Andy Lamar was a charter member of the Narragansett Surfcasters and I had the pleasure of knowing and fishing with Andy, a renown Rhode Island surf rat who passed away a few years ago. Anyway, this story goes back many years ago (possibly 1991 or 1992) when Andy and I went to Block Island for a weekend around the middle of October. We arrived in the afternoon and began fishing at dusk on the last part of the outgoing tide at Cow Cove. We were to meet a fellow worker of Andyʼs at the 8:00 PM ferry and Andy left to meet him, sadly I do not remember his name but he was a young and inexperienced fellow who brought a freshwater spinning rod and no other equipment.
Andy came back and picked me up and we went to where we were staying. I had an extra pair of waders and rod that I let this fellow use and we went out later that night on the building tide at Grace’s. We were fishing eels and it was a night to remember. I caught 4 fish from 18 to 25 pounds on 7 casts, plus a few more in the low 20s as the night wore on; the fish were in tight to the shore that night. The younger guy caught a few fish in the teens but Andy struck out even though he had probably fished this spot a hundred times since the 1980s.
We were set to leave the following afternoon and after a few hours of sleep decided to go back to the same spot at about 10:00 AM on the next incoming tide. Andy, as usual, a stoic figure with a Lucky Strike butt on the side of his mouth was slinging eels on his old 10 foot Lami and Ambassadeur 7000. It was getting to the point where none of us were catching anything and had to make the ferry when Andy had a hit and landed a 33 pounder that took the trophy that year in the Narragansett Pier Saltwater Fishing Association’s yearly tournament for the largest striper taken on Block Island by a member of the club.
I often think of Andy and all the tricks he taught me over the years, he had many great stories that I wish he had written about. I ended up with his 10 foot Lamiglas after he passed and try to use it whenever I can.
Submitted by Club member Chuck Gricus
Buzz Vickers says:
I knew Andy well but never had a chance to fish with him. Great guy,Nellie and I use to go visit him when he was in the Hospital and then finally a nursing home. Loved his stories. RIP Old Friend. Catch ya on the next tide.
Buzz~