasons and many "disastrous attempts" before he was successful, but his determination finally won out. The experience had a profound impact on both men, and set into motion the realization of how unsportsmanlike the handlining methods were by comparison. The successful angler went on to prophesize that any and all fish would succumb to the rod.

When the Banning brothers purchased Catalina Island in 1892, they established a reliable steamship service in order to expand tourism. The Hotel Metropole, built some years prior, was remolded and expanded, becoming the island's centerpiece and main gathering place on the waterfront. Charles Holder maintained a very busy schedule, living on the mainland with his family in Pasadena. He was editor for the Los Angeles Tribune and founded California Illustrated Magazine. He was also involved in numerous social events including co-founding The Tournament of Roses. Nonetheless, he found time to become a tireless promoter of Catalina Island.

The number of boatmen increased dramatically toward the end of the decade. Their stands were now a main attraction, spread out along the beach in front of the Hotel Metropole where they could effectively display their catches to entice patrons. Fishing for the abundant yellowtail, white sea bass, black sea bass, albacore and barracuda had truly become a popular pastime. Although there was a growing number of "devotees of the rod" the use of handlines continued, particularly by men adventurous enough to hire a boatman to venture out of the bay in an attempt to capture the great "leaping tunas"

These were blue-fin tuna which arrived in such great schools that it was said that when they began to feed their breathtaking frenzy would literally churn up acres of white water between Avalon and Long Point. It was Mexican Joe who modified the name for "tunny" to "tuna". Charles Holder was very familiar with them, and had attempted to catch what was commonly referred to as "horse mackerel" one summer in New England. He adopted Joe's slang and extended it to "leaping tuna" in recognition of their spectacular aerial pursuits of the flying fish, their favorite quarry around Catalina. This name stuck for many years.

The very fact that they were considered impossible to capture by rod and reel was invitation enough for a few bold sportsmen of the day. In 1896, the first documentation catch was made off Avalon by Colonel C. P. Morehouse. Over the few years, Greer Campbell managed to accomplish this seemingly impossible feat with some regularity. Both men would become charter members of The Tuna Club, but at the time their experiments in sea angling, their only motivation was challenge and adventure.

These captures were remarkable when we examine the tackle these pioneers used. The rods were three piece and prone to breaking at the ferrules. Although the few available reels with sufficient line capacity were beautifully machined and their durability had been improved as a result of the demands made by tarpon fishermen, they were inadequate for those powerful blue-water species. One of the most dangerous aspects of their construction was that they were direct drive. This meant that when a fish was hooked and began to take line, the handle would spin backwards, earning them the dubious nickname "knuckle busters". Their "brake" consisted of a leather pad fixed to the rear pillar which was pressed against the spool as the line came off the reel to create a drag. No other tuna had been taken in this method.

It was not until 1898 however, that the public became familiar with the concept of capturing these fish with rod and reel. It was on June 1st of that year that the Associated Press telegraphed the news around the world that none other than Charles Frederick Holder had been successful in capturing a 183 pound leaping tuna, dubbed by his angling companions as the first "very large one". Together with his boatman Jim Gardner, they battled the fish for three hours and 45 minutes, during which time their boat was towed over 10 miles in spite of Gardner's vain attempt to slow the fish by keeping his oars in the water. Holder was so inspired over his catch that he would later write, "It was this capture and the unsportsmanlike conditions of fishing the Island (handliners) which caused me to suggest the organization of the Tuna Club."

Holder immediately gathered his enthusiastic fishing companions Fitch Dewey, Dr. H.K. Macomber, Clifford R. Scudder, Edward L. Doran and W.J. Landers to assist him in founding the organization. The press was having a field day reporting on this angling milestone, made all the more dramatic by an incredible run of tuna. Journalists vividly portrayed the anglers, and particularly Dr. Holder's catch as an event which "eclipsed all previous achievements in the line of angling for the big thoroughbreds of the deep." Readers were awed by tales of heroic adventure.

The Tuna Club's main goals were to elevate the sport to it's highest possible standard, and "for the protection of the game fishes of Southern California." In order to achieve this, Holder established a strict angling rules designed to give the fish what he considered an even chance for its life. The logic behind this being that far fewer fish could be taken with rod and reel than by handlines, therefore protecting the resources. Soon anglers and boatmen alike endorsed the club's motto of "Fair play for game fishes." Only catches made while strictly adhering to these rules were recognized. Any infraction, willful or not, would disqualify anglers from club membership and the highly coveted Blue Button awarded to a successful angler. And special awards were also given to the Island's boatmen for participating in this somewhat radical conservation movement. The "Gentlemen Anglers", as they soon became known, also began an active lobbying effort against commercial fishing interests in the waters surrounding Catalina.

The concept of sportsmanship in angling was quickly endorsed by a number of anglers from around the world who read about the great fish and wished to distinguish themselves by following the founder's example. Within two months, 24 of the men who had traveled to the island in hopes of qualifying as active members by catching a tuna over one hundred pounds on 24-thread line (66 LB breaking strength) were successful. The following year, 1899 Colonel C. P. Morehouse (credited with the first tuna), broke Holder's record with a 251 pound blue-fin tuna, which still endures as the club's heavy linen record to this day.

Injuries sustained while battling the leaping tuna were common enough that the front porch of the Hotel Metropole where the club had its first headquarters, was dubbed" the tuna hospital". The original constitution stated, " Should it happen by reason of absence or exhaustion, neither record nor signature can be made, any three members of the club shall have the right and are hereby directed to record that catch and affix said." This was a necessary allowance, for exhaustion, sunstroke, broken thumbs and even an occasional dislocated shoulder were part of the price these men often paid for being a part of this new "Sport of Kings".

Camaraderie and good sportsmanship became recognized as being as important as the angling itself. Techniques could be learned here, and it provided a perfect place to experiment with tackle innovations. Anglers could console or congratulate one another, all the while keeping up with the latest fishing news by greeting the incoming boats which landed on the beach directly in front of them. Here is where the tradition known as the "Porch Party" originated, and it was in this environment that much of the foundation was laid for the sport of big game fishing as we know it today.

Another side of the history includes many notable sportsmen and personalities who have been a part of the life of the club. Known conservationist such as Theodore Roosevelt, as well as two other American Presidents were frequent guests. Many Heads of State, Royalty and Captains of industry such as Winston Churchill and General George S. Patton were also guests of the club. In addition there were several Hollywood personalities that were part of the membership. Famous Directors Hal Roach and Cecil B. Demille and well known performers Joseph Jefferson, Stan Laurel, Jackie Koogan, Charlie Chaplin , Bing Crosby and noted western author and adventurer Zane Grey were members.But perhaps most surprising to many will be how active the club remains in its commitments to angling and conservation. Today, our primary catches are Marlin. The vast majority of these are tagged and released, and must be caught within our territorial waters to be eligible for our annual awards. Only linen or dacron lines are used to earn a "Button Fish". All rules from rod length to one gaff are strictly adhered to, including the requirement that the fish meet the minimum weight for the pound test of line used.

When it's all said and done, The Tuna Club has remained committed to the spirit of our founders and recognizes the importance of preserving our heritage, the history of big game fishing.

The information on this page came from the Tuna Club of Avalon.