Long Branch...back in time

[DarkSkies]

Close your eyes and sit down in your favorite chair people. I'm going to take you back in time to NJ's Long Branch and let you imagine you are back there in the 1950's through the 1980's. :lookhappy:

It's now a crown jewel for the developers, Mayor, town council, and all the people who had the "vision" to create Pier Village and the resulting 5,372 1/2 ;) luxury condos and apartments. All revenue-producing for the town, which is no longer strapped for cash like it used to be.
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It's "beautiful" now :rolleyes: with the chic shops, mocha latte places, health spas, upscale jewlers, restaurants, everything needed to make Long Branch a sparkling Monmouth County success story, right? :D

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None of that impresses me. I still fish there, day, night, whenever I can get down. Recent conversations with people who frequented that town made me realize how much I missed out on. :(

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I can't go back in time, but I'm gonna bring a slice of old-time Long Branch life to you people. :lookhappy: I'm hoping that some people will read this, and add more memories.

Feel free to jump in with your comments, pics, and stories as I share with you some of the things that made Long Branch the entertainment capital of Monmouth County, and the fishing mecca of NJ, for decades until the fire on June 8,1987.

[jigfreak]

It was better years ago. Now it is all yuppies, living in a can of sardines.

[DarkSkies]

There are so many memories people had of this fishing and entertainment mecca:

Baldanza's
Blue Dolphin bar
Cafe Bar
Carmine's Pizza :dribble:

The Saltwater pools:
1. Chelsea Pools
2. Crammer's Salt water pools

3. Kid's World pool and attractions:
In 1985, six years after developers Pat Cicalese (owner of the Chelsea Pool and the Mile a Minute Waterslide) and his business partner Carmen Ricci purchased the Long Branch Pier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Branch_Pier) across the street that they had been leasing since the year prior to the purchase, Cicalese rethemed the pier, the pool, the Bumper Boats, and the waterslide as Kid's World, inspired by Sesame Place (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_Place) in Langhorne, Pennsylvania (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langhorne,_Pennsylvania) (It should be noted that Cicalese purchased Ricci's half of the business in 1980).
Many of the rides from years past had been replaced by this time by new rides, but the park still drew children. The famous Haunted Mansion that started the revamp of the pier in 1978 remained as part of Kid's World. Kid's World also featured an attraction based on the popular children's program Romper Room (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romper_Room). The park was heavily advertised on TV in New York (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York) and New Jersey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey). The previous advertisements for the pier were mostly geared towards the Haunted Mansion, but when the Kid's World concept was introduced, the advertisements were toned down to something more family friendly.
The Fire and closure
On June 8, 1987, at around 3 pm, a fire broke out at the McDonald's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s) at the end of the pier. The fire quickly spread throughout the pier, despite efforts by the Long Branch Fire Department to save it. After the fire, all that remained of Kid's World were the water attractions across the street from the pier. However, after the fire, business had slowed down, so the rest of Kid's World closed down for good at the end of that summer.
Cicalese had originally planned on rebuilding the pier. However, his insurance didn't cover the cost to rebuild what was destroyed, and the town would not fund the project, so the plans were abandoned. What was left of Kid's World remained abandoned for 17 years after the fire.
What was left of the pier had deteriorated over the years, and it was finally demolished in 2001. The rest of Kid's World across the street met the wrecking ball in 2002.



The Haunted Mansion, like no other in NJ

Junior's grill (which later became Big Al's?)

Max's Hot Dogs
Num's

Pier Pub

Shooters Bar


The rides and attractions.... :bigeyes: :wheeeee:

Flying Swings
Mini Golf

Scotty's Arcade

Skeeball

Pistol Pete's

The Long Branch Waterslide




And the most important piece of fishing real estate on the Jersey coast at the time.....

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The Long Branch Fishing Pier!! :drool: :fishing: :wow::plastered:

[DarkSkies]

It was better years ago. Now it is all yuppies, living in a can of sardines.

Exactly, Jigfreak. The pier, mansion, and boardwalk burned down in 1987. A sad day for people who used to go there and counted on it for fun family vacations, partying and drinking, or just plain hard-core fishin.

These are some of the comments people had to say about it:

"...I lost a part of my youth when that place was destroyed by the fire."

"...I cried when the boardwalk burned, I felt like a part of me died."





I never had the chance to go there. I regret not knowing about it. it seems so many people had great times there. :thumbsup:

So help me out here, people. Let's see some stories, pics, or info you have or can find on the Long branch fishing pier, the Haunted Mansion, or anything else associated with it. Cite your sources if they're copyrighted.

When I get time, I have some great tales of fishin on the pier from those who used to fish it. I could use help with anything else you can think of, thanks. :cool:

[cowherder]

Hi Dark, great thread!

Long Branch Pier

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[/URL]
The Long Branch Pier was a pier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Branch_Pier#searchInput) located at 65 Ocean Ave, in Long Branch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Branch,_New_Jersey), New Jersey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey), United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States).
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Long_Branch_Pier&action=edit&section=1)] History

The pier was popular among fishermen and club goers who enjoyed late nights at "The Pier Pub" night club. The pier was owned by the Sowul family until May 1979, when developers Pat Cicalese and Carmen Ricci teamed together to buy the pier and build the Haunted Mansion, inspired by the Brigantine Castle in Brigantine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigantine,_New_Jersey). The new pier had an arcade, several retail stores, a 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) haunted mansion, a McDonald's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s), Big Al's Hot Dogs & Lemon Aide and Junior's Restaurant. The pier was heavily advertised in New Jersey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey) and New York (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York). By 1985, Kid's World (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid%27s_World_(Amusement_Park)) was introduced, it was an amusement park inspired by Sesame Place (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_Place) in Langhorne, Pennsylvania (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langhorne,_Pennsylvania). The park featured a pay-one-price system, that included both the Haunted Mansion on the Pier and the Giant Waterslide and other attractions across the street. That section of Ocean Avenue was closed and became part of the park so kids could go from one side of the park to the other without fear of traffic. After the change, the advertisements changed from gruesome mansion photos, to happy, family-friendly photos of kids laughing.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Long_Branch_Pier&action=edit&section=2)] In the end

On June 8 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_8), 1987 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987), a gas leak and an electrical glitch sparked a fire in the pier. The heavy winds that day caused the fire to spread, destroying the whole pier. Luckily, nobody was injured.
There were rebuilding plans for the pier, but with almost no insurance, and no banks offering to pay for the project, the plans would never come to be. In 2001 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001), after 14 years of slow deterioration, the remnants were torn down and replaced by a mixed-use shopping/dining/entertainment complex, Pier Village (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pier_Village), which opened in 2005 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005).
In 2005, it was announced that a new pier is in the works for the waterfront of Long Branch.


[URL]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Branch_Pier

[storminsteve]

Found some great views at the historic tour of Long Branch. Ed Thomas Shoreview realty, he's a great guy for collecting all the pics.:thumbsup:

http://www.historiclongbranch.org/

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[storminsteve]

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[plugcrazy]

Wow, amazing!

[buckethead]

My Dad took us to the Mansion when we were kids. It was a sad sight to see it burning on the news.

Once in a while he took us fishing on the pier. I remember it as being a colorful place and the fishermen seemed pretty dedicated to catching. I fished on the left with my Dad about halfway out but found myself wandering over to the front where the regulars were. They seemed like they all knew what they were doing and caught a lot of fish. When we went, we were just jerking around and didn't know much compared to them. We did catch some nice fluke, and some bluefish. There were a lot of blues back then. God this thread brings me back, thanks for posting.


http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/lbhistory.htm



HISTORY
http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/HMbw.jpg

The Haunted Mansion was located on the Long Branch Pier, which was situated at 65 Ocean Avenue in Long Branch, New Jersey. The history of the mansion starts with Pat Cicalese, a local businessman who owned the water slide and beach club across from the Long Branch Pier. Pat, who was a friend of Carmen Ricci, was involved in the amusement industry of Long Branch since the 1960s. When Carmen Ricci wanted to build Brigantine Castle in Brigantine, NJ, he went to Pat for financial support. Pat decided to help fund Brigantine Castle, which was completed in May of 1976. Pat was so amazed at the success of Brigantine Castle, that he decided to visit the attraction to get ideas for Long Branch.


http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/HMpat.jpg
Pat Cicalese


After visiting Brigantine Castle, Pat asked Carmen Ricci to come to Long Branch and help him build a similar attraction at the Long Branch Pier. After some planning, Carmen came up with the idea of the Haunted Mansion. The two men formed a partnership and started a company called Ric-Cic Incorporated. The company also consisted of Carmen's brother, Thomas Ricci, who would help develop the Long Branch Mansion and pier.
Although Pat Cicalese owned the water slide and beach club across from the Long Branch pier, the pier itself was owned by the Sowul family. In 1977, Pat and Carmen Ricci leased the pier from the Sowuls with an option to buy it. Ric-Cic then spent one million dollars building the three story mansion and renovating other parts of the pier. In 1978, the completed 10,000 square feet mansion opened to much success. The pier also consisted of an arcade, a fishing pier, and 50 other concessions. Ric-Cic bought the entire pier from the Sowul family in May of 1979.


http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/HMRicci.jpg
Thomas Ricci, former co-owner of the Haunted Mansion, stands by a pier addition in 1979.

The Haunted Mansion was advertised heavily in New York as the world's largest haunted attraction. The heavy advertising lured crowds of up to 100,000 a week to the Long Branch boardwalk. In 1980, Pat Cicalese bought out Carmen and Thomas Ricci's share of the Long Branch Pier and Haunted Mansion. Pat continued to develop and expand the pier and mansion. He contributes much of the mansion's success to his excellent managers, Lil Grauman and Annie Rielley.

http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/HMpier.jpgA picture of the Long Branch Amusement Pier from the late 70s. The top of the Haunted Mansion can be seen in the middle of the picture.

In 1985, Pat re-themed the Long Branch pier as "Kid's World" after being inspired by Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA. He started a pay-once system which is now common at most amusement parks. Since the re-themed pier was geared toward younger children, the scare-factor of the mansion had to be scaled down. The mansion continued to employ live actors, but the scenes became more "family friendly."


http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/HMPennant.jpg
A Kid's World Pennant featuring Sandy the Sea Lion, the official mascot of Kid's World. Bret Malone provided us with this picture.

The Long Branch Pier met its demise on June 8th, 1987 when a fire destroyed most of the pier and the surrounding businesses. It was later determined that the fire was started by a gas leak and electrical arching under the boardwalk. Since there was a heavy west wind that day, the fire spread quickly across the entire pier. Unlike the Brigantine Castle, the Haunted Mansion was still in operation when the fire completely destroyed it. Because of this, no contents of the mansion were ever pillaged by souvenir seekers like at Brigantine Castle.

Pat Cicalese provided us with two New York television news reports from the day of the Long Branch Pier fire. Click on one of the versions below to view them in Windows Media Player format.
http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/HMfirechan4.jpg (http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/FireReportCh4.wmv)
http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/HMfirechan7.jpg (http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/FireReportCh7.wmv)
Channel 4 TV news report from Long Branch fire. (http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/FireReportCh4.wmv)Channel 7 TV news report from Long Branch fire. (http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/FireReportCh7.wmv)

[buckethead]

HM site, these are some of the pics they had. God that was a terrible fire. The last one is the proposed new pier, which never happened.

[fishinmission78]

Anyone remember the old Stevens shop? Run by Joe LoPresti, it was a primo example of the old B&T shops like they used to be. Then Brian bought it, and after a few years he had to close down for the rich folks. Who wants a bait and tackle on the street when they have all that other fancy crap? I guess that's progress.http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.gif

[wish4fish]

dudes i wish i cud of gone fishin but couldnt get there in my diapers lol. that was like 22 yrs ago. the youtube commercials are corny i cant believe you guys were scared of that:scared:
kWXO22H7ngw

e_F0XB8tzG4

[bababooey]

Anyone remember the old Stevens shop? Run by Joe Le Presti, it was a primo example of the old B&T shops like they used to be. Then Brian bought it, and after a few years he had to close down for the rich folks. Who wants a bait and tackle on the street when they have all that other fancy crap? I guess that's progress.http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.gif

End of an era my friend, end of an era.:(

[DarkSkies]

As I said it was the mecca for fishing in NJ at that time. With the exception of Sea Bright, nowhere else in Monmouth County could you fish from the beach in relative safety and catch the numbers of fish you could catch at the Long Branch fishing pier.

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I regret I never got to see or fish it. Lately I had been gathering info and stories about fishing on that pier. Most of it is as told by Finchaser, aka/ OGB. Some additional info came from his long-time fishing buddy Joe Melillo, now of Castaways B&T in Point Pleasant.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5299

I wanted to tell you people this story a week ago when I originally transcribed it, but I was delayed in getting it to Finchaser for his approval.

I'm doing it now, unedited, and may have to make corrections. It's my fault I didnt throw this up sooner. If I had, I wouldn't have people telling me how popular this topic is on the internet all of a sudden. :rolleyes: For the record, all of my posts were done and on the drawing board last week, and that's all I'm gonna say about it. Effumall. ;)

[DarkSkies]

I hope people aren't turned off by the way I lay this down, because I have a bias here. :D Finchaser and Joe Melillo are some of the most talented fishermen from that golden era of NJ fishing, and continue to :beatin: lots of younger guys on a regular basis. They were in an elite club called Steven's Surfsters that consistently won tournaments on the NJ fishing club circuit. More about that later.

That's not the half of it though. I knew the OGB, but wasn't fortunate enough to know him well until this year. Sure he's a great fisherman, so what? :don't know why:

How many people know that he, Joe Melillo, and a few other stubborn old farts were responsible for fighting to get the out of state bunker boats away from our bunker?
JCAA and bunker boats:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5151

Did they do this in a few months? One year?

Hell no, they fought corrupt politicians, apathetic state officials, and the regulatory agencies for 11 years! :eek:

Yet I have never heard OGB or Joe Melillo brag about what they and JCAA members such as Tom Fote, Len Fantasia, Ron Sickler, and others did in the past, so that we have a future today! :clapping::clapping:
JCAA history:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5150

While other guys couldn't be bothered, or were content to "let Joe do it", there was a Joe, Ron, Bob, Tom, Len, and a few others from JCAA who, against formidable odds, and apathetic fellow fishermen, wouldn't give up until they gained some ground, marshalled the support of all the fishing clubs in the area, and got restrictions placed on the netters.

What is the significance of this, Dark?
Why are you preaching at us, why should we care what a bunch of grouchy old men did? :huh:

Because these guys were directly involved in the growth of the great NJ inshore trophy bass striped fishery we have today by getting those bunker boats removed. :learn:

I also ask when you see Fin post about the decline or lack of bass, take his words as gospel. He doesn't exaggerate, and his integrity is solid. This guy, and some others here and in the fishing world, have lived through the moratorium.

Sometimes it feels like he's yelling at me when he relates this stuff to me. That's why I call him a grouchy old bassturd. He has seen the stocks rebuilt. He and other friends of his fought for years to see that dream come true. Now they're declining, and many seem unconcerned.
(Where are the striped bass?)
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=760&page=6

Can ya blame the guy for bein just a little grouchy? :don't know why:

Since they're not the types to toot their own horns, I chose to do it for them.

[DarkSkies]

I'm grateful to have made friends with these and other guys who were on the front lines 30 years ago, fighting the fights, so we could have the trophy striper fishery we have today.

As such, any thread about Long Branch isn't complete without a tribute to the guys, just regular guys, who were constantly at that pier, Fin and Joe Melillo included.

Through all the times they spent out there in the 40mph winds and 20 degree weather fishing for winter whiting, 8873

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strong bonds were formed, and great times were had.




So it took me a little time to put this together, to choose my words carefully as a proper tribute to these guys who not only fished that pier, they were part of it. Their souls were enmeshed in that pier. A part of all of them died the day that pier burned down. :(

As an outsider, I can't understand that completely, I wasn't there.

But I can tell their story. Grab a hot chocolate, coffee, or a beer, you're in for treat.

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I hope you people enjoy as I share what they have shared with me. :)

[DarkSkies]

As related by Finchaser:

"There were many guys who fished that pier, It could hold a hundred on a good day. Some came only on their vacations, just to try it out. Others came once, saw the activity, the camraderie, the fishing potential, and became more hooked than a big bass on a horse bunker. :dribble:

There were a hardcore group of fishermen who usually gathered there. Naturally, they gathered on the front, all the way out to the left end of the "L". The Northeast corner."

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"That's where the best fishin was. Anyone who wanted to learn, they knew that's where the sharpies hung out.

Only ya didn't call them sharpies back then. Try that and they would have thrown ya over the rails. :scared:

Through this association and frequent visits, friendships were formed. It didn't matter if ya were rich or poor. Fishin the pier was a great equalizer. All that mattered was that ya were careful enough when the bite was on not to tangle with another guy's line, and that ya had the stones to hang out there in the brutal winds and cold winters when the whiting were there.

Anyone, even a pansy, could catch a bluefish or fluke, or three, in the summer when they were there.

The real measure of a man on that pier, was who could hang out in the freezing cold, not be a baby about it, and catch up the whiting. People had less money back then. When they had a triple digit catch of whiting, it went to feed their families. Men didn't whine back then, they toughed it out!" :viking:

[DarkSkies]

As related by Finchaser:

Long Branch Fishing Club
"We all used to fish from the LB pier, and it was a great group. There were a lot of colorful characters, many of whom are no longer around. The last I remember seeing them was in 1982."

Some of the members:
Joe Melillo - he was the Pres
Joe Melillo Jr
Me - I was the VP
Gary Burda, a top fluke fisherman
Brian Burda, his son
Mark Ballocco
Charlie - a Polish guy who taught me much


"We are trying to have a small reunion soon, so anyone who sees this and is in contact with any of the club members, please let me know."

[DarkSkies]

As related by Finchaser:



"There were several times the kids fishing the pier had some great catches and got their pictures in the Asbury Park Press.

Mark and Joe Jr were the kids in the club, they were only in their teens back then.

We used to let them catch all the bluefish they could carry, and then in the morning or end of day they would wheel a cart stuffed with bluefish to the LB boardwalk and sell the bluefish for a few dollars each for soda and pizza money. :cool:


My introduction to fishing was through Charlie, a veteran pier fisherman who took me there as a kid. :thumbsup:

When we got older, taking the kids fishing was a natural extension of this. We all fished, and our kids came with us. My son, who is now 37, was out there with us as well. "

Passing it on:

"I tried to pass on the same knowledge and traditons that were passed on to me. I made a custom 5'7" rod for my stepson when he was 5, so he could fish it. He fished on a boat with me, and caught a 30# bass when he was 5 years old! He has been fishing with me for 13 years, and I tried to pass on whatever knowledge I have to him. His biggest fish so far is 37#, and I'm very proud of him.:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

He has good instincts, and has become quite a fisherman." :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[DarkSkies]

some pictures

[DarkSkies]

pics

[DarkSkies]

more pics

[DarkSkies]

As related by Finchaser:

Fishing Gear:
"We used to use "old lady" shopping carts, wheeling them out to the pier and customizing them for fishing. We used to use aluminum pans on top, bending the ears down, so we had our custom bait trays.

Sometimes it would get so cold the bait would freeze, and we would have to keep it in our pockets, or in bags against our chests.

Rods and reels:
I used to use a Dam quick 550 and a Harnell rod as the standard setup.

The guys who complain about how cold it is in today's world would not have lasted back then. We would fish in 20 degree and colder weather, and when the wind was blowing 40mph. As long as the fish were biting, we were out there.

When the weather was better, we would fish there all weekend. We would get there on a Friday after work, set up our gear and poles, sleep on the pier, and not leave until Sunday. That was fishing!" :fishing:

[DarkSkies]

pics

[DarkSkies]

As related by Finchaser:

LB pier in the 1960's:

"I started fishing that pier in the mid 1950's, maybe 1955.
The pier was owned by Freddy Sowul and his son Fred Jr, great guys. Mattie Sowul helped out as well. Dolly and Dottie worked for them selling bait and helping to clean the pier.

Contests
1. Fluke contest:
Every week they would give away a big B&W 19" TV for the biggest fluke (no color TVs back then!)
2. Whiting contest:
When the whiting were running, you could get 10 free passes to the pier for every 3 lb whiting caught.

There were also holes in the back of the pier. That was where if you couldn't afford a rod, you could fish there with a handline for 50c.

We used to fish in the front NE corner of the pier, we owned that place!




Whiting Season:
The fishing was incredible! We would fish 3 deep at the end of the pier, and not manage to tangle each other up. We could each catch 150-200 whiting apiece when the fishing was good. Nothing went to waste. We ate fish every day.

We used to use wax and cardboard milk boxes to keep the fillets, packing the fillets in, letting them freeze, covering with a layer of plastic, then the next layer of fish.

We were happy when they invented spackle buckets in the 70's, because it made it a lot easier to hold the fish. One spackle bucket could hold 50 whiting fillets.

When we got a lot of whiting, we would run them over to Leonardo. There was a smoker there who would trade us. For every 2 whiting we gave him, we got 1 smoked one back. The fresh smoked whiting were incredible."

[DarkSkies]

pics

[DarkSkies]

more pics

[DarkSkies]

As related by Finchaser:


Long Branch in the 1970s to 1980's:

"Those were great times. Most of the Long Branch amusement area was owned by Carmen Ricci, who with his business partner Pat Cicalese owned the Haunted Mansion, and Carmen's Pizza, great pizza. :drool:

The Sowul family, Freddy Sr and Jr, owned the fishing pier for most of that time. The day to day operations, selling bait, cleanup, etc, were run by a Matty Sowul, a very nice woman.

Dolly and her sister Dottie worked for them. They were great women and always made us feel welcome.

in 1979 they sold to the Ricci/Cicalese partnership.



Some of the highlights:
Blue Dolphin:
Go go bar across the street. :naughty: We used to go in there and drink whenever the fishin was slow, or we had frostbite from being on the pier for hours in 20 degree temps, and had to warm up with a little liquid refreshment. :D :plastered:

I even remember when the original restaurant was at the front of the pier before a hurricane took it out.



Parking lot:
Across the street from the Long Branch pier. Owned by a woman, very nice. She deeded it to the city in her will, to only be used as a parking lot. The mayor back then found a loophole and sold it to developers who built the Hilton in the 80's. I remember there was a problem with that hotel, it had lopsided walls."

[DarkSkies]

pics

[DarkSkies]

As told by Finchaser:

Words of wisdom from old timers:

"I am who I am in the fishing world today because of Charlie" :thumbsup::thumbsup:

"He was an older Polish guy who took a liking to me. He would pick me up every Fri after he got out of work, and take me fishing. I fished with him from when I was 12 years old until the day he died.

I learned a lot from him. One time I was trying like heck to catch whiting, while he was getting them on every 2nd or 3rd cast. :burn:

After seeing how frustrated I was, he finally explained his technique." :learn:

"It's the little things that get 10% of fishermen 90% of the fish"

He was tapping the line with his finger, ever so slightly, as he reeled in. This extra movement was what was needed to get the whiting to hit his bait more often than anyone else's. That guy could catch fish after fish! :clapping::clapping::clapping:

About Charlie:
He lived in Garfield, and installed non-skid strips on the stairs in schools for a living. His wife made great Polish food, which he brought to the pier and shared with me. Everybody loved him down there.

One of his favorite sayings was "Yak sie chojesz?" pronounced "Yach-she-mash" which means "How are you doing?"

He referred to me as "The Kid". Everybody saw us together so much, they thought I was his son. My Dad Angelo used to fish with us sometimes as well. We all had great times together.

[DarkSkies]

pics

[DarkSkies]

more pics

[DarkSkies]

As related by Finchaser and Joe Melillo:


Cast of characters:

"In addition to me and the guys from the LB fishing club, there were others:

The old timers:
These were the "older" guys when we started fishing there. We got to be fast friends, and they taught us a lot. Some of the ones I remember most clearly...

1. Reggie - Reggie was 7' tall, :eek: and used to spend weekends there with his wife Doris. She had a recipe for steamed fluke that was out of this world. They used to share the cooked fluke with us. :drool:

2. 3 fingers Pete - he was a regular, great fisherman. He had 3 fingers on one hand.

3. Cooper - he fished and hung with 3 fingers Pete.

4. Chet - an older guy, spent all weekend at the pier.



Rest of the characters:

Dominick Digirolamo - he caught a shark one time, around 60#. It took 5 of us to drag it up to the pier railing. What we used to get the big fish up at that time was like the "kid's pitchback" baseball backdrop people used to have in their backyard. It had a few ropes and a chain attached, and could hold almost any fish, even the shark. Well, we got that shark to the bottom of the rail, gave it one last heave, flipped it over, and almost fell on our aZZes! :scared: We all had a great time laughing over that.


Dolly and her sister Dottie - who used to clean the place up after we left. They ran a tight ship, were knowledgable, and always treated us guys well. :thumbsup:

and the rest of us, Joe Melillo; his son; Me; my Dad Angelo sometimes; my son; Charlie my fishing mentor; Mark Ballocco; Gary and Brian Burda; and a few other diehard fish nuts like us! "

[DarkSkies]

pics

[DarkSkies]

More Recollections, as told by Joe Melillo;

"I spent most of my younger life at that pier. Every weekend, and all summer, I was there, along with the rest of the guys, fishing until we dropped. The best times! " :fishing:


Most unusual fish:

"I hooked a humpback whale one time while whiting fishing. The whale came in to feed on the whiting and had been meandering around the pilings. All of a sudden the whale shot out, snagged my line, and stripped my reel in a matter of 15 seconds! :(

That whale was about 25' long, and it did whatever it wanted to do. It hung around the pier for 3 days. I remember no one could catch anything while that whale was there. We were happy when it finally left!" :plastered:

[DarkSkies]

pics

[DarkSkies]

As related by Finchaser, and Joe Melillo:

Eventually the Long Branch fishing club had served it's purpose. We were patrons of the old Stevens Bait and Tackle in Long Branch, at the time in the 70's owned and run by Joe Le Presti.

Joe Le Presti was a great guy, a true gentleman, and an avid fishermen. He had the brilliant idea of assembling the best of the best surfcasters who came in his shop. We created a new club called Steven's Surfsters. :)

There were 39 of us in that club, which included Joe Melillo, me, and 37 of the best surfcasters we knew.

We started to enter fishing tournaments against other clubs. I don't want to brag, but we dominated the tourneys. We really kicked butt. :kicknuts:But we put in long hard hours too. There were times when we went 2 or 3 nights with only a few hours sleep. We were committed to catching fish, and catching big fish.

I think it was during that time that I got my 50, and some other impressive fish that I kept. For the most part, as I got older, I started to see what was happening around me, to the point where I am now strictly a C&R fisherman. Of the hundreds of bass I catch every year, I keep maybe a few.

As for the history of the Surfsters, we continued to win plaques for awhile. They hung in Stevens B&T until Brian Zimmerman, the owner after Joe LePresti, had to give up the business because the landlord tripled his rent. :2flip:

Eventually the Surfsters split up, with half of us joining Asbury, and the other half joining the Spring Lake Liveliners.

That was the point when Joe Melillo and I decided there was more to life than fishing non-stop. We wanted to make a difference for future generations. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon3.gif

We first got involved with the Spring Lake Liveliners when the town of __________ wanted to restrict our herring access. We marshalled all the fishing clubs together to fight that.

Then the issue arose where we were getting bullied by the out of state bunker netters. We decided to fight back, and realized we needed more than a fishing club.

We needed an organization that sounded bigger than it was, and that others would look to as a PAC. We needed politicians on our side, and we needed to push forward with some court cases if we were going to get anywhere. :viking:

Out of that need, arose the JCAA. We fought 11 long years to get those out of state bunker netters out of NJ waters. In the end it was worth it. :thumbsup:

[fishinmission78]

That was a cool bunch of mini-stories, ds. Assuming you are putting in the pics at some point in the future, can't wait to see them. Now I understand the ogb part.;) Hats off to finchaser for all the work you guys did.:clapping::clapping:

[clamchucker]

End of an era my friend, end of an era.:(

I too felt that way when the pier burned. In terms of todays dollars, you might need something like 20 million to put up a new pier by the time you got done with the approvals and infrastructure. That will never happen. The only standing local pier approaching that size is the one in Keansburg in the bay.

Finchaser, I remember when the JCAA was in the news with the bunker lawsuits. You folks did a tremendous job. Please accept my sincere thanks.

Dark, great job on the colorful and descriptive posts. I don't know where you get the energy.

[storminsteve]

How many people know that he, Joe Melillo, and a few other stubborn old farts were responsible for fighting to get the out of state bunker boats away from our bunker?
JCAA and bunker boats:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5151

Did they do this in a few months? One year?

Hell no, they fought corrupt politicians, apathetic state officials, and the regulatory agencies for 11 years! :eek:

Yet I have never heard OGB or Joe Melillo brag about what they and JCAA members such as Tom Fote, Len Fantasia, Ron Sickler, and others did in the past, so that we have a future today! :clapping::clapping:
JCAA history:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5150

While other guys couldn't be bothered, or were content to "let Joe do it", there was a Joe, Ron, Bob, Tom, Len, and a few others from JCAA who, against formidable odds, and apathetic fellow fishermen, wouldn't give up until they gained some ground, marshalled the support of all the fishing clubs in the area, and got restrictions placed on the netters.

What is the significance of this, Dark?
Why are you preaching at us, why should we care what a bunch of grouchy old men did? :huh:

Because these guys were directly involved in the growth of the great NJ inshore trophy bass striped fishery we have today by getting those bunker boats removed. :learn:

I also ask when you see Fin post about the decline or lack of bass, take his words as gospel. He doesn't exaggerate, and his integrity is solid. This guy, and some others here and in the fishing world, have lived through the moratorium.



I didn't know this. A big thanks for all the work you and Joe Mellillo and the JCAA did, finchaser.:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping: :thumbsup:

[captnemo]

Thank you finchaser.

[finchaser]

Your welcome it's great to see some new blood step up to the plate to save these magnificent fish which really has nothing to do with the pier. So my thanks goes out to all the new blood:clapping::clapping:

DS Matty was a Sowul not Dolly's sister Dotti was her sister

Yep the entire group fished for Fluke, blues ,weakfish,bonita,albacore and dusky sharks the rest of the year from the pier. With our 10 to 11 foot rods and 146 or 145 squidders. we could all cast well over a hundred yards out and land just about anthing we hooked except for the huge cow nosed rays that were the size of table tops back then. They were great times.We even live lined moths for bats that lived under the pier but that's another story.

[surfwalker]

finchaser, great stories. Thanks for putting them up. Waiting for more.

Happy Trails

[DarkSkies]

Your welcome it's great to see some new blood step up to the plate to save these magnificent fish which really has nothing to do with the pier. So my thanks goes out to all the new blood:clapping::clapping:
Sorry, but you and Joe were regular fixtures on that pier, and a part of angling history. Fighting the bunker boats might not be as interesting as the fish stories, but that's part of angling history too. The starting point for it all was the Long Branch fishing pier and the connections you made there.
A=B=C
I didn't realize the extent of what you guys did until I started investigating after listening to your daily rants. You guys never brag about it, so I'm the new PR guy. :laugh: I only charge .001c/word, plus one of those magic tins once in awhile when ya can spare em! :HappyWave:

DS Matty was a Sowul not Dolly's sister Dotti was her sister
Corrections made, OGB von Grouchy :ROFLMAO ;) Thanks. let me know if any more need to be done.


Yep the entire group fished for Fluke, blues ,weakfish,bonita,albacore and dusky sharks the rest of the year from the pier. With our 10 to 11 foot rods and 146 or 145 squidders. we could all cast well over a hundred yards out and land just about anthing we hooked except for the huge cow nosed rays that were the size of table tops back then. They were great times.

We even live lined moths for bats that lived under the pier but that's another story.

I think we need to document that bat fishing story too. Was that before or after ya's spent a few hours in the Blue Dolphin? :plastered:

[bababooey]

How many people know that he, Joe Melillo, and a few other stubborn old farts were responsible for fighting to get the out of state bunker boats away from our bunker?
JCAA and bunker boats:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5151

Did they do this in a few months? One year?

Hell no, they fought corrupt politicians, apathetic state officials, and the regulatory agencies for 11 years! :eek:

Yet I have never heard OGB or Joe Melillo brag about what they and JCAA members such as Tom Fote, Len Fantasia, Ron Sickler, and others did in the past, so that we have a future today! :clapping::clapping:
JCAA history:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5150

While other guys couldn't be bothered, or were content to "let Joe do it", there was a Joe, Ron, Bob, Tom, Len, and a few others from JCAA who, against formidable odds, and apathetic fellow fishermen, wouldn't give up until they gained some ground, marshalled the support of all the fishing clubs in the area, and got restrictions placed on the netters.

What is the significance of this, Dark?
Why are you preaching at us, why should we care what a bunch of grouchy old men did? :huh:

Because these guys were directly involved in the growth of the great NJ inshore trophy bass striped fishery we have today by getting those bunker boats removed. :learn:

I also ask when you see Fin post about the decline or lack of bass, take his words as gospel. He doesn't exaggerate, and his integrity is solid. This guy, and some others here and in the fishing world, have lived through the moratorium.

Sometimes it feels like he's yelling at me when he relates this stuff to me. That's why I call him a grouchy old bassturd. He has seen the stocks rebuilt. He and other friends of his fought for years to see that dream come true. Now they're declining, and many seem unconcerned.
(Where are the striped bass?)
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=760&page=6

Can ya blame the guy for bein just a little grouchy? :don't know why:

Since they're not the types to toot their own horns, I chose to do it for them.


I had no idea how hard JCAA folks fought for the great fishery we have now. On the one hand I am dismayed because many guys with boats only know how to catch trophy fish from the bunker schools. Of course, being the sharpie that I am, I would never do this.:rolleyes:

A big THANK YOU:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping: to finchaser, Melillo, and the JCAA. You guys can't be thanked enough for your efforts. In honor of that I solemnly swear for the rest of 2009, I will make no unkind or pot-stirring remarks about finchaser.
This is truly a great thread. I have lots of memories of going down with my folks to the mansion and the pier. Thank you all for the stories.:clapping:




Quote:
Originally Posted by finchaser http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?p=28450#post28450)

A=B=C
I didn't realize the extent of what you guys did until I started investigating after listening to your daily rants. You guys never brag about it, so I'm the new PR guy. :laugh: I only charge .001c/word, plus one of those magic tins once in awhile when ya can spare em! :HappyWave:






finchaser I wouldn't sign any deals with Dark with those terms, he's a sneaky sort. Have you seen the full page rants he posts?:kooky: He must type like a 1000 words a minute. Even at .001cents a word, you could end up paying him at least $25/day for that public relations gig. Contact me in private, I can offer you better rates than that. We'll talk, (at your favorite fishing spot, if you don't mind me meeting you there;))
I'm a prefessional at this. If you get any e-mails in the next week from my very famous PR firm, Bababooey, Wecheatem, and Bigg, you will know it's from me.:laugh:

[porgy75]

Amazing pictures and stories guys, wow! I wish I could have been old enough to see some of that. Finchaser I hope I get a chance to meet you someday. You cant posibly be as grouchy as darkskies says you are, can you? Thanks for sharing!

[basshunter]

:clapping: Awesome! thanks!

[jigfreak]

:thumbsup: Thanks finchaser and dark and all the others. This is one of the best NJ threads. This is what I found on the early history -----




Long Branch
Long Branch, located on the long branch of the Shrewsbury River in Monmouth County, north of Long Beach Island, was also one of the earliest Jersey Shore resorts. According to Gustav Kobbe, Philadelphians were frequenting a local inn as early as 1788. Before the turn of the century, a boardinghouse operated by Herbert and Chandler presented competition for the first summer rentals. [38 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#138)] By 1840, New Yorkers were coming by steamers (through an inlet, now filled in) that docked along the Shrewsbury River. [39 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#139)] Steamship transportation made Long Branch (Fig. 12) a competitive destination with Cape May and Saratoga, establishing the future of the quiet Quaker resort that, in 1876, Harper's Monthly Magazine would declare "the great marine suburb of the great metropolis." [40 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#140)]
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/images/fig12.jpg Figure 12. Steamboat Landing. Long Branch. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. 23 August 1879.
By 1860, Long Branch offered the social schedule and accommodations necessary to attract wealthy celebrities and politicians such as Edwin Booth, Maggie Mitchell, Gen. Winfield Scott, and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. [41 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#141)] The city's tradition as a presidential summer resort began in the late 1860s when a group of business and newspaper men bought up beachfront property. After supporting Louis P. Brown in his land-development project, which resulted in the creation of Ocean Avenue, George W. Childs invited President Ulysses S. Grant to experience a Jersey Shore summer. Childs and others pooled their resources to purchase 991 Ocean Avenue for the President and his family, beginning Long Branch's reign as the "summer capital" of the United States. [42 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#142)] Other presidents followed Grant's example, and Shadow Lawn, the old Elberon Hotel, and an Episcopal church (Fig. 13) near the Takanasses Bridge became known for presidential patronage. The construction of Monmouth Park in 1870 also attracted approval from federal officials. A life-size statue of Grant in front of the track proclaims his fascination with racing.
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/images/fig13.jpg Figure 13. Church of the Seven Presidents, Long Branch. HABS No. NJ-1083-2.
The combination of presidential prestige and the competitive spirit of Monmouth Park, which tacitly sanctioned gambling, resulted in a burst of popularity for the city during the 1870s-80s. Stimulated by gambling activity, Long Branch opened clubs such as the Pennsylvania, where the lucky could flaunt their winnings in style. A parade of larger-than-life characters flocked to "the Branch," eager to partake of the action and outdo their contemporaries in lavish display.
Here Lillie Langtry kept her private car for an entire summer on a railroad siding adjoining the home of her current protector; there Diamond Jim Brady drove Lillian Russell in an electric coupe brightly illuminated on the interior rather than with headlights, so that all might see and enjoy; and here Josie Mansfield and Ed Stokes admired Col. Jim Fisk and his regiment in their gold braid as they played at drilling on the Bluff Parade Grounds. [43 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#143)]
Summer visits by subsequent Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, James Garfield (who died at his cottage in Elberon after being shot in Washington in 1881), and Chester A. Arthur contributed to Long Branch's status as the premiere American resort of its time (Fig. 14). Completion of the New York and Long Branch Railroad in 1875 brought train loads of both the urban rich and the middle class to the seashore, where they stayed in elaborate Victorian hotels and boardinghouses.

The hotels were titanic masses of wood and fancy ornamentation. . .two or three stories in height and usually a block long. Their porches were furnished with wicker rockers and chairs, shaded from the sun by huge striped awnings in bright colors. [44 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#144)]
Hardly a stick of wood remains from hotels such as the West End, which had a wooden footbridge across Ocean Avenue to a two-story beach pavilion.
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/images/fig14.jpg Figure 14. Shadow Lawn. Summer Capitol, Long Branch, NJ. Postcard, Sarah Allaback, Ca. 1916.
Along with the visitors came speculators with money to invest, attracted by what was later described as "brave, expensive and perilous" advertising, sold with "elaborate pressure methods." [45 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#145)] These investors have left more tangible evidence of their times. Promoter Lewis B. Brown made huge profits subdividing oceanfront plots in Elberon, a seaside neighborhood in Long Branch's south end. [46 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#146)] Actor Oliver Byron built fourteen cottages at Long Branch, and financier Jay Gould built four. Elberon's streets were lined with shingled, turreted Queen Anne mansions. Old postcards show street profiles of Ocean Avenue porches, gables, towers, and awnings facing the sea. The house Solomon R. Guggenheim bought in 1899 on Ocean Avenue was "festooned with fretwork from porch steps to gable peaks." [47 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#147)] Though Guggenheim's house was torn down in the 1940s, examples of cottages by Charles McKim of McKim, Mead and White, such as the Charles Taylor House, remained through the early 1980s. New York architects Peabody and Steams, designers of the now-demolished Elberon Casino, were also active in the city. Artist Winslow Homer came to Long Branch in the late 1800s, engraving beach scenes (Fig. 15) for Harpers and other popular magazines and painting his famous "Long Branch, New Jersey," depicting women with parasols peeking over the bluffs.
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/images/fig15.jpg Figure 15. On the Bluff at Long Branch. Winslow Homer. Appleton's Journal. 21 August 1869.
Other evidence of Long Branch at its height can be found inland, mixed with the suburbs and shopping centers that have since surrounded the old business district. In 1905, Murray Guggenheim, son of mining magnate Meyer Guggenheim, hired New York architects Carrere and Hastings to design a palatial residence (Fig. 16). The partners' New York Public Library had gained them a reputation for the kind of civic monumentality Guggenheim must have desired; the Beaux Arts mansion, set amid landscaped grounds at Norwood and Cedar Avenues, resembles a pavilion from the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. The residential design won the architects a gold medal from the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects. [48 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#148)] In 1960, the Guggenheim Foundation of New York donated the house to Monmouth College, which now uses it as a library. Also part of Monmouth College is Woodrow Wilson Hall, previously the presidential mansion Shadow Lawn and the set for the movie "Annie." The mansion was built for Hubert Parson, president of Woolworth's, the five-and-dime store chain, and was later used by Woodrow Wilson as a summer residence.
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/images/fig16.jpg Figure 16. Murray Guggenheim House, Long Branch, HABS No. NJ-1178-1.

Seabathing
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/images/fig17.jpg Figure 17. Bathing at Long Branch—"Oh, Ain't it Cold" Every Saturday, August, 1871. Library of Congress.

Today the New Jersey coast, with its endless boardwalks fringed by shooting galleries and fortune-tellers' booths and hamburger and hot-dog stands and salt-water taffy concessions, is solidly in possession of the millions; the millionaires have been good-naturedly elbowed off the scene. Long Branch, even in its prime, was engaged in the unequal struggle of trying to hold back the masses; it was futilely defying its manifest destiny. It could not be, at one and the same time, the great marine suburb of the great metropolis and the snug harbor of the leisure class. [55 (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/notes.htm#155)]

[finchaser]

Amazing pictures and stories guys, wow! I wish I could have been old enough to see some of that. Finchaser I hope I get a chance to meet you someday. You cant posibly be as grouchy as darkskies says you are, can you? Thanks for sharing!


Anytime I like meeting people:HappyWave:, and no I'm not grouchy ask killie:D

[DarkSkies]

Amazing pictures and stories guys, wow! I wish I could have been old enough to see some of that. Finchaser I hope I get a chance to meet you someday. You cant posibly be as grouchy as darkskies says you are, can you? Thanks for sharing!

He's worse! :laugh: But I'm used to it. My Dad used to yell at us every day before he died. OGB only yells at me, Killie, or his buddy Dave once a week. We're just lucky I guess. :don't know why:


Anytime I like meeting people:HappyWave:, and no I'm not grouchy ask killie:D

That's great, minimize it. It's in Killie's best interest to say nice things because he thinks he's got 1st dibs on your fishin gear when ya visit the final fishin grounds. He would sell his soul to get his hands on your gear. :HappyWave: His comments are inadmissible as evidence in the Grouchy peoples court. :D

[vpass]

Wow, This was one of the best threads I read in a while. Thanks Finchaser for sharing the good ole times. I also like to thank finchaser, Joe Melillo, and the JCAA for their hard long fight to get rid of the bunker boats in NJ, and help shape the fishery we have today.

[plugginpete]

I used to go there when we would visit my cousins who lived in Long Branch. Some of the stories you guys have here are incredible! I never saw the guys pull a shark in, mostly blues and bass, but I sure would have liked to see that. Thanks for sharing, and Merry Christmas to all you folks. :HappyWave:

[hookset]

His comments are inadmissible as evidence in the Grouchy peoples court. :D

:clapping:Funny thread guys, and thanks for the great jcaa work finchaser. Beautiful stories, wish I could go there now.

[7deadlyplugs]

Great thread!:fishing:

[albiealert]

:clapping::clapping: What a great history and collection of stories. You folks are lucky. We didn't have anything like that in Ct.

[dogfish]

finchaser I wouldn't sign any deals with Dark with those terms, he's a sneaky sort. Have you seen the full page rants he posts?:kooky: He must type like a 1000 words a minute. Even at .001cents a word,

and that's on a slow day.:laugh:
Nice work you all did here. Today is a lousy day and I felt like wasting some time on the internet. Cool stories.:thumbsup:

[VSdreams]

:thumbsup: Thanks finchaser and dark and all the others. This is one of the best NJ threads. This is what I found on the early history -----




Artist Winslow Homer came to Long Branch in the late 1800s, engraving beach scenes (Fig. 15) for Harpers and other popular magazines and painting his famous "Long Branch, New Jersey," depicting women with parasols peeking over the bluffs.
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/images/fig15.jpg Figure 15. On the Bluff at Long Branch. Winslow Homer. Appleton's Journal. 21 August 1869.
Seabathing
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nj1/images/fig17.jpg Figure 17. Bathing at Long Branch—"Oh, Ain't it Cold" Every Saturday, August, 1871. Library of Congress.




I don't know about you guys, but I think the babes today are a lot better than the ones back then. You can't even see any flesh in these pics, how did they know if the chick was hot or not?:huh:



July 22, 1893


8927


8928


8929


8930

[wish4fish]

u never know some of those chicks in dresses cud of been dudes lol.:scared:modern chicks rule:heart:

8931

8932

8933

8934

8935

[baitstealer]

The first girl in the series is my favorite. Got any more?:D

[wish4fish]

nah the last 2 are my hottest. u can do a search too. cmon post up!

[captnemo]

I found some old postcards online, great thread.

[seamonkey]

Great thread, amazing pics.

[bababooey]

A little something I found on the windmill, which has been there since 1964:heart:


aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/06/the-wind... (http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/06/the-windmill-burger-review-long-branch-new-jersey.html)
A Great Burger by the Beach at The Windmill in Long Branch, New Jersey

Posted by Nick Solares (http://www.seriouseats.com/user/profile/beef%20aficionado), June 9, 2009 at 10:30 AM
http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/2009-06-05-Windmill-Cheeseburger-close-up.jpg
The Windmill

586 Ocean Boulevard, Long Branch NJ 07740; map (http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=586+Ocean+Boulevard,+Long+Branch,+NJ&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&cid=0,0,14869678633683167197&ei=05ktStqTJoucMqbuxNUJ&z=16&iwloc=A)); 732-229-9863; windmillhotdogs.com (http://www.windmillhotdogs.com/)
Cooking Method: Charbroiled
Short Order: Classic backyard grill-out burger served out of vintage, circa 1964 edifice that actually looks like a windmill
Want Fries with That? Untested, but they seem to be proud of their cheese fries; they get equal billing with hot dogs and burgers on the chains tag line
Price: Cheeseburger, $4.19

I don't expect every website, particularly those of hamburger joints, to be the last word in web design, but I do expect the photos of the food they use to look somewhat like the food they actually serve—especially if that hamburger is rather good. Take the website for The Windmill (http://www.windmillhotdogs.com/), for example. If I didn't know better, and if a friend who grew up near to the Long Branch original hadn't vouched for it, I would never go to the Windmill based on the picture of the hamburger (http://www.windmillhotdogs.com/images/menu/cheeseburger.jpg) they use on their website. It looks like a stock photo from an agency: big crusty looking bun, vibrantly colored rabbit food that defies gravity by not sagging under the weight of the double serving of beef, the frilly lettuce perfectly ruffled on top of the bottom bun. The picture looks like something from a generic national fast food chain whose food is worse than shown, rather than what the Windmill is: a distinctive regional chain with a burger that is much better than what is pictured on their website.
http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/2009-06-05-Windmill-exterior-jpg.jpg
Don't be fooled into getting the wrong burger. While The Windmill does offer a "California" burger with lettuce, tomato, and onion on a hard roll as pictured on their website, the basic charbroiled cheeseburger on a generic white bun is a thing of understated beauty. Even though I am a big proponent of griddle-cooked hamburgers, there is something that just feels right about eating charbroiled burgers near the beach. The salt in the air competes with the smoke from the grill for your attention as the taste of the hash marked patties evoke memories of backyard cookouts, beach parties, and summer vacations. There is something festive about this type of hamburger, but I think that they need to be eaten outdoors for the best effect. And that is where I recommend you eat the hamburger at The Windmill.
http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/2009-06-05-Windmill-ext2.jpg
It may be skinny and cooked through, but the fresh, never frozen, beef is juicy nonetheless and has some delightful grill marks that have a pleasing acridity and provide a nice crunch. Underseasoned? Perhaps a tad, but you will hardly notice if you climb the winding stairs up to the outdoor balcony, sit down on the picnic tables, and breathe in the warm, salty breeze. Although the squishy bun may be a bit large for a single patty, it is an otherwise perfect vessel for the smoky patty. You might ask for a double to redress the imbalance or you could just add some pickles and a dollop of mustard or red relish.
http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/2009-06-05-Windmill-Cheeseburger.jpg
The Windmill website might not have the best picture of the hamburgers that they serve, but it at least lets you know that the chain has eight locations (http://windmillhotdogs.com/locations.html) throughout New Jersey with a ninth opening soon in Hoboken. I can't imagine that the burgers at any of the other outposts could taste better than the one served at the circa 1964 original in Long Branch, which is the only restaurant in the chain that actually looks like a windmill. You need to be outdoors in the sun with a sea breeze blowing to get the most out of this burger.

[bababooey]

You can see the pier and the rides like it was yesterday.:(

cWSI_PcrJtY

the fire
if91muWV-Bk

xvuXCVLh-kQ

[DarkSkies]

Someone who used to fish that pier and the structure around it sent me this e-mail today, thanks.




"Thanks for the threads on Asbury and the Long Branch pier. Excellent pictures. It was heartbreaking to see that pier destroyed by fire.

Brings back memories of drifting near the pier in my boat. Used to launch out of Shark River. That area was a bonanza for fluke in the summer months. A few weakfish if you got lucky."

[basshunter]

old Monmouth park


9253

[storminsteve]

I'm not sure if this was long branch or close by. Some seaside place with a boardwalk, 1900s.
9404

[basshunter]

Allenhurst and Long Branch pics I found

9521

9522

9523

9524

[DarkSkies]

Overheard at the Asbury Park fishing flea market yesterday:


Guys were reminiscing about the Long Branch fishing pier. There are a select few that remember it. I don't. I can only understand those stories through the memories of others.

Anyway, the guys were talking about the memories from the Long Branch fishing pier, and the great stories.

"No matter what the government does for fishermen, or how things are in the future... the guys who fished the Long Branch fishing pier were part of the golden era of fishing. That is an era that can never be duplicated. Those times will never be again..."



Amen to that. I'm grateful to still have some guys around who can still share those stories. :thumbsup:

[voyager35]

Right you are, dark. My grandfather used to have a saying that he said when we were little. He said "You can't go home again". I think what he meant was that as we grow, we always want to go back to the times when things were simpler, or more colorful, or we had more fun. As you get older you realize you can't go back there. It's through memories and threads like this that we get to re-visit those places in our minds.
That is why I like looking at this thread from time to time. There are a lot of great memories and stories talked about in here.

[finchaser]

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9524&thumb=1&d=1264685042 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9524&d=1264685042)

Note the size of the beach it didn't need to be 300' out into the Ocean to protect houses that never should have been built where they are.

[jigfreak]

Awesome pics guys. Here's a bit of the modern Long Branch, the Windmill, best cheese fries in the state. :drool:
10566

[cardoc765]

It really sucks to see this again. I grew up as a young boy fishing that pier years ago from 1969 to like 1979. So many memories of that place and the fun times fishing on it.

[DarkSkies]

Might as well bump this one up again, give people the chance to see Finchaser at a moment in time when he was less grouchy. :laugh: :HappyWave:
And, plans are on the board to rebuild the pier.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=7000

I'm happy to hear that. But no matter how big or wonderful it is, I know it could never replace the memories or the good times had at the old stinky pier. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Note to file...
Abundant fish stocks = happy fishermen :fishing:
Declining fish stocks = GROUCHY fishermen :argue:

[basshunter]

That is an awesome pic finchaser. I get you could catch fish from any one of those jetties in addition to the lb pier.

[finchaser]

Yes we did

[clamchucker]

This thread is a colorful testament to the way things were. I have been back to read it several times. Thank you. Finchaser thanks for your generosity in supplying the info. Sadly we may never have another place like the Long Branch fishing pier. Dark even though you say they are building a new one I do not feel it will ever be the same. The sights, the sounds. The smells, excitement, I do not think you can capture or replicate that today.

[storminsteve]

Great thread fellas.

[hookset]

That is an awesome pic finchaser. I get you could catch fish from any one of those jetties in addition to the lb pier.


They say the NE corner was the best. Great thread and pics.

[finchaser]

Especially for whiting and ling.The SE corner for Fluke. The front for tiderunner weakfish to 17-18 pounds, slammer blues to 20#, shark,bonita to 10#,spanish mackeral and albacore to 15#

Oh by the way I have pictures to prove all this,those were the good old days

[clamchucker]

Especially for whiting and ling.The SE corner for Fluke. The front for tiderunner weakfish to 17-18 pounds, slammer blues to 20#, shark,bonita to 10#,spanish mackeral and albacore to 15#

Oh by the way I have pictures to prove all this,those were the good old days

I think one of the things about the good old days is that we know we will not see them again. Like when we used to catch hundreds of weakfish at a time in the Delaware Bay off of Fortescue. Nothing can ever take those memories away though. Thanks for sharing yours finchaser.

[finchaser]

I think one of the things about the good old days is that we know we will not see them again. Like when we used to catch hundreds of weakfish at a time in the Delaware Bay off of Fortescue. Nothing can ever take those memories away though. Thanks for sharing yours finchaser.

forgot all about the runs to Delaware and shinnecock for weakfish. Your right we will not see them again nor will anyone else due to modern fishing technology, greed and ego. it's sad

[finchaser]

http://njscuba.net/sites/site_long_branch.html great pictures

[buckethead]

We even live lined moths for bats that lived under the pier but that's another story.


Fantastic pics at the scuba site thanks for sharing.
Would love to hear you tell that story finchaser. Sounds like something I would only do after a bottle of Jack Daniels. You guys must have had balls of steel.

[storminsteve]

X2 great photos thank you for sharing all the stories too. Like to hear the bat story as well finchaser.:headbang:

[buckethead]

Especially for whiting and ling.The SE corner for Fluke. The front for tiderunner weakfish to 17-18 pounds, slammer blues to 20#, shark,bonita to 10#,spanish mackeral and albacore to 15#

Oh by the way I have pictures to prove all this,those were the good old days


Thanks for sharing, and for the pics finchaser.

[storminsteve]

I hope people aren't turned off by the way I lay this down, because I have a bias here. :D Finchaser and Joe Melillo are some of the most talented fishermen from that golden era of NJ fishing, and continue to :beatin: lots of younger guys on a regular basis. They were in an elite club called Steven's Surfsters that consistently won tournaments on the NJ fishing club circuit. More about that later.

That's not the half of it though. I knew the OGB, but wasn't fortunate enough to know him well until this year. Sure he's a great fisherman, so what? :don't know why:

How many people know that he, Joe Melillo, and a few other stubborn old farts were responsible for fighting to get the out of state bunker boats away from our bunker?
JCAA and bunker boats:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5151

Did they do this in a few months? One year?

Hell no, they fought corrupt politicians, apathetic state officials, and the regulatory agencies for 11 years! :eek:

Yet I have never heard OGB or Joe Melillo brag about what they and JCAA members such as Tom Fote, Len Fantasia, Ron Sickler, and others did in the past, so that we have a future today! :clapping::clapping:
JCAA history:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5150

While other guys couldn't be bothered, or were content to "let Joe do it", there was a Joe, Ron, Bob, Tom, Len, and a few others from JCAA who, against formidable odds, and apathetic fellow fishermen, wouldn't give up until they gained some ground, marshalled the support of all the fishing clubs in the area, and got restrictions placed on the netters.

What is the significance of this, Dark?
Why are you preaching at us, why should we care what a bunch of grouchy old men did? :huh:

Because these guys were directly involved in the growth of the great NJ inshore trophy bass striped fishery we have today by getting those bunker boats removed. :learn:

I also ask when you see Fin post about the decline or lack of bass, take his words as gospel. He doesn't exaggerate, and his integrity is solid. This guy, and some others here and in the fishing world, have lived through the moratorium.

Sometimes it feels like he's yelling at me when he relates this stuff to me. That's why I call him a grouchy old bassturd. He has seen the stocks rebuilt. He and other friends of his fought for years to see that dream come true. Now they're declining, and many seem unconcerned.
(Where are the striped bass?)
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=760&page=6

Can ya blame the guy for bein just a little grouchy? :don't know why:

Since they're not the types to toot their own horns, I chose to do it for them.


I had some errands to run after work today and found myself in long branch. I walked around pier village a bit and tried to imagine how it was back then. Thank you for preserving these memories you old timers and finchaser thanks for all the stuff you guys did too and fighting against the bunker boats. I don't like the new long branch I feel it is too commerical. This thread rocks!:bigeyes:

[great_white_hunter]

I get flashbacks every time I go there....I drive by the big stone church. I can remember parking at 5am in the late 90's before school do an hour or so of surfing and then heading into school. Now I'm sure you'd have to pay to park. I liked it much better before.

[bababooey]

A little something I found on the windmill, which has been there since 1964:heart:


aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/06/the-wind... (http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/06/the-windmill-burger-review-long-branch-new-jersey.html)
A Great Burger by the Beach at The Windmill in Long Branch, New Jersey

Posted by Nick Solares (http://www.seriouseats.com/user/profile/beef aficionado), June 9, 2009 at 10:30 AM
http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/2009-06-05-Windmill-Cheeseburger-close-up.jpg
The Windmill

586 Ocean Boulevard, Long Branch NJ 07740; map (http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=586+Ocean+Boulevard,+Long+Branch,+NJ&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&cid=0,0,14869678633683167197&ei=05ktStqTJoucMqbuxNUJ&z=16&iwloc=A)); 732-229-9863; windmillhotdogs.com (http://www.windmillhotdogs.com/)
Cooking Method: Charbroiled
Short Order: Classic backyard grill-out burger served out of vintage, circa 1964 edifice that actually looks like a windmill
Want Fries with That? Untested, but they seem to be proud of their cheese fries; they get equal billing with hot dogs and burgers on the chains tag line
Price: Cheeseburger, $4.19

I don't expect every website, particularly those of hamburger joints, to be the last word in web design, but I do expect the photos of the food they use to look somewhat like the food they actually serve—especially if that hamburger is rather good. Take the website for The Windmill (http://www.windmillhotdogs.com/), for example. If I didn't know better, and if a friend who grew up near to the Long Branch original hadn't vouched for it, I would never go to the Windmill based on the picture of the hamburger (http://www.windmillhotdogs.com/images/menu/cheeseburger.jpg) they use on their website. It looks like a stock photo from an agency: big crusty looking bun, vibrantly colored rabbit food that defies gravity by not sagging under the weight of the double serving of beef, the frilly lettuce perfectly ruffled on top of the bottom bun. The picture looks like something from a generic national fast food chain whose food is worse than shown, rather than what the Windmill is: a distinctive regional chain with a burger that is much better than what is pictured on their website.
http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/2009-06-05-Windmill-exterior-jpg.jpg
Don't be fooled into getting the wrong burger. While The Windmill does offer a "California" burger with lettuce, tomato, and onion on a hard roll as pictured on their website, the basic charbroiled cheeseburger on a generic white bun is a thing of understated beauty. Even though I am a big proponent of griddle-cooked hamburgers, there is something that just feels right about eating charbroiled burgers near the beach. The salt in the air competes with the smoke from the grill for your attention as the taste of the hash marked patties evoke memories of backyard cookouts, beach parties, and summer vacations. There is something festive about this type of hamburger, but I think that they need to be eaten outdoors for the best effect. And that is where I recommend you eat the hamburger at The Windmill.
http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/2009-06-05-Windmill-ext2.jpg
It may be skinny and cooked through, but the fresh, never frozen, beef is juicy nonetheless and has some delightful grill marks that have a pleasing acridity and provide a nice crunch. Underseasoned? Perhaps a tad, but you will hardly notice if you climb the winding stairs up to the outdoor balcony, sit down on the picnic tables, and breathe in the warm, salty breeze. Although the squishy bun may be a bit large for a single patty, it is an otherwise perfect vessel for the smoky patty. You might ask for a double to redress the imbalance or you could just add some pickles and a dollop of mustard or red relish.
http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/2009-06-05-Windmill-Cheeseburger.jpg
The Windmill website might not have the best picture of the hamburgers that they serve, but it at least lets you know that the chain has eight locations (http://windmillhotdogs.com/locations.html) throughout New Jersey with a ninth opening soon in Hoboken. I can't imagine that the burgers at any of the other outposts could taste better than the one served at the circa 1964 original in Long Branch, which is the only restaurant in the chain that actually looks like a windmill. You need to be outdoors in the sun with a sea breeze blowing to get the most out of this burger.


Best burgers in the state. Fuddruckers used to be a close competitor but seem to have disappeared.

[hookedonbass]

Was looking at this thread and getting flashbacks again. Plus the windmill hamburger made me hungry. Can't wait until the weather is better and you can go into the windmill and get dogs and fries at 2am.

[CharlieTuna]

They say the NE corner was the best. Great thread and pics.




old pic I found online. I have some good memories back when I lived in Jersey and fished there.

[basshunter]

After video of the fire. Sad





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbvhNeIQaQc

[bababooey]

Wow didn't realize that was 27 years ago.

[storminsteve]

Bump for a great thread. The way things used to be compared to how they are now is a world of difference. Every holiday I go and scroll through this thread and look at the old pics. Now if you go down there it is all sleek buildings, condos, and all about folks spending money and dining and partying. That's fun but I wish I could have grown up among the old salts at the pier. Guys like finchaser and 3 fingers pete and the other salty fishermen. Must have really been a special time. gone forever but nice to reminisce, though.

[storminsteve]

old pic I found online. I have some good memories back when I lived in Jersey and fished there.

Thanks for sharing that charlie. That's what I was talking about in my previous post. Awesome.

[DarkSkies]

Bump for a great thread. The way things used to be compared to how they are now is a world of difference. Every holiday I go and scroll through this thread and look at the old pics. Now if you go down there it is all sleek buildings, condos, and all about folks spending money and dining and partying. That's fun but I wish I could have grown up among the old salts at the pier. Guys like finchaser and 3 fingers pete and the other salty fishermen. Must have really been a special time. gone forever but nice to reminisce, though.


Some of the most colorful references in this thread come from Fin....Joe Melillo....and some of the other old timers at the Long Branch fishing pier...who made that pier and the stories that still are told....the iconic place that it was....
Thought you might like to re-visit them.....:HappyWave:

[jsarosi]

Hi Dark,
Great thread! Brings back many memories for me. I fished the pier for many years and was a member of the Long Branch Fishing Club. I fished the pier since I was 10 years old. Did you guys ever had a reunion? I sure miss the pier and the regulars fishing there.

[DarkSkies]

Hi Dark,
Great thread! Brings back many memories for me. I fished the pier for many years and was a member of the Long Branch Fishing Club. I fished the pier since I was 10 years old. Did you guys ever had a reunion? I sure miss the pier and the regulars fishing there.

Hey, welcome aboard! :HappyWave:
Is your first name Joe?

If you are ever in the Point Pleasant area, drop in to Castaways bait and tackle.....
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?5299-NJ-small-business-spotlight-Castaways-Bait-amp-Tackle-Point-Pleasant

Some of the old timers from the Long Branch Pier stop by there regularly.......
I think 3 fingers Pete might have passed on....but some of the other crusty old farts are around..:)..Finchaser, Joe Melillo....etc
and you might remember Mark Ballocco....he's probably around your age........

They might be able to fill you in with some more details.......
The years I could have spent chasing fish at the pier, I spent chasing women.;)


I think that pier was one of the icons of our NJ fishing history....and you're right....the stories are great.....
Hearkening back to a lost era......

Thanks for the kind words....
Let me know if I can help ya in any other way....
PM me if you need more help or info....any time......:HappyWave:

[finchaser]

Hi Dark,
Great thread! Brings back many memories for me. I fished the pier for many years and was a member of the Long Branch Fishing Club. I fished the pier since I was 10 years old. Did you guys ever had a reunion? I sure miss the pier and the regulars fishing there.

Dark was not one of us at the pier Joe and I started the Long Branch fishing club.

On a sad note we lost Pauli Rubino a few weeks back

[buckethead]

It was you and Joe Melillo? Gosh that was a great pier. Didn't spend a lot of time there but I do remember it. Weren't they considering building another one. what happened to those plans?

[jsarosi]

Dark was not one of us at the pier Joe and I started the Long Branch fishing club.

On a sad note we lost Pauli Rubino a few weeks back
Hey fin, sorry to here about Pauli.
I wish I could remember who started the fishing club. Mark and Hans introduced me into the club. At that time it was the president(which cant remember his name either) just before Joe M. became president. I know there was Tony M., Stanley as some of founding members I believe, but I could be wrong. Anyway, haven't spoke with those guys in 20 years. A few years ago or so I stopped at Julians B/T at A. Highlands and found Dolly from the pier shop working there. Told me sad news that Hans was very sick and past away some years ago.

[finchaser]

Hey fin, sorry to here about Pauli.
I wish I could remember who started the fishing club. Mark and Hans introduced me into the club. At that time it was the president(which cant remember his name either) just before Joe M. became president. I know there was Tony M., Stanley as some of founding members I believe, but I could be wrong. Anyway, haven't spoke with those guys in 20 years. A few years ago or so I stopped at Julians B/T at A. Highlands and found Dolly from the pier shop working there. Told me sad news that Hans was very sick and past away some years ago.

Dolly just passed away also

[DarkSkies]

Joe...thanks for sharing those memories..:HappyWave:..feel free to PM us at any time....for a cup of coffee...etc...
Hint....Fin likes chocolate peanut butter cakes if you're coming down to see him....;)

RIP to Dolly.... My deepest condolences to her family and friends who remain on this Earth....

As for the other colorful characters that used to be part of the lifeblood of that pier....some are still with us....some not....
But they live on..... every time we share a memory here....so folks... if you have any...please share....honor these characters...and the place they had in our NJ fishing history.....:thumbsup:

[finchaser]

Jsarosi

Stanley Gola died a few weeks ago also

[jsarosi]

Joe...thanks for sharing those memories..:HappyWave:..feel free to PM us at any time....for a cup of coffee...etc...
Hint....Fin likes chocolate peanut butter cakes if you're coming down to see him....;)

RIP to Dolly.... My deepest condolences to her family and friends who remain on this Earth....

As for the other colorful characters that used to be part of the lifeblood of that pier....some are still with us....some not....
But they live on..... every time we share a memory here....so folks... if you have any...please share....honor these characters...and the place they had in our NJ fishing history.....:thumbsup:

Your welcome Darkskies....yeah would be great to have coffee and share more memories.

[jsarosi]

Jsarosi

Stanley Gola died a few weeks ago also
Wow, may he rest in peace. I remember he loved fishing at Cottage Place back in the days.

[finchaser]

Yes he did
Stan and his son started S&S bucktails which are in most shops
I see his son on a weekly basis

[DarkSkies]

Joe, the next time you read this thread, send me a PM.(private message)
Stock up on the tastykake peanut butter cakes and we'll take some time to go down and visit the OGB finchaser.......
He's busy lately working post retirement and fishing and catching fish....so we might have to make an appointment....:laugh: :HappyWave:

[finchaser]

Joe, the next time you read this thread, send me a PM.(private message)
Stock up on the tastykake peanut butter cakes and we'll take some time to go down and visit the OGB finchaser.......
He's busy lately working post retirement and fishing and catching fish....so we might have to make an appointment....:laugh: :HappyWave:

Don't eat them anymore they changed the chocolate :upck:

[surferman]

Changed the chocolate? don't tell me it was like when coke changed their formula. Why don't these companies ask the consumer before they do this stuff? Putting less sugar in it now?

[voyager35]

Bump for a good thread. The wife and I were down there this weekend and it is certainly changed. I would like to see some of the old-time stores reinvented and there again. I hope someday that can happen for nostalgia's sake.

[surferman]

Cool stuff. Saw a pic of this pier the other day but can't remember exactly where I saw it lol! Wish we could have a new pier. Thanks for sharing.

[fishinmission78]

Found this pic. Courtesy of Eddy and Gloria Bruno. Great thread.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=21407&stc=1

[fishinmission78]

Dolly just passed away also


Jsarosi

Stanley Gola died a few weeks ago also

Didn't know them, sorry for your loss.