A Net Full of Tails

            This book was long in the making, and a number of individuals contributed to its content – all of whom are customers and/or friends. First, I’d like to thank those resilient souls who read through these chapters in my inner office, and offered their advice or verified details. There are far too many of you to include your names, but to those who stayed the course, please accept my gratitude.   

            Next in line are my fishing buddies – Scott Hitch, Don Caylor and George Copeland – who spent thousands of hours helping me “figure it out.” They taught me to love the sport, and together we learned some lasting lessons. Speaking of fishing buddies, who could forget Andy Bean? We spent so much time fishing together that it cost me my marriage. Still, we caught plenty of fish.

            Then, I probably wouldn’t have written this book were it not for Bill Kane of Boca Tackle. He gave me my very first job, back in 1959. But it wasn’t until later that my customers and friends, Joe and Barbara Munson, backed me in a store of my own. Joe went on to fish tournaments in the Bahamas ad Keys – many which he won – and he invited me along on a number of occasions.  

            Thanks to my brother, Martin Greene, who worked with me in Deerfield Beach when I first got started – often for starvation wages. He remained with me there for several years, for which I’ll be forever grateful. Then, my brother, Russell played a pivotal role, by convincing my mother that my midnight jaunts were simply the cure for snook fishing fever. I was allowed to stay out later than my sisters who dated – an anomaly that Mother never quite understood. Meanwhile, my little sister Nancy deserves credit for encouraging me to write for the past 25 years Thanks, in fact, to all my siblings – as well as my mother and father - for offering their unwavering support.

            I also wish to thank my employees – both past and present – for helping me build a successful business. It bought me the time to work on these stories.

            My special thanks to Susan Gillis, curator at the Boca Historical Society, whose impeccable research and attention to detail kept this project going when the going got tough. Susan came up with some incredible images.

            Thanks, in addition, to Mike Echols, both in critiquing A Net Full and with my tackle collecting. Were it not for him, Bobby Nicholson and Jimmy Duncan, I’d still be a closet collector. Help, however, comes in many forms.  

            Take my good friend, Mark Sosin, who wrote the foreword and who offered this piece of advice: “Want more fish? Then, see things through their eyes.”  I’ve never questioned those words of wisdom that define my outlook today.

            Speaking of words, it was Steve Kantner who listened to my ramblings for endless hours before translating them into the writing that follows. He remained undaunted throughout the process. If there’s anyone else I’ve unwittingly forgotten, I hope they keep one thing in mind:

            Someone will eventually write on my tombstone:

            “Don’t brag to me today about how good you are; tell me next year what you learned in the interim.”

            That’s the spirit in which I offer these “tails.”

-Tom Greene