Seeing a tilefish like that on the cover this week makes me think of growing up in the ‘70s when Barnegat Light was the acclaimed Tilefish Capital of the World. From a commercial perspective, that fishery was pioneered by Capt. Lou Puskas, his strategies and tactics ultimately copied by longliners throughout the tilefish range (even as the fishery was ultimately taken away from Puskas by those same emulators thanks to the efforts of NOAA Fisheries, but that’s a story for another time).
I dare say the recreational fishery for golden and blueline tilefish also has its pioneering roots in the Garden State. Sadly, we lost a couple of the spirited originators of the recreational tilefishery in 2020, two good friends who helped introduce tilefishing to so many other anglers along the coast through a willingness to share tactics and a tenacity to fight for anglers’ rights.
Capt. Jeff Gutman of the Voyager head boat out of Point Pleasant, NJ passed away on June 19 after a hard fought battle with colon cancer. The former owner and captain of several other well-known party boats in Atlantic Highlands including the Teal and The Angler, Gutman was actively involved in state and federal fishery advisory panels and an outspoken advocate for the for-hire community. He was just 52.
A month earlier, Dave Arbeitman of The Reel Seat in Brielle passed away on a Sunday morning; I found out just as we were compiling our weekend reports here at The Fisherman on May 10. Listed in The Fisherman’s 50th Anniversary edition as one of the 100 Movers and Shakers on our 50-year timeline, here’s what we wrote of Dave for that edition – “High speed ‘spreader bars’ are an offshore staple, thanks in part to the innovative designs of Dave Arbeitman at the Reel Seat in Brielle, NJ who together with Grant Toman combined thin titanium wire and three chains of hollow soft-plastic squid.” Dave was also a co-founder of the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund (SSFFF). He was only 65.
“David was always an innovator,” said his friend of 30 years, Nick Cicero, a fellow co-founder of SSFFF. “He loved the business he built and especially helping his customers be more successful on the water. He never stopped looking for new fishing opportunities, new methods and improvements in gear.”
Dave was a regular aboard the Voyager where he and Jeff worked with various tackle companies to perfect newer, lighter gear for the deepwater fishery that was so new to so many. In penning Jeff’s obit, his sister Gina, a journalism major in college, noted the following about her brother – “In addition to his expertise in fishing for tuna and cod, he was among the first in the area to focus on the lesser known tile fish industry, and numerous record-size tile fish were landed under his guidance.”
“He also enjoyed skiing, playing poker and black jack and was a long time follower of the Grateful Dead,” Gina said of her brother. Arbeitman as well was a big Dead fan; and personally, I’d always wondered if he was a poker player as well. Those who knew Dave would tell you he was impossible to read; I assume he would’ve been a terror to bet against across the table.
These two Manasquan fishing buddies, Jeff and Dave, leave a huge void in our recreational fishing community with their passing. We’ve lost a couple of true advocates for anglers everywhere, and highly-respective innovators on the local fishing grounds. The two of them were always at the forefront, fighting for fisherman’s rights and better management and access to a public resource.
Honestly, between the whole COVID-19 situation and the loss of good friends this spring, I’m all for cancelling the rest of 2020 and just moving straight ahead to 2021. A long strange trip indeed.
