09/10/2026
Today we said goodbye to a living legend. Robbie was well known around Wrightsville Beach, especially on the vhf radio on Channel 69. He had a distinct voice that was not mistaken. He was the Captain of the Whipsaw out of Bridge Tender Marina. I never had the pleasure of fishing with him but I fished beside him on the water for many years. He always called me the little Bierstedt. Even though I'm anything but little I took it in stride and embraced my nickname.
In my early years running the OnMyWay I always looked for the Whipsaw on the horizon when I broke the inlet cause I knew Robbie would be on the fish and following in his wake would be an honor and put me on the fish. I remember with fondness one day I was leaving the no wake zone and the wind was honking. I called Robbie on channel 69 to see how the ocean looked cause I saw him pass by Dockside 30 minutes earlier. He called back and told me he never made it out the inlet and to look passed the turn and I would find him. Puzzled by the response as I approached the turn I saw the Whipsaw in a familiar death circle in the waterway just passed our turn out to the inlet on the horizon. I called him back on the radio and he said, "little Bierstedt just come follow in, we are killing them down here." I pulled up, put out a short spread and we circled nonstop in the waterway bailing Spanish Mackerel right behind the Whipsaw for 2 hours catching our 4 man limit. That was the first and only time I have trolled the waterway for Spanish like that but it wouldn't have ever happened if he wouldn't have let me known about it.
Thats one thing I learned from Robbie, share the information cause there are plenty of fish in the sea but don't tell everything.
He was always a loud presence on the radio, he shared info but talked a ton of trash too. I will miss that on the radio for sure.
The biggest thing that Robbie and me had in common wasn't just our love for the ocean but that we were both girl dads. After his memorial today and hearing from his daughters, I hope to have as big of an impact on my daughters lives as he did on his. It was very inspirational to hear their thoughts and feelings about their dad today.
