In Memory & Never Forgotten

There are so many that have entered our doors and our hearts. We are so fortunate to have had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful anglers. We get to know some more than others, but we consider all that walk through our doors an extended family. Bait shops are social places-there's conversations that goes beyond fishing, similar to a bar or barbershop/hairdresser. We've developed friendships and we've become close with many. There are times when we don't see anyone any longer and we ponder why. Sometimes we find out, sometimes we don't and sometimes we learn that they have passed on.

This page is to honor those we know that have passed on, but will forever remain part of us, our memories.

In honor of all

Thank You for touching our lives

Remembering

Bruce Hannah

Bruce Hoagland

Bruce worked for me and we quickly became very close. He looked after me, cared for me and my kids. Bruce was brutally honest but always came from his heart. He had a zeal for intelligence & he was known to quiz someone to assess their level of knowledge. Bruce was extremely passionate about fishing. When he moved to Florida we remained in contact and I would visit him there. He fought cancer for many years, but he fished twice a day every day as long as he was able. Fishing with him, going out to eat, confiding in each other, he was a source of inspiration & an amazing man. He is greatly missed.

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Bruce Hoagland

Bruce was owner of Bruce & Pat's Bait & Tackle before it became Surf City Bait & Tackle. Bruce remained involved in the fishing industry by selling his handtied rigs to local bait shops, including mine, and also would sell at fishing flea markets with his wife Pat. Bruce was hard working, kind, funny man. He is a local icon on LBI and surrounding areas.

John Adair

Bruce Hoagland

John Adair

John was a long time fisherman and name well known to the Derby. His friends this year honored his memory by offering a cash prize in this years tournament and was won by angler John Baxter. His memory honored by those who knew him best and a beautiful testimonial of the man he was.

Mike Fahy

Matt Chovit

Mike, a member of The Heaver's Fishing Club and board member of The Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic. Mike was nice, kind, soft spoken. Almost always with wife Pam at his side, fishing or not. A true gentleman.

Matt Chovit

Way too young & unexpected.

Matt was one of my springtime, after hour anglers. Come April I could always expect the texts to start rolling in. Matt was funny, intellectual and a great conversationalist. He was an active listener, thoughtful and someone you quickly became at ease around. Damn, spring just wont be the same without him.

John Sweet

Matt Chovit

John Sweet

John, a member of LBIFC and secretary of The Long Beach Island Surf Fishing CLassic, loved to talk and share his knowledge of fishing by teaching classes at the SC library, and would always take the time to help anyone.

Mike Gowen

Pete Shearer

Mike, a member of LBIFC and one of my weekday guys. I can not think of Mike without thinking of Vince. Inseparable and best friends and complete opposite personalities. It was Vince who called to tell me and my sadness was for him as much as it was for Mike. Mike was chill. Just a great all around kind of guy.

Pete Shearer

First time meeting Pete I was signing him up for the NJ Saltwater Registry and questioned his name & address because I knew someone from college with the same name. Turned out this was dad. Resulted in me reconnecting with son Pete. Dad was dapper, proper, sweet, caring a great conversationalist, and quickly learned where his son got his party genes from.

Ray Sullivan

Pete Shearer

Ray Sullivan

Ray was an avid angler well known to The Derby and hardcore anglers. He and his wife Joan fished hard for not only the spring & fall runs, but kingfish was a favorite to target as well.

Ray was the grand prize winner for his striped bass in 2010 weighing in at 56.44 lbs!!!

Roger Lauderback

Scotty "The Mayor"

Roger was a member of the LBIFC and had been coming to my shop forever it seems. He enjoyed talking, putzing around and taking his sweet time getting his things together to go fishing or crabbing. He was friendly, kind and adored his family. When he found out I enjoyed venison he told me he'd bring me some. Next time he shows up with enough to fill my freezer. He was the first I knew to have a motorized beach cart and would gladly let him charge it here while he hung around and talked. Some of his stories would catch me off guard. He had quite a history that made you think hmmmm, it's always the ones you don't expect, lol. Nothing bad, but lets just say he enjoyed life!

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Scotty "The Mayor"

Scotty was in one word boisterous! He embraced what he loved head on- fishing, The Eagles, Jack Daniels and his off limits sweets. What you saw was what you got-he was true to himself, his laughter contagious and gave great bear hugs.

Dick Kuhn

Scotty "The Mayor"

Dick Kuhn

Dick's history included being captain of The Norma K II & III, running Gates Bait & Tackle and working here at SCBT. He was also my step father. He was kind, gentle, funny, set in his ways. It's only been just over a week since he died so it's raw & the reflections many. He had been in my life for over 40yrs. My introduction to fishing was because of him & every Sunday I was on The Norma K II for both trips. He was a great fisherman but not once did he have an interest to fish from the surf. He was all boat. He attended Admiral Farragut Naval Academy before college at University of Virginia and he held a USCG 100 ton Master Mariner's Credential.

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Will Nitschmann

Willaim Fitzgerald

Will Nitschmann

Will was my Folsom Rep and his brother n law to my doctor. Will was too young and this was unexpected. Will was one of the nicest, most down to earth, would do anything for you kind of person. His impact was large. Beyond fishing he was always talking about baseball and his son. Far too young.

Tobacco Jack

Willaim Fitzgerald

Will Nitschmann

This one! My Tobacco Jack. This ole' sweet, feisty, caring, loving, funny man captured my heart from the first time meeting him. To know him was to love him. He had been an angler of The Derby for 65 years. He never missed a year. For his last one, the 65th, he signed his registration from his hospital bed. The Derby-it was that special

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Willaim Fitzgerald

aka "Blue Eyed Bill" as he had the most beautiful blue eyes that sparkled even more when he got into fish, especially on his birthday. Bill would walk to his spot everyday with his beach cart and set up. He was a known regular and his kind, soft spoken manner will be missed.

John McHenry

John was in my phone as Tobacco Jack son's best friend. I have so many John's in my phone & It was the only way I could remember him when we first met. That soon changed as I got to know him, but kept him in my contacts that way. I can not think of John without thinking of Tobacco Jack or Paul. John was a bull in china shop! He was loud with no filter, but if he considered you a friend you were fortunate because he was loving, kind and had a huge heart. I was one of the fortunate ones and hated getting Paul's phone call this week telling me the sad news. I hope he knows how much he touched my life.

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