From the Oct. 22, 1948 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:
The 1948 striped bass derby ended at noon on Friday, in a pleasant, genial fadeout and without fanfare or excitement. Though the official weighers remained on the job until 2 o’clock in case fish should be brought in from some distant point, there was virtually nothing to affect the list of prize-winners.
The juvenile prize was won by Larry Baptiste of Vineyard Haven. Mrs. Ralph C. Estes was Tuesday’s winner of the bluefish prize, for a 3 pound 13 1/2 ounce fish. Ironically, the season’s prize for bluefish came near being won by Mrs. Gladys Duquette of Lambert’s Cove. Fishing on Chappaquiddick on the day before the derby closed, she caught a fish that weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces, the largest reported. Unable to return from Chappaquiddick before the close of the evening hours for weighing, due to the ferry schedule, she was obliged to weigh in the fish on the following morning. The normal shrinkage of a fish out of water, brought the weight below the prize-winning weight.
Jules Ben David, one of the grand old veterans for the sport, won a prize after all, and Mrs. William R. Amaral, who rated well among the ladies, was given second prize, which was not originally provided for. But an electric clock, donated on the day the derby closed, was made available for the second prize for women, and was duly presented.
The evening’s program began with a dinner at the Mansion House, featuring striped bass, with the compliments of George C. Woods, proprietor, for the derby committee, sports writers and a number of guests, bringing the number to about fifty. The party then adjourned to the Tisbury school auditorium, where about 400 people assembled to receive their prizes or to witness the presentations.
Al Brickman, chairman of the committee, had presided at the dinner, where a few brief speeches were heard, but Carlton Staples, president of the Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club, was master of ceremonies at the auditorium. He it was who introduced Cliff Davis of the Boston Post, who made a radio recording of the presentation of the major prizes. Mr. Staples also introduced the sports writers, each of whom assisted him in making the presentations. Dancing, with music by King’s Orchestra, closed the program.
There were 2,045 entries in the derby, 593 fish were weighed in, the entries came from twenty-five states, and from Canada, the Canal Zone and Hawaiian Islands. It was from this territory, that George M. Jackman came, traveling the greatest distance of any, to enroll.
Value of the prizes, of which there were 385, was officially set at $15,208, and the awarding took place without a protest being made.
It was stated by the committee, that of the total number of entrants, approximately two thirds came from the mainland. The average stay of a mainland entrant was one week, and the average expense to each individual, was one hundred dollars. This was spent for rooms, and some camps, meals or provisions, transportation by car, boat and beach-cars, and for tackle and whatever other necessities might have been otherwise required.
Considering the steamship company, which first sponsored the derby and which has supported it well, each year, their side of the case is regarded as worthy of more than passing notice, in that it is impractical for one locality served, to be favored above others. This same line of thought has evidently occurred to mainland people, and the report that various Cape towns are consolidating their derbies has been heard here.
The tall tales of the derby will probably be cropping up until the next one starts, and the tales have already begun to filter in.
Ben Madeiros of Oak Bluffs, who declared that he would wear down Mannie Lima of Edgartown and Doc Amaral of his home town, ate a hearty supper, dressed warmly, put on waders, and said that he would fish all night at Zack’s Cliff. He waded into the water in a moderate depth, and made his first cast. Before he could reel in, a blind breaker swelled above him, burying him out of sight. Bennie held on to his rod, but, soaked to the skin, with his clothing so wet that the weight bore him down, withdrew his challenge.
Then there was the man who reported taking a fish on an atom plug; no, it didn’t win a prize, but here is the way the tale was told of how he caught it. It was a spare plug, which he had placed in the pocket of a hunting jacket, along with a ham sandwich. When he waded into deep water, the sandwich made a slick which attracted a hungry bass. The bass made a lunge for the pocket containing the sandwich, missing the lunch, but taking the plug. Some of the hooks fouling in the pocket, the fish was captured and held.
And believe it or not, for it can be attested to, a lady, bottom fishing, brought in a ledge cod, weighing six pounds, with no hook in it at all, but a half-hitch of the line around the fish’s nose and jaw!
Compiled by Hilary Wallcox
Comments
Comment policy »