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Angler's Profiles
by Mike Lanni
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| A series of articles introducing RISAA members to the rest of the club. |
| (From the March, 2001 Newsletter) GEORGE OAKLEY |
As we enter our fourth year of tournament
competition, certain RISAA members are beginning
to establish themselves as premiere anglers with exceptional skills.
Dave Fewster, who already was considered one of the best all-around
fishermen in the club, outdid himself this year with a 52 pound bass.
His mentor, Skip Stritzinger, consistently weighs in bass over 40
pounds, his biggest of the past year topping out at 47. Rich and
Gisele Golembeski, a husband and wife team from northern Rhode Island,
routinely catch fluke the size of manhole covers. Then, of course,
there's 3-time Angler of the Year Joe Pearson, who seems equally adept
at catching all species of fish.While every angler has his or her favorite quarry, it seems fairly obvious that the man to beat when it comes to tautog fishing is Newport's George Oakley. Over the past two years, George has weighed in some monster-sized blackfish, including a 14 pounder last year that took 1st Place honors in our club's Yearlong Tournament. Once you know a little bit about George's background and upbringing, it's easy to understand how he has come to be, not only a successful fisherman, but more importantly, a successful businessman and family man. George is the son of the late George Oakley, Sr. who recently passed on a the age of 71. A man of considerable accomplishment, the elder Mr. Oakley was an inspirational figure to his son. 
George Sr. was an avid fisherman who fished both commercially and recreationally.
He was also a tireless worker who, in addition to working on a number of
inshore/offshore draggers, moonlighted as a full-time firefighter for the
city of Newport. Incredibly, he also found time to start a small bus
chartering business, providing tours of Newport's mansions to the local tourists.He passed on to young George, not only the skills as a fisherman, but his unparalled work ethics and business savvy. Before George Jr. reached his fourth birthday, he was fishing side by side with his dad from the family boat, a 18' wooden lapstrake. Although bass and blues were sometimes pursued, blackfishing was their passion. By the time he was in his teens, George Jr., having learned from one of the best, was among the best tautog fishermen that Newport had to offer. George remembers some unbelievable fishing trips with his dad that took place in the 60's and 70's. The fish were plentiful and there were no bag limits. It was not uncommon for the two to boat 500 to 600 pounds of blackfish in an afternoon, with many in the 8 - 10 pound range. George still fishes many of the humps and rockpiles today that provided large numbers of fish years ago, but the fish are nowhere as plentiful. Still, if there are fish to be caught, he is most likely to wrestle the biggest one out of the rocks. Seal Ledge, "The Fountain," and the "2A" can off Brenton Reef are some of his favorite early-Fall spots. As the season progresses, he fishes the deeper waters of Washington Ledge and old Brenton Tower. He uses an open-faced Newell graphite conventional reel on a Penn Slammer 6-1/2 foot rod for blackfish, and keeps his rigs very simple, tying dropper loops directly off the 30-pound test main line. One of George's secrets to catching large togs is using large rock crabs, rather than small green crabs, for bait. The larger crab legs, hooked through 8/0 Eagle Claw hooks, seem to eliminate smaller fish. He fishes from his 26' Chris Craft Sportfisherman, Rhodes Runner, and likes to be anchored up between one hour before and one hour after each tide change. Some of the biggest blacks that George has ever caught hit at dead slack tide, including a 17.8 pound cow, his biggest ever caught in the mid 1970's. These days, he has a new fishing partner - his son Bryan, who is also a RISAA member. The 
tradition Oakley father and son team has endured for another generation,
to the dismay of the local blackfish population!George has another son, Matthew, who prefers golf to fishing. George and Bryan both golf too, but for both, that sport ranks a distant second to fishing. George's wife Laura, whom he married in 1978, will occasionally join him on the golf course. She also enjoys moonlit cruises on the bay with her husband, especially after a long day at the office. In fact, moonlit cruises are an Oakley family specialty, as well as daytime sight-seeing trips. Remember that tourist chartering company that George's dad started back in 1962? Viking Charters, as it was called, has grown to include not only a fleet of buses, but also a 140-passenger sight-seeing boat that sails out of Newport Harbor. 
George is heavily involved in the day-to-day operation of Viking Charters,
and like his dad, George has always worked two jobs. In fact, he was
a firefighter for the Newport Fire Department, recently retiring after 25
years of service.For George, nothing relieves the stress of a heavy work schedule like a day of fishing. Although his dad is no longer living, George still feels his presence whenever he is out on the water. Sometimes he smiles when he remembers the fun times the two shared. Some of the most lighthearted moments he recalls occurred on a 45-foot headboat that he and his dad ran quite a few years back. George Jr., ever the resourceful entrepreneur, had decided to combine his ability as a fisherman with his experience in the chartering industry to turn a profit. Most of the fishermen they took out were relatively inexperienced. The Oakleys would be entertained by fishermen on opposite sides of the boat whose lines were tangled, who would fight "each other" for 5 or 10 minutes before realizing their plight. Another common occurrence was people falling overboard. George Jr. had actually perfected a technique for this type of situation - he would gaff the unfortunate fellow in the shirt collar and hold him along side of the boat while dad tossed out a life preserver! If there is a lesson to be learned from the Oakley family history book, it's that there is no substitute for a father in a man's life. George Oakley Jr. credits his dad for all the success that he enjoys today, and hopes to instill in his own sons the same values and work ethics that were passed on to him. The Oakley formula for success is simple - work hard, fish hard. Works for me! |
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