About the Captain

At age 3, Jerry McGrath was introduced to the world of fishing while in a rented boat out of Bayville, NY. For many, 23 is remembered as Michael Jordan's jersey number, but to Jerry it was the number of winter flounder that his father, Al, had helped him capture on the first day of a long fishing career. After countless excursions with his dad while fishing the party boats and rental skiffs from Sheepshead Bay to Orient Point, Jerry eventually, in 1977, wound up calling Montauk his home port by operating as a pinhooker (a commercial fisherman who catches fish by rod and reel only) in his own private craft.

In 1980, Jerry obtained his six passenger captain's license from the United States Coast Guard and began operating his own charterboat, the Nostalgia II. Capt. Jerry would also work with a Montauk regular, Capt. Bill Ricca (Alyssa Ann), as a fill in skipper and first mate.

During the mid-Eighties, Jerry was offered the job of teaching the science of sportfishing to adults in the Shoreham Wading River Community Education Program. What he thought to be a one-shot-only-attempt resulted in two decades worth of instructing. In 1994, the Suffolk County Association for Continuing Community Education recognized his efforts by naming him "Teacher of the Year." Capt. Jerry currently teaches the SPORTFISHING ON LONG ISLAND program for the Suffolk County Department of Parks in Hauppauge, NY. In addition, Jerry presents his programs to many public school classes, libraries, and fishing organizations. It's quite clear that Jerry has an affinity for sharing his love of fishing, along with a lifetime of knowledge and experiences, with his students.

Jerry has written fishing articles for The Fisherman and Nor'east Saltwater magazines, as well as for other outdoor publications.

In the year 2000, he was appointed Northeast spokesperson for the Tanaku Fishing Lodge in Elfin Cove, Alaska. Currently, Jerry represents the lodge and gives presentations on fishing in Alaska at trade shows in the New York area.

In 2002, the videotape, SPORTFISHING ON LONG ISLAND with Capt. Jerry McGrath, was produced by Mike Malkush Productions. The tape is in its second production phase and also recently came out on DVD.

Capt. Jerry resides in Wading River, NY with his wife, Cathie (the Admiral), and their children, Daniel and Darcie.

 

Newsday, January 2002: