The End of an Era

[David Hall]

Just read sad news on FB.
Captain Tom has sold the Huli Cat.  New owner is changing the name.
After decades of involvement with our local fisheries.
I wish him all the best in his new endeavors.
He will be sorely missed as will our trips with him on the Huli Cat.

[jlezama]

Whoa, that is really a big surprise... the end of an era indeed.
Juan

[oc1]

Huli Cat is a stupid name for a boat anyway.  "Huli" means capsize or turn over in Hawaiian.

[David Hall]

Huli Cat is a stupid name for a boat anyway.  "Huli" means capsize or turn over in Hawaiian.

I didn't know that?  Kinda cool, the upside down cat?  Always lands on its feet.

Regardless the boat and especially it's owner have been one of the Premeir Bay Afea charter operations.
A real class act, always excellant crew and always a great time.  He let my grandson sit in the pilot house and chatted with him all the way in from one of our trips.  Many thousands have been treated to his brand of a good time.

[alantani]

yup, great boat!   

[Marc Fong]

Tom is a good friend. Sorry to see his post.

[Benni3]

Huli Cat is a stupid name for a boat anyway.  "Huli" means capsize or turn over in Hawaiian.

Huli could mean happy cat with fish,,,,,,

[alantani]

Tom Mattusch
YhesftetrdaScy hehlapoortamn 1sSroa0:5reda6scoo AfiMS  ·
One of the most difficult things I have had to write.  Answering the phone, scheduling, reschedling, not knowing when crab season will start, I spent the last five years on the Dungeness Crab Task Force Whale Entanglement Group.  Listening to 'just vertical lines in the water', meetings, more meetings, public testimony at Califonria Department of Fish and Wildlife and Fish & Game Commision meetings finally took its toll.  Extremely Sad.  Huli Cat
End of an Era 
by Capt Tom Mattusch
A little over 20 years ago I bought the Huli Cat after operating other people's charter boats.  Prior to that I had a Boston Whaler 20' Outrage for fishing and diving since 1977.  It seems incomprehensible, however, due to California politics and policies, change is coming.  The straw that broke the proverbial camel's back was the California Fish & Game Commission ruling that recreational Dungeness crab would be subject to the same opening rules as commercial.  California Department of Fish & Wildlife bears a little responsibility for the upcoming change.
I've been involved in as many research projects as I could possibly find.  Engo's promoted a 'best available science' to assist governing our Federal fisheries.  I always hoped I was adding to our knowledge base and filling gaps about populations and conditions on the Pacific Ocean.  I sat on 2 different Regional Working Groups attempting to preserve as much fishable area for recreational anglers and divers.  I've worked on recreational and commercial EFP's to answer questions about populations and techniques.  I worked on stock assessments to validate fish populations.  I've participated in lingcod, halibut, salmon, albacore and Humboldt squid research projects.  I've spent 5 years on the Dungeness Crab Task Force Whale Entanglement Group representing CPFV.
I attempted to get projects like the EFP for recreational chilipepper, that was identical to a commercial project I successfully completed.  Chilipepper is classified as an underutilized species as recreational and commercial fisherman are not catching enough.  That was shot down by the California Department of Fish & Game.  I talked years ago about an opportunity for the  recreational sector to go after petrale sole fishing over 150 fathoms at the PFMC and listened to commercial fisherman bemoan, "There goes recreationals trying to ruin another commercial fishery!"  When we had depth closures, I tried to get recreationals to go after black cod and chilipepper to take the pressure off the nearshore.  Work in the Ano Nuevo MPA and reference cells contributed to a new method to interpret rockfish stock assessments.
There is an old saying, the two best days of a boatowners life are the day you buy a boat and the day you sell a boat.  There is something about being offshore on saltwater that makes that difficult to believe.  Travelling across open water, anxious to catch salmon, rockfish, albacore, Dungeness crab instills a certain joie de vivre.  Seeing how happy anglers are bringing up their first or their 1000th fish is  soul satisfying.  Seeing a crab pot come up full of Dungeness crab.  No concrete, rarely ever a traffic issue, enjoying a whale show, dolphins, birds and shark sightings beats anything you can find on TV.  Working with the Maverick's Surf events and movie, ash scatters at sea, taking Veterans out on special trips, Police Activity League trips, Children of Deaf Adults, disadvantaged youth trips, Christmas boat decorating events at Pillar Point Harbor, marrying people on the boat, parties on the boat, seeing three generations of a family fishing together, salmon, rockfish, Dungeness crab and Humboldt squid all remind me of good experiences.
I have a Simrad system on Huli Cat.  I looked at some of the long term statistics. I have traveled over 18,000 nautical miles on the current set of electronics.  Prior to the current John Deere motors, I wore out a set of Cummins engines, those replaced a pair of Detroits.  I found it almost incomprehensible it was possible to wear out propellers.
The California Fish & Game Commission meeting where it was decided recreational would be subject to the same rules as commercial Dungeness crab opening was pitiful.  Director Bonham started by saying it would be done.  There was massive public comment against this, the 5 Commissioners were unanimous in aligning the seasons if whales were present due to a lawsuit by CBD.  The was no consideration of how few recreational entanglements had ever been recorded, no credit to no CPFV entanglements ever recorded.  Rockcod crab combos are incredibly popular.  Adding red buoys to recreational crab pots?  Add the data moderate Quillback and Copper rockfish issue at the PFMC, be thankful presentations by the public saved that for now.  Don't think it is just fishing CDFW has challenges with, the California deer population is down 70% from the 1970's.
This is the end of an era.  I sold the Huli Cat.  In addition, the new owner will change the name.  The Huli Cat will only exist in memories.

[Gfish]

I emailed him about 4 times once, bugging him about the depth he was gonna fish at, for the trip I wanted to book. I know, kind of a stupid question; you go where you think the fish are gonna be. I got irritated cause he wouldn't even hint at an answer and I really prefer shallow water bottom fishing with lighter outfits. So, he brushed me off with his final answer: "there are many charter boats available to choose from in our area, so you should..." Not a hint of rudeness in his response. Probably a class act guy. Too bad I never went out with him.

[JoseCuervo]

Thanks Dave and Alan for the notice and Tom's letter, many good times were had on her under Tom's command. I wonder what the new skipper has planned.. Sportfishing I hope.

[jlezama]

I just talked to Capt Mike Cabanas and he told me they are moving the boat to fort Bragg... /

[alantani]

any idea what mike is going to be doing now?

[jlezama]

No idea, I will ask him tomorrow. Anybody joining?

[alantani]

crud....  too many people coming over tomorrow.  please keep us posted and say hi to him for me!!!!!

[Bill B]

It is a sad day when the "system" can beat someone down....I have fished the Hulicat once on an AT.com charter arranged by Juan....Tom you will be sorely missed...good luck and Godspeed for whatever your future holds for you....Bill