On February 3, 2015, Nancy Solomon interviewed William "Bill" Reed for Long Island Traditions. Bill comes from Hampton Bays and is the fourteenth of sixteen children in his family. From a young age, he was influenced by his older brothers, who were baymen, and he developed a keen interest in the water and fishing. He pursued college for a brief period before fully immersing himself in a career as a fisherman.

Ken Mades, born and raised in Hampton Bays, New York, comes from a long line of baymen, with his family residing in Southampton town since 1657 and in Hampton Bays since 1740. His grandfather and father both worked on the bay, instilling in him the skills and knowledge necessary for a life tied to the water. Mades briefly pursued a career on Wall Street after high school, attending the New York Institute of Finance. However, he returned to Hampton Bays to raise his family, continuing the family tradition of bay work.