Back
in 1929 eight South Florida anglers met at the Miami Beach Chamber
of Commerce to talk about organizing a fishing club. From these
eight men grew the famed Rod & Reel Club of Miami Beach.
Did they expect it would last and still be going strong in the year
2000? Probably not. Could they have foreseen on that day in 1929
that the fishing club they envisioned would have a historic clubhouse
on Hibiscus Island? Debatable. Did they really expect it to last
through the stock market crash and Great Depression? Doubtful.
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The
interior of the clubhouse features members' outstanding
catches.
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But last it did
and in 1934 three developments occurred. One was the purchase of
the ideal clubhouse on Hibiscus Island, a posh tropical paradise
located in the middle of Biscayne Bay - equidistant from downtown
Miami and Miami Beach. It was a grand dame of a clubhouse. Formerly
called the Club Lido, the building was a sight to see sight back
then. It was a gigantic, two story, turreted, Mediterranean fortress
with copper domes and four massive pillars beside the impressive
entrance. It was even rumored to have played host to legendary mobster
Al Capone during his days in Miami.
The center of the building was called the Starlight Room with a
mechanical roof that rolled open exposing the dance floor to the
stars - a magnificent feature creating a breeze that was welcome
on the warm, humid South Florida nights. Outside, the scene was
one of swaying palms rustling in the bay breeze as the smell of
night blooming jasmine wafted through the air on the tradewinds.
In 1931 the club issued its first magazine - a newsletter really
- called the Tips and Butt. Edison Kip was the editor and the publication
contained eight pages of multi-graphed copy with a cover illustration
of a leaping sailfish. According to an article printed by Earl Roman,
former Outdoors Editor of the Miami Herald, Kipp declared that he
"planned to make it a magazine chock full of news - shocking preferred.
Right or wrong, sublime or ridiculous, dignified or scalawag. Such
shall be our style and custom."
Three issues of Tips and Butt saw the light of day, garnering heavy
criticism from the membership. In May 1931 the name of the magazine
was changed to The Tackler, and it has appeared weekly ever since
- with much less uproar.
The club eventually incorporated, adopted by-laws and started working
on developing on the most stringent tackle regulations ever developed
- eventually forming the basis for the International Game Fish Association
- not too surprising since several of the IGFA's founders and directors
were members of the Rod and Reel Club.
In 1934 membership was limited to 400. In 1935 the club was going
strong and Henry H. "Hy" Hyman, a manager for the Miami Electric
Company, later to become Florida Power and Light, got an idea for
a tournament to help promote fishing and tourism in Miami. He knew
the best place to get his proposed tournament off the ground was
at the Rod and Reel.
It is affectionately thought that club members sat around the Shark
Room, tipped a few too many and considered the possibilities. How
big, what species, what tackle, when to hold the tournament, what
to have as prizes, where to find sponsors and what to charge for
an entry fee. Questions every tournament group faces - no matter
how long it has been in existence.
Hy's idea was a little radical. He wanted to encourage tourists
to visit the little town of Miami. He wanted to utilize the beautiful
and bountiful waters - they were there for an angler's pleasure.
He wanted the tournament to be free. Free? No entry fee? How could
they manage? Well manage they did and in 1935 the first Anglers,
Inc. tournament was held.
Today - 68 years later - the two-week inaugural tournament has grown
into the huge Metropolitan South Florida Fishing Tournament.
In the early years of the tournament, the Rod & Reel Club was
the headquarters for the MET and Club rules were the foundation
for the five month long behemoth which is now the world's oldest
and largest, public, non-fee tournament.
In the MET's early years, a Rod & Reel Club Fleet Division yacht
led the flotilla in the annual opening day regatta staged in Government
Cut.
Thousands lined the MacArthur Causeway every year to witness this
grand event. Even the Goodyear Blimp joined in the festivities from
its base on Watson Island.
Throughout the 1930s the club's reputation grew as its anglers tested
horizons with tackle innovations and traveled to destinations near
and far. |
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The
Miami Beach Rod and Reel Club is situated beside Biscayne
Bay on prestigious Hibiscus Island.
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"It is unquestionably
the finest fishing club in this country," said the New York Daily
News in 1937. The Washington Post claimed "Miami Beach has what
is generally considered the outstanding fishing club in the United
States: the Rod and Reel Club, composed of 400 sportsmen."
During the World War II years, military uniforms were plentiful
at club meetings on Wednesday nights. The early '40s took their
toll on the club.
Gasoline was limited but club members were allowed an exemption
to the restriction on such frivolous activities as attending 'club
meetings' because of the contributions of members to the war efforts.
The club was used for many, many military trailing programs. Such
notables as the Duke of Windsor and Governor of the Bahamas often
visited the club. Guest speakers included crews of aircraft relating
their experiences.
From the beginning, competitive angling was a highlight of the club
experience, with members advancing through various ranks in a 'badge'
system based on standardized rules, catches and achievements. Novice
anglers wear white badges, regardless of prior fishing expertise,
until they have entered ten species of fish within club rules to
advance to the rank of Angler, signified by a green badge. Points
are awarded on a sliding scale based on the type of tackle, the
line test used and the weight of the fish.
From green, members may advance to the Expert rank, denoted by a
red badge. It requires the member to be skillful with spin, plug,
fly and general tackle. In addition, members must submit entries
from many different locations and are required to catch a billfish
on a trolled flat line and many other species.
The most daunting right of passage however, may be the skish casting
test. Candidates must prove proficiency with a fly, spin and plug
casting outfit by hitting a 30-inch diameter target two of five
times from 50 feet with spin, plug and fly casting tackle. There
is also a separate test involving knots and bait rigging.
Once they've passed the barrage of angling tests, red badgers may
then advance to rank of Master Angler, signified by a gold badge.
The pinnacle of the Rod & Reel's competitive system was created
1951.
Some requirements are a tarpon on plug and fly, a bonefish on fly,
a billfish on a trolled 8# flat line - and the points for each entry
had to be 200 or over citation fish.
Angling legends Lee Cuddy and Luke Gorham fought fiercely to have
the #1 Gold Badge. Gorham finally succeeded with Cuddy taking Gold
#2. Over the past 49 years the difficulty of obtaining the Gold
badge has kept the number of recipients low - only 72 anglers have
attained the honor, including a who's who list of anglers like Luis
de Hoyos, Joe Brooks, Al Pflueger, Bill Mehrtens, Gar Wood, Pat
Ford, Frank Inscho, Marty Arostegui, Charlie Richter, Capt. Pete
Tyson, Capt. Lee Baker, Joan Garisto and Capt. Dan Kipnis.
Many world records have fallen to club members over the years. One
of the most outstanding catches in club history is the all tackle
record broadbill swordfish at 1,182 pounds hanging above the dance
floor of the Starlight Room. A two-hour battle saw the triple-strength
12/0 hook open up. For years, it stood as the heaviest fish of any
kind caught on a rod and reel.
James L. Knight's 585-pound blue marlin hangs on an opposing wall.
Knight was on a fishing trip which included three boats: the Rerun,
the Knight fishing vessel, his 60-foot yacht Jimiana, and George
B. Storer, Sr.'s Miami Marlin.
On March 28, 1964, Knight boated the marlin and returned to the
Jimiana when it started taking on water. A Coast Guard plane dropped
a portable pump, but water was coming in too fast for it to do any
good. Mrs. Knight and daughter, Beverly, transferred to Storer's
Miami Marlin. Mr. Knight and two crew members jumped from the sinking
boat to the Rerun. The most important things were saved. Capt. Graves
grabbed the evidence needed to press Knight's claim for a new world
record blue marlin on 50-pound line while Mr. Knight grabbed his
golf clubs. Mrs. Knight saved her jewelry and the big blue rode
back tied to the stern of the Rerun. Such is the way of Rod &
Reel Club anglers - they always get their fish.
The club has changed over the years. It has actually let in (horrors)
women. Fishing divisions have been established just for youngsters.
The stag parties have given way to art shows, balls and all sorts
of special events.
The fishing continues to enthrall and the outing schedule is fiercely
debated as to locale, type of fishing, etc. Hmm, perhaps it hasn't
changed so much after all.
The keynote of the Rod & Reel Club was, and is, one of sportsmanship,
good fishing and camaraderie. Come join us some Wednesday night,
we have a lot more tales to tell. |
