The Friendliest Catch

Teach a man to fish and he’ll feed the hungry. In the last six months, 16-year-old Max Marguleas has reeled in pounds of wild salmon and yellowfin tuna, perch, rockfish and sculpin but he hasn’t eaten a single bite.

Instead, Marguleas, an avid fisherman, donates his weekly catch to the Santa Monica Food Bank.

“I’ve always really liked fishing, so I grabbed a couple of the guys from school and we started going out every weekend to fish for the homeless,” he said. “It’s a great way to help out the local community and do what we love. It’s important to give back to those who are less fortunate because they deserve to still be cared for.”

Combining his passion with compassion, weekend fishing outings led to the formation of ‘Fishing 4 Homeless,’ a non-profit club made up of 10-15 young men from Pacific Palisades.

“We have a passion for fishing and we wanted to share it with those in need,” said Marguleas, who fishes with a Shimano Clarus rod. “I think the most challenging part is coordinating everything. Being a busy high school student, we have to coordinate times to go fish as a club and fit it into our busy schedules.”

Despite the challenges of providing the food bank with their weekly catch, Marguleas said the experience is a rewarding experience well worth the effort.

“Giving back and feeding the needy gives all the members in the ‘Fishing 4 Homeless’ club a sense of pride and accomplishment,” he said. We handle this by designating drivers on specific days and planning weeks in advance.”

The PaliHi junior learned his love of fishing from his grandfather in Wisconsin where he spent summers catching salmon.

“I love the peace and tranquility that comes with fishing. Whether you are fishing in the Rocky Mountains or on the calming shores of California, fishing always brings a feeling of relaxation with it,” he said. “Catching fish is just a bonus.”

For more information, contact Max Marguleas at maxmargu@gmail.com.