Captain Eddy's

by Chris
(Formerly Long Island. Arizona now.)

Getting ready to go out on a cold day in May, 1971 (photo submitted by Jeff Karpiscak).

Wow, what memories that brings back (See note below). I grew up in North Seaford and moved away when I was in my twenties back in the late 70's.

One of my friends had an old 1950's 3½ horsepower Johnson outboard that we would take down to Captain Eddy’s in the back of one of our Mom’s cars. We always got there by 6:00am to rent one of the old wooden boats and a five gallon gas tank. Then we’d head out into the bay for flounder.

I remember freezing our fingers when we would go out in April with usually four of us in the boat. Sometimes we would just rent one of the boats they had with a cabin and take a Hibachi grill to keep warm.

In the warmer months we would walk alongside the boat, barefoot during low tide and get clams to take home. Our parents loved it when we went because we always came home with fish.

One time we headed east after heading out of the canal and tied up to a channel marker and caught 127 flounder using blood Worms for bait and chumming with mussels that we pulled out of the bank in the marsh.

There was an old guy named Lou who was hard of hearing and we would talk him into selling us beer when the two owners were out back. We were probably 15 back then.

Eventually two of my friends got boats and we would go down and "borrow" Dave’s Boston Whaler telling Lou that Dave said it was OK.

I also remember soaking one of the cops with the rooster tail from my buddy Dennis's hydroplane the "Beatnik Fly" When he tried to pull us over for going too fast on the way to Wantagh Park.

The police had a Boston Whaler with a 135 Mercury that was not fast enough to pass us, but just fast enough to keep up with us. We would slow down just enough to let him get about 25' behind us and then speed up. Man did he get wet. He eventually gave up and turned around.

I spent many a night in that parking lot with a certain local blond in the backseat of my 69 Charger fogging up the windows.

Yep, those were the days.

Oh, I found your Blog while Googling Captain Eddy’s as I am coming back in October for my brother’s wedding and wanted to show my son some of the places I used to hang around.

Editor's note: Chris is referring to a blog post I did back in Jan, 2008 about Seaford Dock. Before the area became a park it was the site of Captain Eddy's and Pop's, two very small businesses that rented boats to weekend fishermen. If anyone has pictures please let me know, I'd love to post them here. -Bill

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Feb 24, 2024
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Crabs
by: Louie

I was wondering if Captain Eddie’s was still around. I moved to Florida in the 1970s and I am going back to Long Island soon. Sad to hear that it is no longer there but I also had great memories of crabbing and fishing with my dad. I remember all the sea robins we used to catch and have to kill because she couldn’t touch them. Great memories.

Dec 21, 2023
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Capt. Eddies
by: Art Keith

My best memories of renting a boat & motor are from the 70s at Capt. Eddie’s. Marty was almost always there selling bait & giving us the latest flounder hot spots. Usually we could get up the Goose Island drain where we found a big flounder hole. It was on the south side of a sandbar between Goose Island & Little Goose Island. We could only get in there at an incoming high tide .We had run out of room for the catch, so they were flapping all over the deck when we returned to the dock. Marty came out & saw the bloody mess and was fuming mad. We spent a couple of hours there cleaning fish, drinking beer. & scrubbing out the boat. We met three guys at the cleaning station who were also cleaning their catch of the day. When I thought it wasn’t possible that I would meet anyone with a total catch more than us at 95, they said they caught 120. ( It filled a good size garbage pail) great memories.

Jun 09, 2023
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Capt.Eddies
by: Ed Koorse

I was a son of one of the owners of Capt. Eddies. My Father was Marty Koorse, part owner. I spent many years working there until I went into the Navy in 1968. After 2 tours in Vietnam, I came home, joined the FDNY like my Dad, got married and started a family. I never seemed to have enough time to go back to the fishing station! I still have many fond memories of those days.

Mar 30, 2023
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Marty's Newsday Carrier
by: Bill Smith

It was in 1970 when I started delivering Newsday to the Koorse family (who were Great People) on Dahlia Lane in Wantagh, when Mrs. Koorse told me about her husband Marty's side business, Captain Eddy's (Marty was with FDNY at the time). I could tell you that all of my friends and I have gone there Many Times and had always had a Great Time! We would somehow carry down our 1950's 5hp Johnson's outboard at 6 am from the Cherrywood section of Wantagh with our bicycles, and just putt around the bays until it was time to return by 5 pm. Back then, fishing was great and plentiful, and you'd never had to wait too long to reel in something. Those days are long gone, and the old rustic shack has been changed into a seafood restaurant. But the Great memories are still with me!

May 12, 2022
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Crabs and Snapper NEW
by: Duffy

My friends and I would ride our bikes from North Massapequa before daybreak to get Killies from Captain Eddies traps when they opened at 6. We’d fashion a coat hanger into a ring and tie a string to it then thread the live Killies on the ring—and we’d have a truly effective crab magnet called a Killie ring. Dropped down along one of the dock piles then left for a bit so the crabs would get interested. One guy slowly pulling up the ring and another with a long handle crab net. Sometimes two and three at a time. We would fish for Snapper in the canal. They were small (I think adolescent Bluefish) but they were plentiful. I still have some Snelled Snapper hooks in my tackle box—they are 50 years old and still hanging in there.

Great post folks. Hope that everyone who got to enjoy Captain Eddies gets to read and share these fond memories of growing up on Long Island in the 60s and 70s

Apr 06, 2022
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My friend Eddy Koorse
by: Richard

I was searching the internet in an effort to find Eddy Koorse. I noticed the message here from Bob Koorse that reminded me that Eddy's father's name was Marty - he drove a VW bus. I lived on Dock Lane, Paul lived on Dell Lane, and Eddy lived on Dahlia Lane. We hung out together often. We all went to Jonas Salk middle school. I have a picture of us on the main canal on a dock with Captain Eddie's boats behind us. I don't see any way to upload the picture. I think I was 13 in the picture, so that would be around 1961 or 1962. I remember us taking out the wooden boat with a 7.5hp motor many times. One day it was nice, so we went into the bay and then the weather got nasty fast. We headed in against the wind and was not making much headway. We almost sunk that day, but we made it to the inlet and it was easy from there. Some time later several kids took out their really nice runabout and got caught in a storm. They found the boat floating empty - they all died. It was amazing we survived a storm in that flat bottom wooden boat. I wasn't a fish eater, but one day we went out fishing using spreader hooks. Eddy did all the baiting etc. and it was a successful day. We had 2 bushel baskets full of blow fish after we deflated them. Obviously, I didn't take any. I remember dropping the hook and half a minute later I would pull up the rod and there were 2 fish. We took my BB gun out to Squaw Island and had some fun. Later, Eddy would borrow someone's Boston Whaler that had an 18hp motor. We did a lot of cruising in that boat - it was really fun as I recall. In the middle of 8th grade I moved from Dock Lane in Wantagh to Seaman's Neck Rd. in Seaford. I made new friends in a new school and we lost touch. The last time I went to Captain Eddie's I was 18. I took a girl there to watch the submarine races (remember that term?). I left NY in 1970 and moved to San Diego, CA. I went back in 1995 to visit my Brother Bob in NY and then looked up Paul Ferdinando and went to visit him. He died from cancer several years later. I've tried to locate Eddy Koorse several times and it seems he had left no trail of any kind. I've considered that maybe he went to Vietnam and was killed there. 50,000 died there, so I'm guessing that is what happened to him. Either that or he decided to live off the grid. I really enjoyed seeing the picture of the bait house that heads this article and thanks to the person who is maintaining this website. Anyone wanting to contact - my gmail rickcad777.

Feb 20, 2022
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Captain Eddis NEW
by: Doug Vanacore

Classic Summertime place

The 70s in Massapequa and Seaford

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Feb 20, 2022
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Growing up in seafood
by: Donald condenzioAnonymous

Lived off Jackson went there all the time fished right off the dock was the best time of my childhood

Jul 28, 2021
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Anyone know the original "Eddie"? NEW
by: Eddie's nephew

I believe that my uncle, Edmund Clarence Edwards, who was always Clarence to the family, was the original owner of Captain Eddies, in the 1950s. It might have been named after himself or his son Eddie. I think he originally ran it just on weekends, with his wife Esther.
Previous posts refer to later owners. Does anyone remember Clarence? Was he indeed the original "Eddie." I do remember going there as a child, in the early 1950s; one time we rented a boat, went fishing, and I caught a nice fluke.

Jul 27, 2021
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Remember it well NEW
by: Jim McGrath

I loved going to Capt Eddy's to rent a boat and motor. I grew up I Hicksville, my brother and I fished it several times for fluke. I remember going with a girlfriend and friends In the 1980s we hat great memories.

Sep 08, 2018
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Captain Eddy's Growing up Seaford NEW
by: Peggy

When we were very young, my father used to take 3 of us - then a 4th fishing out of Captain Eddy's - Rowboat and Motor. That's where I learned to bait the hook and not get tangled. Many happy memories there.

Aug 16, 2018
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Captain Eddy's memories NEW
by: Anonymous

I am taking my kids down there this weekend to finally get the experience of crabbing with my dad. My dad has been going here since at least the 1960's, maybe even the '50's. Back in the '70's - '80's, he used to go down early in the morning on his days off work and my mom would drive us down after we awoke. As I got older, I would ride my bike from Levittown to meet up with him. Have memories of my Grandfather losing his glasses and even his wallet in the water as he was looking far over for crabs on the wall. Remember snapper fishing with my grandparents one summer evening and my grandmother caught an eel (yuck) with her bamboo pole, and she hooked my thumb with her next little cast because she didn't know I was playing a little too close behind her. I know it has changed quite a bit, but still am looking forward to having the father, daughter, grandson and granddaughter bond this weekend.

Aug 16, 2018
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Crabbing at Capt. Eddies NEW
by: Tony Tommasulo

I still go crabbing there every summer since 1956. Wow time fly's bye (52 years) There's a restaurant there now. Two retired firemen owned the place when I started going there. Their names were Al and Marty. Great guys, my wife called there while I was crabbing to tell me her water broke. Al told me to hurry home and he would take care of my traps and gear. I was disappointed when they sold the place.

Aug 15, 2018
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Captain Eddy;s NEW
by: Anonymous

I use to go crabbing and fishing at Captain Eddy'. My cousins and my sister rented a boat and went out to the bay because we got old enough. I remember buying a hot dog and soda there while we were fishing. That was back in the late 50s and early 60s

Aug 12, 2018
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capt eddies NEW
by: mitch maryanov

wow, what a stroll down memory lane. I worked at Capt. eddies in 1969 with Jim Morrison and Kenny Scott.. I remember making killie rings, drinking yoo hoo and loving life. gassing up the boats and
making the pre-mixed gas... I remember someone forgot to stop filling the tank and it must have been running over for a good hour. All the gas today would have made the EPA take notice.

May 25, 2018
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Capt. Eddies & Lou Lindner NEW
by: Anonymous

I have great memories of Capt. Eddies and Lou Lindner I knew Lou's family pretty good,his wife,son and daughter.I use to hang out at capt. Eddies.I had a 8 ft.hydroplane named "Lil' Abner"I had a 18HP evinrude on it ,I had to keep it moving or it would sink down in the back.This was around 1964 or 65 .I use to race my friends with it to Zacks bay,nearly killed myself on it on the weekends.I lived on Mattituck ave in seaford right behind Lon Wansers bait shop. The place has changed since then.In Florida now.No matter how it changes I will always have the memories my friends and I made on the water.My dad kept his boat at Bill's just at the end of the dock.I ended up owning a house on the water off Nimrod st. in Seaford Harbor Just a couple houses from the bay, WOuld sleep upstairs with the window open listening to Guy Lombardo at Jones Beach theatre,what a life it was then.

May 25, 2018
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Best fishing place ever with dad NEW
by: Gail Smith

I have such great memories of capt. Eddies.it was a,special place,for me,and my dad and his,cousin Jack. We used to pack a lunch and stay all day..great memories

Mar 11, 2018
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Captain Eddies I remember Louie NEW
by: Anonymous

I hung out there in the 1960's around '66 or '67.I knew Louie's Son and actually went out for a short time with his daughter Linda.I miss those days I was 16 yrs old then,I am 70 now but what memories.
Rest in peace Louie.

Sep 16, 2017
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Capt Eddies endless summer fun in the 70s 80s
by: Doug Vanacore

Captain Eddie was the place to be in the 70s and the 80s

I grew up in Massapequa

The summers were endless fun at Capt Eddies

Boating
Snapper fishing
Camaraderie

If you didn't experience it you have missed a legacy on LI

Jul 23, 2017
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Growing Up Near Captain Eddy's
by: Paul Flockhart

I have fond memories of Captain Eddy's. I grew up across the canal on 26 Jackson Place and Captain Eddy kept boats on a cable about a half a block down from my house. The first motor my Father bought for me was a used 3-1/2hp Evinrude he bought from Captain Eddy's. Got all my pre-mixed gas there. Those were the days!

Jan 17, 2016
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my dad lou
by: Richard. lindner

My dad Lou my name is Richard I. ... spent my summ ERS at the boat house me Todd Ralph all diving off the gas dock. Never will forgetting all the good times

Dec 12, 2015
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Fishing in the 70s
by: Hawk

I grew up in Massapequa and spent many a morning fishing off the dock at John J. Burns Park, but sometimes we would get a treat and Dad would take us with his 10 HP Evinrude and off to Captain Eddies or Pops we would go. Most times we'd try and get a Garvey Hull, but it really didn't matter as long as we got out there. I really cannot think of a time when we didn't come home with a bucket full of fish, and most times left them biting. We kept only the bigger fish, and let the little ones grow up, there was really no size regulations except for fluke then at 14 inches. There was lots of open space back then, on and by the water and a lot more fish than there are now. I have lots of great memories and its something I'll always treasure. We'd always stop at All American and get a burger, fries and a shake to end a perfect day. Cheers

Jul 17, 2015
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Mid '60's idiots
by: Anonymous

I was strolling down my mind's memory lane, and was wondering if anyone else remembered Capt. Eddie's on Long Island. Blown away when I found this site.
I was one of about 5 guys from Wantagh/Levittown back in the late '60s who had heard of Captain Eddie's, but knew nothing about boats or fishing. We just wanted an adventure. We were all around 15-16 yrs old, and somehow convinced "Eddie", or whoever ran the place to let us take out a boat and motor. We didn't know where we were going, but a sensible person would know we were headed for trouble. At one point, after tooling around all over the islands and channels, even under the Causeway bridge, we decided to get more gas for the motor. We didn't know anything about a gas/oil mixture for outboards, so we "filled it up" with regular. The motor died, and we were finally found by one of the people working at Eddie's, who towed us back in.
We were embarrassed and felt like idiots, and though we never did it again, we told many stories of our heroic odyssey.

Jul 17, 2015
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ramp
by: Anonymous

that was Bill Webers house last I heard he was selling his houses and land where the ramp is

Jul 13, 2015
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Launching Ramp on Archer Street
by: Bill Drago

Who can tell me about the launching ramp on Archer? When I was a kid back in the 70's people could use the ramp and leave money in a can on the property. I saw a for sale sign on that lot that led me to believe it was subdivided. Anyone?

Jul 11, 2015
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the good old days
by: Anonymous

Capt. Eddies was a nice place to hang out in the 70's. I never met Lou but knew Kenny and Jim who worked there after Lou.I worked there after they left. The beatnick fly was legendary fast boat for awhile. Dennis lived around the corner from me. I didn't know anybody with a boston whaler named Dave. But Dave Daratanney or something like that had a Mitchell boat. he was also a great fisherman.I cant figure out who you are but I.m sure I've met you.

Mar 10, 2015
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fishin'
by: Anonymous

Pop's for y-e-a-r-s... eventually we bought our own 5 1/2 jonhson outboard, indestructible... It was ALWAYS flounder in spring and fall.. fluke in summer was hardly worth it..tho once in a while and at the time.. blow fish were. Even motor to Jones Beach bayside.

Sep 27, 2014
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Captain Eddie's
by: Bob Koorse

Nice to see all the comments about Captain Eddie's. One of the owners was my uncle, Marty Koorse. Uncle Marty and another NYC fireman named Al (?) were partners in the place. My father, Bernie Koorse would take me there and then Marty's son Eddy and I might go out on one of the wooden boats with pilfered pack of cigarettes. When I was older I went out there with my friends to fish for flounder, usually with blood worms or sand worms.
I think the last time I went there was early 1970's, even did some snorkeling off the boat. Still recall one morning, out on Great South Bay just after sunrise. Clear, still morning. The water like glass, clear down several feet. Going over the shallows, the amount of sea life was startling. Those "fishing stations" are gone from Seaford Harbor I believe. Wanted to take my son there maybe 10 years ago. Of course disappointed the whole landscape had changed. A man in the neighborhood directed me to Point Lookout/Jones inlet where we were able to rent a boat, just like in the "old days," and have a great day of fishing right out on the water.
My uncle provided a lot of fun and opportunity for comaraderie for hundreds of people over the years. He was a great guy.

Mar 18, 2014
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Fishing with my dad
by: Gail

i grew up in the 50's and 60's in seaford.My father started taking me snapper fishing when i was 5 and we went every summer until he passed in 1988.Captain Eddies was our spot,we caught so many snappers there,he used to laugh at me because i would get so excited when i caught one that i would yank my bamboo pole so hard that the fish would hit my dads car windshield!! Lots of laughs and great memories.I cannot believe it is a park now,i have to go there some day and check it out.

Aug 17, 2011
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Fishing at the dock at Capt. Eddies
by: Anonymous

There were many people who fished at the town dock next to Capt.Eddy's. Most caught were spider crabs, some red crabs, hackleheads and sea robins. I never saw anything worthwhile caught at that dock but it gave you something to do if you could not go out due to inclement or windy weather.

Aug 16, 2011
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I remember
by: Anonymous

Grew up in Massapequa during the 60's & 70's. Spent a lot of time at Capt' Eddy's. Never had enough money to rent a boat fished from the dock. Great summers, sorry to see it as a clean park. Old and rundown is the way I will always remember it.
When we finished fishing for the day we would ride home on Merrick Rd and stop for pizza and a coke.
Cost .25 cents.

Great times

Jan 06, 2010
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Captain Eddies and Lou
by: kelsci

HI; I started fishing at Captain Eddies in my preteens in the late 1950s. The owner, Marty Koorse was the brother of one of my mother's marshong friends. I always topped off the fishing day with a nice cold Yoo-Hoo. My father and I started with boat rentals and later I kept my own boat docked with Capt. Eddie.

And that guy Lou was Louie Lindner who was a hand at the fishing station. He was a real coot but very friendly. He moved down to Margate, Florida where I visited him a number of times in the early 1970s until his passing. He was hard of hearing because he had been a paratrooper and had jumped without equalizing the pressure on his ears by not opening his mouth. That is what he told me.

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