Steve, aka EC NEWELLMAN, got his name because of his vast knowledge of reel repair, in particular Newell Reels. Many will attest, EC is one of the most knowledgeable wreck and bottom fisherman on the east coast. He has been writing extensively on several websites for almost a decade now and his volumes of articles and stories provide us with an amazing glimpse into the life of a true fisherman.
From Steve “Ec”:
“I have always been drawn to the party boats since the first day I was taken down to Sheepshead Bay back in the late 60s and saw more boats tied to the piers then any kid could imagine. It has been a love affair that has touched, at times consumed and influenced all facets of my life from recreational fishermen, deadhead, pin hooker and in marine law enforcement. It is a unique combination, but one which I enjoyed most was the years being involved in the live blackfish fishery, being a part from its earliest stages when it was done by a mere handful of Sheepshead Bay rod and reel fishermen. I have fished with a number of the most notable names in bottom fishing from Virginia through Massachusetts and I can not thank them enough for the great lessons and influence they have given me which has led to my countless written stories of their lives and experiences.
Looking back at this, I think about the high points on my own fishing time line, but the people who shaped and made me the fishermen I am today stands out as my next door neighbor ‘Mr. B’ who started taking me on regular party boat trips when I was just a kid of 11 years old, to my commercial fishing mentor Sal Naridi, aka Sudsy who I fished with commercially years around Long Island and the waters of southern Massachusetts, to Red who gave me my first real U-Needa sidewinder along with my first set of wreck numbers on a green piece of paper which I still have saved to till this day, to Don ‘Duck’ Ambrico who is the epitome and the gold standard of a fishing mariner, who could catch any fish, design and come up with the most innovative tackle and techniques and run a boat like no other fishermen I have ever met.
I became the fisherman I am from these people who I spent countless years with. The one thing I have learned is that observation and time on the water are the most important fishermen’s tools, and the stories and experiences I write about here are from living in, and being a part of the fishing community and growing up in a place or shall I say fishing port which I am very proud to be associated with, Sheepshead Bay.
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