The sun., 1919-10-26
AL FOSTER FIRST IN
ANGLERS HEARTS
Pioneer of Deep Sea Fishing
Made Study of Places Where
Fish COngregate.
STARTED TRIPS IN 1865
Untiring in His Efforts to
Find New Grounds in
Local Waters.
STARTED TRIPS IN 1865
by ARTHUR THORNTON.

His position among fishing captains
and pilots is unique indeed for he stood
in class by himself-no man In his
particular line ever achieved more, or
for that matter as much, as this dean of
deep sea fishing pilots in New York
waters.
His record is page filled with FISH,
ing successes. with the record of nntir-
ing efforts to locate new grounds-ef-
forts that were rewarded with the. un-
precedented popularity that came to him
and remained with him UP to the time
of his death.
In personality al" Foster was quiet
man and one whom you would not take
TO be a seaman to judge by his appear
ance. though. as matter of fact, he
knew more about the Fishing Banks
than any other man.
There are a myriad OF anglers who
sailed with him on the Dolphin, and
later, on the renowned Angler, who re-
member him on still earlier boats. and
it Is my good fortune to be able to pre-
sent complete record OF the boats he
sailed in. as set forth in the American
Shtpbuilder of Oct, FL, 1905. through the
courtesy of Captain "Bill' Allen of the
Yankee Doodle Of Sheepshead Bay.
First Went to Banks in 1899.
This journal says: "a. G. Foster, or
~ he is better known. 'Ar Foster, char
tered and ran the Silas o. Pierce on
Sunday, May 20. 1856. In 1867 he ran
several times; in 1868 he had the
Charles Chamberlain. 1869 William Tit
lamar and such big boats as the State
Of Maine and Rip Van Wrinkle. This
was in 1870: in 1871 the New Champion
and Eliza Hancock. The last of the big
boats which ran to the Banks with sue
cess was the Monitor"
About this time the Fulton Market
Eishermen's Association devised means
tor capturing the porgies down East and
keeping them in pounds until wanted,
thereby driving the big boats out Of
fishing excursions, and in the meanwhile
thinking It advisable not to risk OPP
position against these large craft ex-
cept running early in the season.
On one of these occasions he had
the pleasure of seeing two Of the
best fishing steamboat pilots of that
time, one of them having charge of the
Virginia Seymour the other of the Only
Son. both boats being under charter by
Foster, he being unable to accommodate
more than 400 on one boat. SO he hired
the latter vessel.
The result of that days catch being
one bergall and one lobster, All made
Up his mind that he would try to
learn to locate the reefs and rocks that
he had heard old smack fishermen talk
HDOuL as DelnB OH SHOTS III tHS pldCtb
where the regular big boats had run
about three months IN the year.
That was off Seabright. around and
near, what is now called the spar buoy.
on the latter place they usually caught
immense numbers of porgies, few
sea bass and beachfish at such places
as are now known the Highlands,
Rocky Hill. the of shore places of the
same Staten Island in and off shore
and at Elberon.
All Year Grounds Unknown.
England Ireland. Farms and Seven
teen Fathom banks they knew nothing
of, but by the knowledge of to-day II
IS possible to catch all kinds OF fish
IN their season all the year around.
The special pilots that they had in
those days (Anderson Colwell and Sam
Greenwood) called the Cholera Banks.
or a small part OF the same. Eastern
Banks We have also a series of places
along the southern shore off Long Island
which are known the Seagull Banks; :
or Sandy Hook Lirhtship the Mussel
Grounds off Long Beach, the iberia
wreck, the Middle Grounds, the North
western and the Southern Cholera
Banks, all Of which constitute part of
the Eastern Banks: and to locate these
ridges It took years OF hard work and
study.
In 1873 "Al" Foster, by agreement
MANAGED the Charles Chamberlain
during the swimmer months; in 1874 he
ran the William Fletcher. Virginia
Seymour and Seth Low. In the early
part OF 1875 he ran the Virginia Sey-
Ynour to Sandy Hook dock and the
fishing banks.
The last chartered vessel he ran was
the Seth Low. which was run on June s.
snd after which he managed the Seth
Low for six years
II was on Thanksgiving Day OF that
year ne ran the first goldfish trip that
was ever made nv anv steamboat from
this port fishing for cod In these waters.
In the fall of the year 1881 the Seth
Tow was sold 10 the Astors. who wanted
her down South. AL" had to look for
snother boat, which he secured in the
George Kelsey, but fishing being poor
that season she quit running In Sep
tember. Then he managed the Marion,
eodfshinR that fall. but instead OF catch
ing cod they caught sea bass, porgies
and weaknsh, but the owner would not
run for those kinds OF fish.
Early the next year there was an
,greement made between ]. W. Hancock
end Foster to run the J. r. Schuyler !;
this lasted six years
In 1887 "Ar' ran the Bay Ridge; in
1888 he bought the Angler, which he
ran TO the fan Of 1891. when the AL
+. Foster Steamboat Company was formed,
which was dissolved In 1897. Foster be-
coming sole owner OF the Angler until
this year. when it was changed TO the
EAR Foster Transportation Company.
First Place in AnRlers' Hearts.
This then Is the chronological history
OF this famous fishing captain UP to
1905, but think that most men will
have more interest In the Dolphin and
especially the Angler than the earlier
beats for II was with the Angler that
GAY made his greatest successes.
The Angler was a boat that was espe-
eially liked by fishermen on account of
her top deck being so arranged that you
could walk all around II In following
your line, the paddleboxes being flush,
or nearly so with the deck II l remember
3 rightly.
Another feature Of this boat was the
good dinner served for very reasonable
charge and many dinner have I had
aboard OF her in the company of Cant,
II Louis Harm.
Old timers too, will recall "Ars"
protheT Fred, who had the fish finding
IN instrument who used TO be purser.
III Ahother very remarkable thing ahout
Il this famous boat was her singular eood
II fortune for she seldom had any sort ~
socidenI S'' VI