The Mission Bay Marlin Club (MBMC) was formed August 17, 1972 by a group of entrepreneurs who felt that Mission Bay had great potential for sports minded anglers. In order to encourage and promote sportfishing, an official weigh station was installed and the original MBMC clubhouse was built at the water’s edge overlooking the marina. The building remains there today at the head of the easternmost dock at Islandia Marina. These savvy businessmen felt that a vibrant sportfishing community would benefit and promote their newly built Islandia Hotel.
In 1976 the club founders terminated their hotel business interests and transferred control of the Mission Bay Marlin Club to its members. No longer associated with the hotel, the club membership eventually found it financially necessary to relocate the clubhouse. In 1985 MBMC moved downstairs, below the original Islandia clubhouse. The clubhouse then moved across Quivira Basin to Mission Bay Marina in August 1997. In June 2000 the clubhouse was relocated to a newly built facility at Dana Landing, where it remains today.
The annual MBMC Marlin Tournament, established in 1975, is one of the oldest Marlin tournaments in southern California, and in its early days was always the last southern California marlin tournament of the season. It also had the distinction that first place was awarded for the “smallest” marlin weighed in, thereby establishing a theme of fun than serious tournament fishing. In keeping with catch and release conservation efforts, the tournament was changed to a catch-and-release or keep format in which anglers of qualified fish are entered into a drawing for tournament prizes, thus continuing the theme of fun.
Mission Bay Marlin Club continues to be a year-round fishing club. MBMC has a strong saltwater angling association with roots firmly entrenched in the pursuit of local gamefish. Each year there are several tournaments, “Fish of the Month” competition, social functions and a monthly newsletter.
MBMC is governed by a Board of Directors chosen from the membership.
Past Presidents of the Mission Bay Marlin Club
1972 – 1974 J. Floyd Andrew
1975 Karl Tuttle
1976 Bob Smith
1977 Vince Mucillo
1978 Don Sanderson
1979 Trent Huls
1980 Jim Valentine
1981 Ron McHugh
1982 Bob Smith
1983 Chuck Troftgrubem
1984 Gerald Campbell
1985 Bill Mac Dowell
1986 Bob Burns
1987 Ann Belus
1988 Richard Minter
1989 Scott Jarvie
1990 Stuart Winters
1991- 1992 Jerry Lively
1993 Jeff Meeker
1994 – 1995 Jim Bartuch
1996 Marshall Lingren
1997 John Coyle
1998 – 1999 Mike Bratton
2000 – 2001 Gerry Charest
2002 Chuck Carey
2003 – 2004 Ken Yasuda
2005 Shawn Kaus
2006 Paul Himmelberger
2007 Dan Muslin
2008 – 2009 Jerry Lively
2010 – 2011 Jeff Meeker
2012 – 2013 Tony Sanfilippo
2014 Jerry Lively