It hosted row boat rentals, "U" drive boats, charter boats, party boats, rental lockers, bait and tackle and a lunchenette run by Margie Sciortino. Striper fishing was something Johnny loved and wanted to make HIGHLANDS known for great Striper boats- thus STRIPER SPECIAL was born; the back transom of a boat named STRIPER SPECIAL was brought to the N.Y. Sportsman show by John to promote Highlands and Striper fishing; you could sit in a fighting chair and fight a (mechanical) fish- now that was way ahead of it's time!!!
After the landing John bought the HIGHLANDS MARINA and that became famous for the areas best Striper Capts.- Otto Ruet, Renzo, Coles, to name a few- and John started the HI-MAR STRIPER CLUB here (HI- Highlands, MAR- Marina)This is were John's son ;Phil weighed many of his 50 lb. plus Bass and learned the trade from his father. Phil ran charter boats and worked at the marina for years until it was sold.
In 1976, Phil and wife Joan opened the TACKLE BOX in Hazlet,N.J. and the family tradition continued. A place were the fisherman is king and the STRIPER SPECIAL legend lives on. Their son and 4 daughters all have worked here over the years; and Phil Jr. started the TACKLE BOX SPORTFISHING charter service in 1993- and built a reputation for consistently catching Striped Bass for his customers. And it had to be "fate" when Phil Jr. won the first ever HI-MAR Striper tourney!!! His grandfather would have been proud. Phil Jr. went on to win numerous tourneys and gain sponsorships from TRUE WORLD MARINE and ST. CROIX rods- and the cover of SALTWATER SPORTSMAN magazine in OCT. 2003 was given to him; holding - of course a STRIPER! Today, cousin Nick LaViola who mated for Phil the first 10 years is running the "STRIPER SPECIAL" full time. 2004- The tradition continues; Stop in the TACKLE BOX and see why the family has been business since 1945.