The Fisheries The south shore is world famous for the many species of fish and shellfish that live year round, spawn or give birth, or rest on their way to warmer or colder habitats. Fluke and flounder, clams and crabs, and bait fish such as killeys, bunker and spearing are just the tip of the […]
Joey Scavone: Fisherman Joey Scavone was born in Freeport and began fishing with his father, a devoted recreational fisherman. Like most recreational fishermen, his father awoke young Joey in the early morning hours to go fishing for striped bass and blue fish, which were abundant in the south shore bays near Jones Beach and Captree. “We’d […]
Bill Hamilton: Bayman Bill Hamilton was born in Sayville and lives in Patchogue. He learned to fish, clam, and to catch oysters from local fishermen and baymen like Samuel Ockers; he also catches fluke, flounder, and eels using pound traps and fyke nets. Besides being a fisherman Bill is also a boat builder who makes […]
Fire Island The history of Fire Island is a long and complicated one, beginning with its Native American settlements. Local indigenous peoples harvested shellfish and finfish including migrating whales, traditions that were shared and passed on to new European immigrants who settled in Bay Shore, Moriches, and other shoreline communities. To protect regional commerce the […]
Filmmaker Glenn Gebhard and Long Island Traditions produced “Baymen,” a documentary on the south shore baymen of Long Island in 1994. Featured in the film are Flo Sharkey, John Buczak, Tom Kuehas and other crabber, clammers, and killey trappers. This 1-hour video explores the history and contemporary hardships faced by baymen, and their future on Long […]
Fish Markets & Eateries Waterfront hotels and clam bars have marked the landscape of the south shore since the late 19th century, when more visitors, including estate owners, sportsmen and recreational fishermen began exploring the region, during summers and on weekends. Soon afterwards various investors began building summer hotels, from Long Beach to Patchogue, most […]
Baymen’s Homes The earliest European colonists were fishermen and baymen, along with farmers and various tradespeople, all of whom depended on each other for their livelihoods. They settled throughout Long Island, with English settlers living primarily on the East End, and Dutch settlers in the western areas. By the mid-1700s English and Dutch families coexisted […]