The Yale Fishing Club was founded in 1954 by Ed Migdalski, former Director of Club Sports at Yale and former coach of the Yale Skeet & Trap Team (www.yale.edu/skeet).   Ed founded the Club Sports program at Yale, and he was a pioneer in spreading the Club Sports concept nationally.  He also founded the Yale Outdoor Education Center in East Lyme, Connecticut, the current site of the Edward C. Migdalski Pond. 

Until the early ’70s, the club’s seminal event of the year was a three-day deep sea fishing competition held in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.  Twelve college teams participated each year—five from the United States, five from Canada, and one each from Mexico and Japan.   Corporate sponsors and the Canadian Government covered all of the equipment and vessel costs at the intercollegiate competition.

Each year, the team with the highest total poundage of fish caught took home first-place honors.  Yale’s team held its own in the competition.  In 1956, Alan Woodprince secured the win for Yale by landing a 560-pound bluefin tuna—the club’s record to date.  By the early ‘70s, depleted fish populations and declining interest brought the competition to its end.

When the Intercollegiate Game Fish Match and Seminar ceased functioning after 1973, Yale grad student Don Millus, then working at Coastal Carolina College, moved a smaller version of the tournament to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Yale team continued to attend that contest until the fishing became poor and the match was shortened. In June 2009, Professor Don Millus, the creator and organizer of the Coastal Carolina event, passed away after a short illness. Although Millus-a legendary fishing enthusiast, scholar, poet and Yale Fishing Club member-will not be present at any more tournaments, he is fondly remembered by the participants who have been involved with the tournament over the years. For a news article about the event, click here: http://ww2.coastal.edu/millus/angling/2004/08-12-04.htm

Today, Ed’s son Tom Migdalski continues in his father’s footsteps as faculty advisor and head of the club.  Coach Migdalski is director of Club Sports and Outdoor Education at Yale, as well as the Coach of the Yale Skeet & Trap Team.  He is also an outdoor writer and photographer, having published numerous articles and books on the shooting sports and saltwater fishing.  Last, Coach Migdalski is a USCG-certified captain.