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‘Buy your kid a tackle box, not an Xbox’: Massachusetts Striped Bass Association proudly celebrates 75 years
"Hopefully it’ll go on for a much longer time."
WEYMOUTH — Dozens of local fishermen filled the second-floor hall at the Weymouth Sons of Italy on Wednesday to celebrate the past, support an ailing friend in the present, and fortify the future.
When emcee Al Gag mentioned Ed Tully’s name, the laughter that reverberated around the Giuseppe Verdi Lodge all night disappeared and a hush fell over the audience. Tully, who spent three weeks in a coma and remains in the hospital battling a life-threatening heart condition, was hoping to attend the event.
However, with his heart rate unstable and doctors insisting he stay in bed, he was forced to change his plans. Members of the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association had Tully in mind as they celebrated the club’s 75th anniversary at its 890th meeting.
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“If you needed Ed, Ed would be there,” Gag told the crowd. “I said, ‘Why can’t we be here for him?’ And look at you. You are.”
Jim Dow, the club’s president from 2010-2013, helped spearhead the celebration in Tully’s honor. Together, through raffles and other initiatives, they raised more than $5,000 to support Tully and his family.
While the MBSA is a fishing organization in the purest form, it’s more than just a place to trade tips and tales.
It’s about camaraderie, friends who become family, and giving back to the community. When they participate in local cleanups, Tully is always there enthusiastically dishing out coffee and donuts. At local tournaments, he forgoes fishing himself to ensure everyone has plenty to eat.
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Dow, the current membership chairman, said Tully was “there in spirit.” While he was really hoping he could walk through the door to an ovation, Dow made it clear he was honored to support a close friend.
“He’s a nurturer,” Dow said. “He takes care of people. That’s really what we all need. If one of us was sick, Ed would be one of the first to stand up and say, ‘What can we do?’”
Patrick Paquette, president from 2001-2003, said relationships and people have driven the club for a long time, and Tully encapsulates that mindset perfectly.
“He has a heart the size of a small planet,” Paquette said. “He’s always there for the club. He’s one of those guys who gave more than he should have all the time.”
While Tully was the driving force behind the evening, it was also a chance to reminisce and flash back to the glory days.
The club, formed by a group of local fishermen, held its first membership meeting May 22, 1950.
Ever since, the MSBA has maintained its status as the recreational anglers voice in the state, attending hearings and speaking on behalf of both recreational and commercial fishermen to protect and preserve the striped bass fishery.
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Meetings began on Beale Street in Quincy, then moved to the Viking Club on the Braintree/Quincy line in the 1970s before ending up at the Sons of Italy.
The MSBA has staffed sportsmen shows, held its own fishing shows, helped pass significant legislation, and served as a liaison between the people and government.
The club has a rich history of past members, including Governors Paul Volpe and Francis Sargent, Lt. Governor and former Secretary of Defense Elliot Richardson, and Red Sox legend Ted Williams, to name a few.
Paquette, who met his wife through the club, said the history of the organization has been “amazing.” Before the word influencer existed, the MSBA was exactly that.
“For a long time, this was the largest open-to-the-public fishing organization in the nation,” Paquette said. “For most of our existence, by far in New England.”
Although the MSBA has many high-end anglers, it’s always been a club for everybody.
It’s free to attend a meeting, and yearly dues are just $25 for adults and $15 for seniors. Even when times are tight, those involved agree it should remain free to enter. Anything else would go against the club’s core values.
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Charity tournaments, herring run maintenance, and a toy drive that benefits Boston Children’s Hospital are part of the regular rotation. The organization runs mystery trips, where participants show up at a local Dunkin’ with a certain kind of tackle and don’t know where they’re heading next. It’s a supportive, inclusive environment that prioritizes the needs of others over its own.
At its peak, the club had more than 700 members in one year. Currently, it has fewer than 500 people – a product of fewer bass and a sign of the ever-changing times. The club is collaborating with nearby communities in an effort to drive younger people to become fishermen to keep the tradition alive.
“Hopefully it’ll go on for a much longer time,” current president Jack Illingworth said. “I hate to say things are going to die, but the internet and all that stuff is keeping a lot of the younger crowd away. Why go sit and talk to somebody when I can watch a video? It sucks, but it’s a fact of life that we’re dealing with.”
If Wednesday night is any indication, the local fishing community is still robust and passionate. With legendary fisher “Crazy” Alberto Knie in the house, locals posed for pictures and listened to Knie’s secret tips.
Knie is known for barely skirting alligators and reeling in massive fish, but it turns out there’s a method to his madness. He encouraged fishers to log their attempts, fish both four days before and after the full moon, and be deliberate about when and where they go. Big fish are creatures of habit, he insisted, so people should follow patterns as well.
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“The bank is loaded with money,” Knie said. “But you need to know the code.”
Knie’s involvement illustrated the close-knit nature of the community and how much of a voice and purpose the MSBA still has. This was a momentous, out-of-the-ordinary event, but members hope it yields a steady stream of strong turnouts in the future.
Upcoming events include a clam bake for members, a tournament, and an outing at Pageant Field in Quincy.
Those involved know the world is changing and understand the internet dictates attention spans. At the same time, they hope to keep the mission alive for as long as possible and enrich as many lives as they can.
“To the people out there,” Gag said, “buy your kid a tackle box, not an Xbox.”
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