Fisherman Spotlight: Jon Holdgate
Jon Holdgate might be one of the few Nantucket natives left making a go at commercial scalloping. Jon was born and raised on the island, fishing with his parents from about the time he could walk! Now at 27, he’s the youngest captain in the fleet, running his own scallop boat full time during the winter and running his charter fishing business all summer. We sat down with him recently to hear more about his days scalloping and his fishing journey.
What was it like scalloping with your parents from such a young age?
Well any weekday that we didn't have school, I went out fishing. And there were definitely some “sick days” in there too.. My mom was adamant about what scallops could go in the basket and what could not. It was rough- she was a stickler. I also remember going to open scallops after school.
I can't imagine many kids that age out scalloping with their parents…
No, there definitely weren't. My parents scalloped and my grandfather too. Eventually I had my commercial license at 15, I think one of the youngest in recent years.
You had your own scalloping license at 15! What was that like?
At that point, I would often take my grandfather's scallop boat alone. His boat was called the “Dying Breed” and on opening day of commercial season, I would skip school and go scalloping. And then on days like Veteran’s Day I would go out first thing in the morning, rush to get back in by 9:30am to make it to football practice. Those were stressful days! Then after practice, I’d still have to go to the shanty to open the scallops. I remember my mom or dad driving me to the fish market to sell my scallops since I couldn't drive yet.
So then you graduated from Nantucket High School and went on to Mass Maritime, correct?
I graduated from Nantucket High in 2014, studied Marine Transportation at Mass Maritime and graduated in 2018.
What made you want to go to Mass Maritime?
I always had a passion for the ocean and I grew up commercial fishing with my parents. I knew that going there I was going to graduate with a captains license and a degree I could always lean on for stable work.
You were the recipient of the NSA Scholarship for many years. What did that mean for you?
I’ve been scalloping with my parents since I was a kid, so it was nice to be recognized for all the years I have spent involved in the fishery. Between scalloping every winter and the NSA scholarship, that put me through college.
What did you do after college? Did you go work on a ship off island?
After college I began working for Kirby Marine Offshore. I worked on an ATB unit (similar to a tugboat but bigger) that carried different types of asphalt up and down the east coast. It was cool to see so many towns that you didn't even know existed. We would be on runs for 1-2 weeks at a time, anywhere from Wilmington, NC to Newfoundland, Canada.
When did you start your charter business?
I had started my charter business my sophomore year of college when I was 19 and had gotten my license [USCG 100-ton Captain’s license]. For summers during college, it was a fun way to share my passion for fishing and love of water with people coming to enjoy Nantucket. It was part-time but another thing that helped me pay for school.
So when did charter fishing become your focus?
In 2020 during Covid, most shipping slowed down or stopped. So I moved home and got the boat [Lisa Lynn Fishing Charters] ready to run charters full-time. If I wasn’t running a charter, I was off fishing with my cousin, basically going non stop for anything that bit a hook! Bluefin, yellowfin, swordfish, sometimes a few miles from here, sometimes 4o miles.
And at this point, you fish year round?
Yeah, winters I scallop, summers I run the charter boat. It’s nonstop.
Tell us a bit about how scalloping has changed over the years…
I remember the lines of boats at the boat ramp every morning. One year on opening day there were probably a hundred boats off Hulbert alone. And that’s just in my lifetime. Now it’s more of a grind. Back in the day, they were just everywhere and there were plenty of them. Now you have to work to find the spots where scallops are.
What makes you hopeful about the future of the bay scallop fishery?
Now it’s just a few of us but it’s nice to see some new boats joining the group. The catch these days is pretty low so with fewer people fishing, we can all do a decent business.
Why have you gotten involved with the Nantucket Shellfish Association?
You guys are definitely bringing awareness to the fishery and driving interest in bay scallops. So the more people know about what's happening in the harbor, the better. It’s definitely not the fishery it used to be. It needs support and if the NSA is able to help, it makes sense for me to be involved.
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Thank you so much for your time Jon! If you’re interested in booking a charter, check out Lisa Lynn Fishing Charters. You’ll have a great time with Captain Jon Holdgate!
