As 1998 draws to a close, we as a club, can look back, with pride, over our many accomplishments this year. April brought us one of the best Halibut Derby’s ever. Thanks to everyone putting forth a super-human effort, we had over 800 entrants! For the first time ever, we participated in two fishing shows prior to the Derby to publicize our club and to boost enrollment in the Derby. Our sponsors really came through in the prize department. Their generosity was overwhelming. Even though the weather did not cooperate on the opening day of the Derby, we still had a great time and the skies cleared on day two. The awards banquet was a huge success and everyone went home tired but happy. Another first this year was the awarding of the first perpetual Rowan Henry Trophy, awarded to the yacht club whose member landed the largest halibut in the derby out of all of the other yacht clubs.

Another first this year was the institution of the fishing challenges between the other clubs in Marina Del Rey and Marina Del Rey Anglers. These challenges really proved to be a lot of fun and they allowed us to become acquainted with many of the other anglers in the Marina and in turn they got to know us. Since we won ALL of these challenges, the other clubs are looking forward to rematches next year.

This year we expanded The Kid’s Day Out Fishing Program. This will enable us to reach many more kids and afford them the opportunity to share in our passion of fishing. This year instead of only one trip for the year, we had three trips. In the coming year, we hope to at least double the number of trips again, bringing the joy of fishing in the Santa Monica Bay to even more kids.

Our meetings have taken on something new also. Not only have we been holding our meetings in a new location, Burton Chase Park, but also we have been having guest speakers at the meetings to encourage more participation by making the meetings more interesting. Through publicity for these meetings, we have increased our membership by enticing prospective members to attend.

This year Marina Del Rey Anglers will have a boat in the Marina Del Rey Holiday Boat Parade on December 12^th. This is another way to show our community involvement and to get our name in front of the public and make them aware of our existence. I hope to see all of you there.

As I look forward to another year as President of Marina Del Rey Anglers, I am proud of what we have accomplished and am certain that we will continue to excel in the future. From my family to yours, we wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.

Good Fishing and Tight Lines,

Allen