I spoke with Al a little over a week ago. Basically, he wanted to tell me he was ready to go. "Hello Colin, I'm just calling to let you know Evelyn and I are getting close". Through a poor connection we talked for a bit, I told him I loved him, and to give me a call sometime, but really not knowing if I would ever speak to him again.
If you've been a reader of this blog then you know, Al, for years, was my guy. There might have been a slight age difference, just 44 years, but we had one thing in common, our love and passion for everything striped bass. That's all we talked about. Al stopped fishing about 6 years ago and I was with him on his last few outings. Around the time Al stopped, beach replenishment started and the fishing slowed along the Jersey Shore. Selfishly he was happy to hear that, it was good timing of the slowdown for someone tapping out of the sport. Soon after they sold the house in Allenhurst and moved to North Carolina to be closer to their daughter. Since the move and every time I head home after fishing in Deal I pull down Spier Avenue and think of my old buddy, then hit Cravings and hit the road west.
Today I got a call from Al's son who informed me that his Mom had passed away Sunday, July 17th. He followed that with the news that 17 hours later Al had followed her. While I am saddened, I was also glad, and happy, that they both were able to transition and pass away peacefully, and remarkably within a day of each other. I had spoke of this with his son last week, what a blessing it would be if their time came somewhat close to each other, well one day is amazing. They were married 68 years, he 98 and she 92 years old. They have a beautiful family. They lived a good life.
Al and Evelyn, well she would be pissed at me for listing Al first....wait, let's just put it out there, Evelyn didn't like me all that much. She wasn't impressed by me, didn't care much about the blog, or even when Al was featured on it. Through his life, and his marriage, Al fished a lot, I mean a lot, no really that much. So her love of things fishing and striped bass related had worn thin. With me it was all pretty good until I got divorced, then forget it, and then once I re-married, I think she thought I was evil. But there were many times before that when she tolerated me. We would have a meal or coffee and some pastries that I would pick up from the local bakery or deli. She was nice and kind to me. She let me into their house and let Al give me the tour of the garage where he kept his gear and upstairs where his fly tying stuff was. I even got invited to a few family functions. I know she really liked me deep down, or not. But I liked her. But I loved him.
Al and I spent our best times talking. I was lucky enough to have met Al and he would educate me and tell me stories about fishing around Deal, which was really his favorite place to fish. And I was there before the beach replenishment projects started and killed "Jetty Country". It was good timing because I could take what he was telling me and put it into practice.
Many mornings Al would beat me to the beach. He would either have a spinning rod, something that was easier for him as he got older, or his favorite fly rod in hand. He would be fishing or reading the water to watching if the bass were active, and he would always have great joy in sharing what he saw, sees, or what I should see. I always liked fishing with Al, it really brings back great memories.
And Al was funny too. He wasn't a big laugh-out-loud guy, but had great sense of humor and a smile that just melted your heart. So see the picture of Al above, not bad, a guy with a fish, but look at what he had on down south. It was probably an old pair of swimming trunks he used when he
was surfing, something I think he took up in his 60's and lasted for a while until Evelyn put the brakes on it. Right before I met Al, in 2011 or 2012 he had a bad fall on the jetty that left him bloodied and bruised up and "that was it", Al said, as Evelyn also applied the brakes on that, which was probably done out of concern and love. He most likely knew it was time to quit that also, but liked to blame it on his wife.
Al spent a year trying to catch his first striped bass and that day happened on August 8, 1952. He wasn't living in Allenhurst at the time, I think they were in Highland Park, so he would drive south to fish each morning, before driving back north to go to work each day. That was 70 years ago. One thing is for sure, I will be fishing this August 8th for a striped bass, somewhere, and it will be on that 70th anniversary.
Before their move south I went over to say my goodbyes. The family was there helping with the downsize and move and sale of the house. He had rods and fly tying and stuff, but I only asked for one thing, his Creek Chub. That was the only lure I ever saw Al throw, and catch on. Same spinning rod, same lure, when he wasn't fly fishing. Of course I still have it and I will always cherish it.
So good bye my dear friend. I hope in heaven the tide is always good, the wind at your back, and the bass are at your feet and hungry. RIP Al and Evelyn Walker, July 17 & 18, 2022.
