Surf fishing community in particular devasted over loss of coastal staple since the 1940s
BY MIKE STEVENS
MALIBU – Among the countless structures lost in the Palisades Fire was Wylie’s Bait and Tackle which has stood since 1946. The Wylie’s owner and granddaughter of the original owners, Ginny Wylie, is reported to be safe, but the shop is a total loss and it is unknown if it will be rebuilt.
“Stopping by Wylie’s Tackle shop on PCH last Sunday morning with my bud, Colin Sako, proved to be serendipity,” posted fly-fishing author and surf-specialist, Al Quattrocchi. “We spent a good forty minutes chatting with Ginny Wylie about the golden days of California surf fishing, she shared some great photo albums of the perch derby days when Wylie’s was the official weigh-in station. We talked about the great surf fishing legend, Fred Oakley, and we talked about her grandpa that started the shop! It was a special day filled with fond memories for her! Who knew two days later the shop would be burned to the ground and all its history lost forever? I am heartbroken, especially for those who lost homes to this horrific Palisades Fire. Such a tragedy!”
Wylie’s was one of if not the oldest tackle shop in California, it had a very strong following among the surf fishing community, and Ginny Wylie served as the primary source for information on her stretch of beach that was printed in WON’s surf fishing reports for years.
One of the Yelp reviews for Wylie’s read, “Ginny knows all the ins and outs of everything fishing or Topanga related. Be ready to spend some time and share some stories. She’ll have the best deals, information, and treats for kids in the small fridge inside the shop. Amazing service, and she always helps you feel like you’re a kid about to go fishing with grandpa. Not many places like this in the world.”
