"Valentine and Friends Revisited"

[moore_rb]

Has anyone else ever read this book?

Bill Valentine was one of the early members/founders of the Cholla Bay Sportsman's club, and he wrote a weekly column for the Outdoor pages of the Az Republic in the 60's and 70's.

The book is a collection of Valentine's stories and newspaper articles from back in the "hey day" of Rocky Point fishing. He fished from a 16 foot aluminum single outboard forward console called the "African Queen"

It's a fascinating book, and a little depressing, since it serves as a reminder that the plentiful Dorado and Sailfish that used to be a 15-20 mile boat ride from Cholla Bay every summer are not as easy to come by anymore... nor are the schools or Corvina that the author talks of stacking on the beach like cordwood.

This copy was given to me by a friend who knows the Valentine family. It is really cool to read about the experiences of families that have enjoyed Rocky Point and Cholla Bay for multiple generations.

 

[Roberto]

Love to read it, if I could find a copy. Not about fishin but Gilliepie's Gold is a great read about Sierra La Pinta and Estero La Pinta.

 

[Terry C]

I would also enjoy reading it. Gilliepie's Gold was a good read and also God & Mr. Gomez about a couple many years ago buying land on the Baja side and having a house built by Mr Gomez.

 

[moore_rb]

My friend and I each got a copy of the book- it looks like it was published by the author in 1991, no commercial copyright info is incuded.

Is there a public library in Penasco? Maybe I will donate my copy after I am finished reading it...

 

[PintoPoint]

Just picked up a copy for $6 online. One available on EBAY for $99. I got a signed copy of Gillespie's Gold a couple of years ago it was a great read.

Rick
Cholla Bay

 

[moore_rb]

Ok, here's a question for some of you more "experienced" Rocky Point boat fishermen who have been covering these waters for longer than I have...

Anyone ever heard of "Saddle" reef as a nickname for any of the RP reefs?

The author of this book refers to Saddle Reef as a common bottom fishing destination for the Cholla Bay Sportsmen in the 60's and 70's.

One of his stories hints that the Saddle reef was a 45 foot deep reef about a 15-20 minute ride on a 220 heading from Pelican Point, and since the boats they were using back then were all 16-20 foot and had 50-75 horse outboards, I'm assuming that the Saddle Reef he's referring to is the same rock that Wally calls the 12 Mile Reef in his book...

Anyone else ever heard of Saddle Reef?

 

[GringoZona]

My friend and I each got a copy of the book- it looks like it was published by the author in 1991, no commercial copyright info is incuded.

Is there a public library in Penasco? Maybe I will donate my copy after I am finished reading it...

There's a library of sorts in Las Conchas, in someone's home, I think it's in Section 13, not too far after the whale skeleton. There's a sign on the main dirt road. Right next to Huckleberry's old place.

 

[PitiquitoRosy]

My friend and I each got a copy of the book- it looks like it was published by the author in 1991, no commercial copyright info is incuded.

Is there a public library in Penasco? Maybe I will donate my copy after I am finished reading it...

Yep, the Municipal Library is located directly across the street from City Hall and next door to the Municipal Auditorium and the Cultural Activities Center.

 

[Ladyjeeper]

I've read Gillespies Gold. My friend Cyrano Gonzales's dad Leonardo took him to these places way long time ago....

 

[Landshark]

Found this article. Called and talked to a family member. They have copies available for $10 and are happy to mail them. Sounded like good people!

A Cause for Bloodshot Eyeballs​

by Bill Valentine​

I've still got twitchy kneecaps from the sight Ernie Smith and I witnessed, some 15 miles offshore from Lighthouse Point, fishing out of San Carlos Bay last weekend. Ernie and I were trolling mullet from "Lil Honkee" (my 16' outboard) in the hopes that a hungry marlin or sailfish would sample our wares. All of a sudden, right beside the boat, a dozen 4 to 5 lb. skipjack erupted in a frantic effort to fly like a bird. As we watched, fascinated, up and out of the water, leisurely munching a few skips, arose one of the most awesome sights my old eyeballs ever laid upon. It was a monstrous black marlin, at least a 500 pounder, who looked big enough to us to inhale both our baits, teaser, and 50 horse outboard in one gulp. He roamed the surface, picking up injured and dead Skips for a full minute before sounding again. Old Ern and I both heaved a sigh of relief when he completely ignored our mullet.


The fishing off Guaymas was fabulous!! During the tournament, there were mucho sailfish, many marlin, boucou dolphin and one roosterfish caught. Those waters were just swarming with hungry fish--hungry for everyone else's bait but mine. Our little group did everything but land prizewinners. We had plenty of chances, missing strike after strike. About the only thing we did right, was when we were heaading back into the San Carlos Marina to pick up some fresh bait and 2 confused sailfish snagged themsleves on 2 smelly mullet Ernie and I were dragging. Even that turned out to be a little embarrassing, when our motor conked out after landing the sails and we had to be towed in by Bill Williams.


My little redheaded daughter Margi was the hero of our group, landing at least twice as many dolphin as anyone else of our group.



We caught sailfish, dolphin, skipjack, cabrilla bass, needlefish, and muffed 2 marlin strikes. We even ran into a high jumping school of ladyfish, one day, spincasting with "Hank" from one of his rental outboards.


Vern Saner of Tucson's Southwest Sportsmans Store, came within 2 inches of not being able to sit down for a month, when an angry sailfish poked his sharp snout right up thru the bottom of his outboard trying to get even with him for sticking a hook into his jawbone. Unperturbed, old Vern just moved over a fraction and went on to land the busted nosed sail.


I just heard that things are looking up down Cholla Bay way, also. My good buddy W.T. "Bub" Allison just reported bringing in the 1st Cholla sailfish. He was fishing from his 19' in/outboaard, over 15 Mile Reef, 180° from the Bay, with, get this, a light jigging outfit--rod not much heavier than a casting rod-Levelwind reel loaded with 20# Test mono. He only had one mullet bait which he generously offered to the sail, which happened to like his offering, and voila, old "Bub" will now be the proud possessor of the R and G Trophy, which will be formally presented at the next meeting of the Cholla Bay Sportsman's Club. This was Bub's 1st Cholla sailfish, and his companion, Fred McWerter, had never seen one before, so he got so excited that he got completely seasick, making it quite active aboard during the struggle.


I guess that I'm destined to be a perpetual bridesmaid--when it comes to winning things, that is.


This article is from Valentine and Friends Revisited, a collection of sketches written between 1962 and 1978 for the Arizona Republic. It is reprinted here by permission of the late author's family. If anyone would like a copy of the book, it can be purchased for $10 from Jessie Valentine, 1515 W. Rovey, Phoenix, AZ 85015. (602) 249-1364

 

[moore_rb]

Yup, the entire book is basically a chronicle of 20 years of short stories/articles similar to the one above, plus a bunch of fishing pictures, and sketches, maps and other artwork by the Author.