FISHING THE PACIFIC 



no sport fishing was allowed out of Avalon during that pe- 

 riod. The clubhouse has been renovated and the first year- 

 book since before the war has been issued by Percy West, 

 assistant secretary of the organization. He has been associated 

 with it for over thirty years and is ever ready to reply to 

 inquiries about fishing in Catalina waters. Thirty-one mem- 

 bers of the Catalina Tuna Club, including the late General 

 George S. Patton, served in World War II. 



Don't think for a minute that you have to be a member of 

 the club to fish there. Many charter boats have been operat- 

 ing out of Avalon for years and they have been supplemented 

 by some very good new boats. The prices are reasonable and 

 you can catch fish within five minutes after leaving the 

 dock. 



The Catalina Island Company operates its boats regularly 

 from San Pedro to Avalon and United Airlines flies land 

 planes on scheduled flights from Mines Field, the Los An- 

 geles municipal airport, and from Burbank and Long Beach, 

 both near Los Angeles. 



Tackle used by the old-timers causes us to rub our eyes in 

 amazement today. The rods were pitifully inadequate, the 

 Hnes all broke at around 50-pound test, there were straight- 

 handle reels with no drag other than a thumb stall. Large fish 

 were fought from rowboats with boards for thwarts, and 

 men battled big fish up to fourteen hours. Hands and fingers 

 were smashed by fiercely spinning reel cranks and one corner 

 of the porch at the old Metropole Hotel in Avalon was face- 

 tiously dubbed "The Tuna Hospital," for it was there that 

 many angry and discomforted anglers with sore hands and 

 bandaged fingers groused about their rotten luck. The Rab- 



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