Few people that used the beaches in Belmar
knew what those telephone like poles, protruding from the water
three or four miles off shore were for. They held the pound nets
that catch the migrating fish, that supply the seafood markets of
New York and New Jersey.
Being interested in fishing and fishing boats, many times I went
down to the beach at 16th Avenue in Belmar where the catch was landed.
Arriving early in the morning at about five thirty or six o clock,
it was great to see these fishermen ride their dorys thru the surf
landing them on the beach. Now the great task began, transferring
the fish from the boat to waiting trucks. Denizens of the deep were
loaded into trucks that were filled with ice, to keep the catch
fresh during travel.
On morning one of the fishermen that I had befriended looked down
at me and said, "Hey Kid you like Blue Fish" I quickly replied,
"Yes Sir". With that he tossed two smaller blue fish onto the beach
near me. "Thank you very much Sir, I said. Picking up the two fish
that weighed about four pounds each, tucking them under my arms
I mounted the boardwalk and took off for Eighteen Avenue. Plodding
up 18th Avenue to our rented bungalow near F Street I presented
the prize to my Mother. She quickly gutted them, cut off heads and
tails plus fins and then scaled them,next for them it was the Ice
Box. That night for supper we had fresh BlueFish at a great price-Free.
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