Robert Lowell Slager, also known as Captain Bob, was born in Bay Shore in 1945 and has lived his entire life in West Sayville, Long Island. He followed in the footsteps of his father, who was involved in shellfish management, dredging, and tonging. Slager quit high school at the age of sixteen in 1968 and started dredging clams, becoming the youngest captain on the bay. He continued this work until 1982, during which time he also participated in various projects aimed at supporting the stocks of the bay.

Brad Keene is a seasoned boatman with a deep-rooted connection to his family's maritime legacy. Born on April 5, 1988, Brad's passion for the sea was ignited at the age of twelve when he purchased his first boat, Garvey. Growing up in Freeport, he had the privilege of working alongside his father, who owned a dragger, on Woodcleft Canal. Brad's family history in the boating world can be traced back several generations.

Carmine Marinaccio was born on May 7, 1987, in the Bronx. His parents hailed from Basilaca and Okadi, near Mount Vesuvius, and arrived in the Bronx when his father was 11 years old. Carmine's grandfather worked as a laborer, crafting furniture and harboring resentment toward tax collectors, which eventually led him to leave. Growing up near the water, Carmine developed a fondness for the beach and found ways to earn money, such as catching bait and reselling boats.

Charles Brower is a seasoned fisherman and bayman, hailing from a long line of individuals who have made their living off the waters. Born and raised in Baldwin Harbor, he began his fishing journey at the young age of 15 under the tutelage of his father, who taught him the art of cod fishing. Brower Avenue itself is named after his great-grandfather, showcasing the family's deep connection to the fishing industry. Throughout his career, Charles Brower primarily engaged in net fishing, specifically using a gillnet.

"The traditional baymen’s position on the island has been death by a thousand paper cuts, just one law after another law after another law, until, eventually, it’s not that there’s no money to be made out there.  It’s that it’s so much stuff you have to put up with, with all the boat traffic and all the laws and the licenses you have to deal with and law enforcement agencies.  You just don’t see young people getting into it anymore."

Cory Weyant is a full time commercial fisher from Freeport, New York. He traps eels, killies, crabs and other finfish using traps he has built himself. He also works on trawler fishing boats. Cory grew up in Freeport and learned his skills through the community. His father was also born in Oceanside and worked in the boating industry, running transport boats and working at bait stations. Cory started fishing and swimming at a very young age

Cory Weyant is a seasoned bayman and dragger fisherman with over forty-five years of experience in the industry. He has witnessed significant changes in his line of work, particularly in the Freeport area where he has lived since he was two years old. Weyant's career has spanned several decades, during which he has seen a decline in the number of small trawlers in his area and a dramatic decrease in the abundance of fish. He attributes these changes to overfishing and the advancement of fishing technology. Despite the challenges, Weyant has managed to adapt to the changing circumstances.

Danny Koch is a lifelong bayman who has been working the bay area for his entire life, just like his father, uncle, and grandfathers before him. Danny primarily focuses on catching killey, a type of bait, using traps that he sets in creeks where clam shells are found. Having learned the trade from his family, Danny's roots in the bay area go back to the early 1900s.

Don Bevelander, a seasoned bayman from Long Island, has a long history of working in the Great South Bay. He began his career at a young age, around twelve, learning the trade of clamming alongside his father and brother. By the time he was fifteen, he had become a tonger, working long hours on the boat with his father. They would embark from Bay Shore early in the morning and often work until 8:00 PM, spending their entire week on the boat. Don would take on the role of the cook during these trips.

Don Kearsley is a seasoned fisherman hailing from Linwood, New Jersey. Growing up near Scull's Bay, Don developed a love for fishing from an early age. He learned the art of fishing from Harry Toma, a professional fisherman and the father of a friend. Although there were no fishermen in Don's family, he was drawn to the fishing profession due to his proximity to the area and the influence of local fishermen, who were descendants of early settlers dating back to the 18th century.