On December 24, 1991, Marguerite Holloway interviewed Lester Ostoyic in Malden-on-Hudson, New York, for the Hudson River Maritime Museum. Ostoyic, born in 1935 and raised in Malden-on-Hudson, discusses his family’s legacy in commercial shad and sturgeon fishing on the Hudson River. He recalls learning the trade from his father, a commercial fisherman, and Air Raid Warden during World War II, and the seasonal rhythms of fishing. Ostoyic describes building and using custom boats and nets, the interplay of natural cues like apple blossoms and snowmelt in predicting fish runs, and the intricacies of fishing techniques. He reflects on the decline of fish populations in the 1960s due to pollution, his family’s supplemental income from plumbing, and the importance of community relationships in the fishing industry. Ostoyic highlights his mother’s exceptional skills in mending nets and his family’s contributions to the local economy, including supplying fish to regional stores and private buyers. He also details interactions with tugboats, ocean liners, and the Army Corps of Engineers, and recalls tagging fish for conservation efforts. Ostoyic provides insights into the environmental and regulatory changes affecting fishing and the skill required to navigate the river’s challenges.