Our Proud History

Where It All Started: The Dock at the Commons Club

In 2001, Tony Cavallaro, Joe Bartoletti, and some golfing buddies, while fishing from the Commons Club dock, agreed they wanted to learn to fish more successfully in Florida.  So, they formed an informal fishing club, led by Tony, which later opened to all fishermen in the five Brooks’ communities.  Mostly they fished in the Brooks’ and Commons Club ponds. Soon fishing broadened to include Lake O, and party boats in the Gulf.

Tony Cavallaro

Our Founder

Joe Bartoletti

Founding Member and long-time President

Club meetings featured presentations by local fishing guides, focusing on fishing tips and techniques for local species. Club speakers today continue to focus primarily on fishing areas and techniques, as well as on ecological issues, including support for marine life and improved water quality.

Captain Alex Dolinski describes current fishing conditions in Estero Bay

By 2005, membership exceeded 100, which dictated a more structured organization. Joe Bartoletti, V-P, succeeded Tony as president. Soon they formalized their policies and procedures and incorporated as a Florida not-for-profit corporation. As membership growth continued, they outgrew the meeting room capacity at the Enrichment Center.  To seat everyone they capped membership, which is now 150.

After eight years as president, Joe was succeeded by the late Paul Cherubino in 2013, and later Jim Holmes in 2015 and Bob Seidell in 2019. 

Paul Cherubino

Former President

Bob Seidell and Jim Holmes

President (2019-now) and Past President (2015-2019)

Today our club takes financial responsibility to help support our environment by annual contributions to local environmental organizations, focused primarily on water quality.  When Hurricane Ian devastated our area, including the hard-hit fishing industry, we purchased and raffled fishing-related gift certificates.  We proudly donated over $3,000 for hurricane relief, mostly for financial assistance to fishing captains and fishing-related businesses, and to help clean up debris in the water and mangroves. We’re proud supporters of Captains for Clean Water.

Our club hosts fishing activities that allow members to hone fishing skills and lasting friendships. We charter many fishing trips, captained by some of the most qualified guides. Charters include saltwater fishing offshore, near-shore and in the back bays of the Gulf from Naples to Pine Island, and freshwater fishing for largemouth and peacock bass. Our club sponsors specialized clinics on fishing techniques for freshwater and saltwater species using spinning and fly-fishing gear. We host instructional lunches at local restaurants and clubs, beach fishing and pontoon fishing in Estero Bay, and trips to the Keys, Lake O, and Florida’s east coast. At season-end, we sponsor our Annual Dinner for members and their spouses/guests.

Instructional Lunch at the Rookery

Offshore Fishing Trip

Our success has resulted from members, like some of our leaders pictured below, who have volunteered their time and talents to enhance club activities.

Joe Bartoletti, John Martin, Tony Cavallaro, Bobby Oshinsky, Paul Cherubino and Carl Wheeler

Our future now depends on newer members to lead the way by using their talents to continue and improve established activities, as well as creating new ones.  Along the way, friendships will form, camaraderie will continue, and new leaders will emerge to continue our proud history.

Brooks Fishing Club