A FISH STORY; LONG-RANGE ANGLING TRADE HAD MODEST INCEPTION.

Byline: Brett Pauly Daily News Outdoors Editor

``Let's make history.''

The words were uttered in October 1936 by Jesse Geltman, one of 12 passengers aboard the 65-foot Sportfisher II as it departed San Diego on what is considered the first organized long-range trip.

And they did, according to San Diego angling historian Ed Ries, author of ``Tales of the Golden Years of California Ocean Fishing: 1900-1950.''

The vessel returned to port after a two-week voyage to Mexico's Cabo San Lucas with 23 sailfish and 54 marlin in the ice hold, Ries said, citing newspaper accounts of the day and a biography of the boat's owner and operator, San Diego entrepreneur Frank Kiessig.

The buzz from the journey was riveting and unique. Angler Mike Wartinik boated five marlin on his first outing in one of the four 16-foot skiffs carried by the Sportfisher II and was unable to raise his right arm during the remainder of the trip. A hooked marlin rammed his skiff, leaving three inches of its bill embedded in the hull.

``It caused a sensation among the angling circles,'' Ries said. And so was born the long-range tradition.

Kiessig, an outdoorsman who had owned a successful hardware business but longed to get into the sport-fishing trade, began motoring to Mexico's Guadalupe Island on six-day trips in August 1937 and returned to regale stateside anglers with narratives of monster tuna, including a 183-pounder, and yellowtail exceeding 80 pounds. The next year he built the Sportfisher III to sleep 36 passengers instead of 18; it had a cruising range of 3,000 miles round-trip instead of 2,000.

``He had a monopoly on long-range trips early on,'' Ries said.

Kiessig died in 1938 and his son Otto took over until World War II put a halt to such endeavors. Otto Kiessig started the business again after the war and built the Sportfisher IV, V and VI before selling out to another operator, who in turn sold out to Lee Palm, famed for his Red Rooster long-range boats and the charter operation which still bears his name.

The long-range trade took off in early 1950s with Palm and Bill Poole - who broke into the business with his original Polaris - at the helm, Ries said.

Poole made his first long-range trip in 1951 - seven days to Guadalupe Island with 13 passengers who paid $175 apiece. ``It was really tough,'' Poole said. ``There was no refrigeration; it was all ice. No showers, either. We turned on a small deck hose and passengers washed with saltwater.''

Poole, who today operates a booming outfit under his flagship Excel, is largely credited with pushing long-range fishing to its present state. Ships provide luxurious accommodations, gourmetlike meals and the ability to travel 23 days and fetch yellowfin tuna to 400 pounds to the tune of more than $4,000 a ticket. ``It's been tremendous leaps and bounds,'' said the San Diego businessman.

With the proximity to Mexico's agreeable climate and tremendous big-game fish, Ries said, ``There is nothing like this in the world. We have the only live-bait, long-range sport-fishing fleet in the world.''

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Sport-fishing landings up and down the coast have their standard trips - half-day, three-quarter-day, full-day and, occasionally, 1-1/2-day.

San Diego's fleet is largely recognized for longer outings.

There is some confusion, however, over what to call its two- to four-day trips. They are alternately called multiday, short-range and mini-long-range and can vary in price from $179 ``super savers'' to about $1,000. Hot bites often determine destinations just prior to departure.

More aggressive ventures, from five to 23 days, are known as true long-range trips and generally have set destinations to Mexican waters months in advance. The longest trips are typically slated from September through early June to avoid hurricane season. Prices: $650 to more than $4,000.

Permits, additional galley bills (on top of meals, which are included in the ticket), fish cleaning (usually 30 cents to 40 cents a pound) and crew tips can add hundreds of dollars to the tab.

- Brett Pauly

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1--Color) Left, anglers in a quadruple hookup battle monster tuna catch at Guadalupe Island during a long range trip. One rod is obscured by a deck hand clearing a line.

(2--Color) These yellowfish tuna from Guadalupe Island were the result of patience during a recent multiday trip. The anglers caught 255 tuna in a 12 hour period.

Brett Pauly/Daily News

(3) A broadbill landed with rod and reel, 355 pounds, in 1913.

Courtesy Michael Farrior, Tuna Club

BOX: WHAT`S IN A NAME? (see text)