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Angler's Profiles
by Hugh Markey
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| A series of articles introducing RISAA members to the rest of the club. |
| (From the November, 2004 Newsletter) Bruce Weinstein |
| Anyone with any sense stayed at the docks
that day in the early 1970’s. In Galilee, the Tuna Tournament may
have been the biggest around, but the driving rain and high seas
squashed most dreams of hunting the giants, at least temporarily.
Only one boat was daring – or foolhardy – enough to make a run for
tuna, and that was the “Misty”. Along with the captain and crew, a father and son brace themselves against the torrential rain. Although the boy is scarcely 
more than ten years old, he decides to sneak out and experience the
wicked weather from a precarious perch: the tuna tower. Blasted
by the nearly horizontal rain and tossed around by the high seas, he
climbs to the top. The visibility is nearly zero. The boy’s
raincoat is plastered against him by the wind, and the tower sways side
to side, up and down, like a carnival ride gone wrong.
After barely an hour of fishing, the captain declares the trip over,
and the boat heads back to the marina. The men on board may have been relieved, disappointed, seasick, or all three. But there’s one thing certain: the boy on board has just had an experience he will talk about the rest of his life. Even thirty years later, the memory lights up the face of RISAA member Bruce Weinstein. PLUG ROCK “I’m fishing since I’m a kid,” recalls Weinstein as we sit in the break room of his Rialto Furniture store. Now in his early forties, his dark hair is combed back and he looks into his guest’s eyes with intensity as he talks. He has many happy memories like the stormy tuna trip with his dad. “I don’t know what the other men on board those trips must’ve thought about there being a little kid with them,” he wonders. “I guess I must’ve done okay, though, because Dad would always bring me back for the next trip.” Growing up near the Coast Guard House in Narragansett, the young Weinstein spent many hours fishing along the southern shores of the state. While he lost his share of tackle, Bruce could often be found replenishing his supply in a slightly unconventional way. “There’s a pile of rocks just by the beach at Narragansett,” he says. “At low tide, my buddies and I would regularly snorkel those rocks and pick up all kinds of gear other guys had lost. We nicknamed it Plug Rock!” he laughs. There were many more tuna trips with his father, Lew Weinstein. Most of them meant hours of hunting with nothing to show at the end of the day, despite lots of chumming from the willing deckhand Bruce. Until one day, when Bruce decided to pass up the opportunity to make another trip. “I don’t remember why, but I decided not to go on one of Dad’s trips. Well, don’t you know it, that was the day my father came home with a 720-pound bluefin!” Although a great moment for the elder Weinstein, it seems Bruce regrets his absence. Not because of the possibility of catching his own, but because he wanted to be there with his father. Bruce’s closeness with him is a topic that comes up often during the course of the interview. OTHER YEARS, OTHER PARTNERS These days, Weinstein still counts Dad as his number one fishing buddy, but there are others who also share Bruce’s dedication to the sport. As those who read the SNESA internet postings surely know, Weinstein is a frequent contributor, and it was those contributions that brought Dave Fewster wandering into Rialto Furniture two years ago. “He stopped by wondering who wrote so many emails!” Weinstein says. “Well, it’s nothing to spend two hours yakking with Fewster. You can always learn new things from a guy like that, who’s more than willing to share his knowledge.” The two soon became frequent fishing buddies. 
“Dave is one of the few guys who are as nuts about fishing as I
am. It’s hard to find people who really want to spend the whole
day and then some out on the water. We’ll go out before sunrise
and come back after it’s dark. I’m the kind of guy who figures,
‘As long as the fish are biting and I’ve got bait, I’m not going
home!’” Other RISAA members have plumbed the seas with Weinstein as well, including Armand Tetreault. Weinstein and Tetreault recently shared the top spot in the Trifecta Tournament. Bruce is particularly enthusiastic about his luck this season. “There’ve been a real variety of catches this year,” he explains. “I’ve gotten two bass in the 40’s (including a 46-pounder, a personal best for Weinstein), bluefin, bonito. It’s a matter of putting the time in and focusing. With the help of guys from RISAA, you gain experience. You’re out there, looking and looking for fish. It’s a great feeling when you really consciously find a spot you think will hold fish, drop the line, and bag him.” Bruce is someone who has that distinct affection for the boat he uses in his hunt as well. SING ME A SONG IN “THE KEY OF SEA” Bruce named his 26-foot dual console Sea Swirl, “The Key of Sea” in part as a reference to his long dedication to playing blues and jazz guitar. We share a laugh at the discovery that we both took guitar lessons just two doors down from the Federal Hill furniture store we’re currently in. “You know, when they were going to tear the place down, I got the old wooden door to the place with ‘DiPippo’s Music Store’ etched into the glass. I still have it!” Along with his guitar playing, Weinstein enjoys a hobby that brings the topic back to fishing: he loves taking fishing pictures. “You know, a good fishing picture lasts a hell of a lot longer than a dead fish you fillet and eat. It’s kind of a conservation thing. I really love seeing someone on the boat get a good fish, and then taking a picture of it just before we let it go.” Weinstein recently proposed an unusual idea: a fishing picture contest for RISAA members. Although the idea has yet to come to fruition, Weinstein knows of at least one guy who likes the idea already. “My dad especially loves getting fishing pictures. He really gets a kick out of it.” PICTURE THIS Although recent surgery has temporarily sidelined Lew Weinstein, his son anticipates a rapid return to the water. “He’s dying to get out there and see the new electronics on my boat. It’s like the son will finally teach the father some new things. It’s just so different.” As we wind up the interview and head for the door, Weinstein suddenly stops. “Wait! There’s one more thing I want to show you.” We work our way through an office, zigging and zagging past desks, boxes, and at least one fishing rod. Finally, we arrive at our destination. “Here it is!” he smiles as he reaches for the object on the wall. Bruce Weinstein holds an eight by ten photo. “I just thought you’d get a kick out of seeing that.” The man in the black and white shot is grinning from ear to ear, and it’s easy to see why. Beside him hangs a monster tuna with the weight, 720, spray-painted large across his body. Bruce Weinstein’s pride in his father is so obvious, along with his love for fishing. I do indeed get a kick out of seeing it. |
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