More on the Seventies and Early Eighties

It would not have been possible for Johnna and me take over the dock had we still owned The Galley. The restaurant had consumed almost everyone's time except mine to operate it. I spent all my time at the dock. Fortunately, prior to us taking over, we sold it to Guy and Penny Resch. (See previous post about the Pontiac Cafe.) Guy and Penny did a great job of running the restaurant, but they only lasted a few years. Guy also joined our construction crew. Guy, Steve Purcell and I worked on several projects during the winters to help make ends meet.

Guy Resch and Ed Kolaks.

The fishing was really good in the late seventies, especially the striped bass (striper) fishing. The first striper record for Pontiac was 23 pounds, 3 ounces and was caught by Ed Kolaks on May 21, 1976. When Ed brought the fish in, I remember telling him that thing must be a record because I had never seen a fish that big before. Sure enough it was.

Ed and his record striper

Before Ed's fish was back from the taxidermist, the record was broken by a fish caught on Norfork. We got the record back a short time later, as on May 5, 1980, the record was broken three times in one night. Don Atchison and Tony Allbright caught one each over 38 pounds and Don landed the big boy that weighed in at 47 pounds, 4 ounces.

Tony and Don with their three record catches.

It wasn't only stripers. Doc Klayman joined the fun on February 26, 1983, with his own record. His was a 6 pound, 12 ounce smallmouth bass.

Doc Klayman

And from the Theodosia area, Bernice Morello weighed in a 5 pound, 5 ounce record white bass on April 15, 1980.

Ralph McNair and Bernice Morello

Of course, the granddaddy of record fish is Marvin Bushong's 13 pound, 14 ounce largemouth bass. That record still stands.

In addition to all the records, there were a lot of really good stringers of fish as well.

Left to right: Unknown, Pat Godwin, Don Atchison and Bob Robbins.

Written by Cap'n T. Morgan