Rodman ‘Rock’ Leas lives on Hypoluxo Island across from the Lantana Nature Preserve. He and his wife — avid birders — enjoy the wildlife preserve’s scenery. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
From Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea to Jimmy Buffett’s Son of a Son of a Sailor, the romanticism of the job of a fishing captain has become firmly established in American lore. Having lived that life for about 20 years, Rodman “Rock” Leas can testify that the experience is all it’s cracked up to be.
“I loved the ocean,” said Leas, 67, a Hypoluxo Island resident whose fish stories nowadays occur only when he joins friends to charter a boat about once a month.
“I explored the out islands of the Bahamas when nobody could get there, when they were untouched except for the natives. Later on, I heard Jimmy Buffett went to those places and all the yachts followed him there. So, I’m pleased I was able to get to those places when it wasn’t that way.”
Socializing while coming of age around Palm Beach, Leas had plenty of temptations to take a different path.
“There was a bar called the 24 Club, and my friends would start there and would go out the back door and head to the Marakesh to go dancing,” he said. “I knew if I went out the back door I’d be up until 4 in the morning, and if I went out the front door, I’d be up at 6. I always wanted to fish, and it kept me out of trouble.
“That’s why I support the West Palm Beach Fishing Club: Get kids into fishing and they stay out of trouble. It kept me on the straight and narrow, and then it turned into a career.”
Leas earned a degree in seamanship from the Chapman School in Stuart in 1977, started out as a mate and moved up to captain in 1985. As time went by, he became more confident in his ability to help clients catch the big ones.
“I remember running the daughter of the owner of the boat up the coast of this (Bahamian) island to the airport, and told her, ‘The plane isn’t going to get here for about 40 minutes. You want to catch a blue marlin?’ I was serious, and she said sure. I put the baits out, 10 minutes later we hook up, 20 minutes later we were releasing the fish, and the plane (on its way to landing) flies over the boat.
“It was so cool to be in that situation. To be able to offer this girl this opportunity and be serious about it. They say 10,000 people can go blue marlin fishing and 1,000 will catch one, so that’s 9,000 people who come up empty. So, to be able to say, ‘Hey, we’ve got half an hour, would you like to catch one,’ that’s something.”
One thing Leas doesn’t miss about the job was always having to stay on top of the weather forecast.
“The temperature range, precipitation, the wind — especially the wind,” he said. “Even when I was on vacation, I was watching the weather in Palm Beach. It’s so nice not to have to do that.”
A member of the Sailfish Club in Palm Beach, Leas set out to play golf in retirement but found more willing companions in skeet shooting. He has improved significantly and has joined the South Florida Shooting Club in Stuart. He is also an avid birdwatcher and is a member of Audubon Everglades.
Leas has been married to his wife, Maria, for 23 years and has a daughter and a son by an earlier marriage.
— Brian Biggane
Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A: Born in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, a suburb just north of Philadelphia, and moved to Florida at 15, where I graduated from St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton. My senior year introduced me to water skiing after school and fishing off the beach. The crystal-clear waters of South Florida and the friendships I made ignited my lifelong love for the sea. I graduated from the Charles S. Chapman School of Seamanship in 1977.
Q: What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: As a sport fishing captain until my retirement in 2005, I had the incredible opportunity to explore the Bahamian islands, fish in prestigious tournaments, and introduce people to the beauty and wonders of the ocean. It was deeply rewarding to help others catch their first billfish or bonefish. One of my proudest moments was being recognized for heroism in rescuing the crew of a capsized boat, a moment where preparation met opportunity. The Palm Beach Civic Association honored me with the Raymond Kunkel Award for heroic action because of my efforts that day.
Q: What advice do you have for a young person seeking a career today?
A: Every truly successful person I’ve met — whether a mason, photographer, lawyer or house painter — had one thing in common: They loved their work. That passion fueled their thriving businesses. My best advice? Show up and give your best effort, and love what you do.
Q: How did you choose your home on Hypoluxo Island?
A: My older brother was selling his house, and I found myself fishing off his dock constantly. When I got married in 1986, the timing was perfect to settle down and start a family here.
Q: What is your favorite part about living on Hypoluxo Island?
A: My neighbors are the best part of living here. Also, this island has so much wildlife, which always fascinated me. My wife and I are avid birders, keeping a close watch on the visitors passing through our feeders on their way to warmer grounds. They mark the seasons for us. Buntings in the fall and cedar waxwings in the spring and the crows of summer.
Living across from the Lantana Nature Preserve is a privilege — we often take walks through its serene paths, hoping to catch glimpses of owls or kingfishers.
Q: What book are you reading now?
A: I’ll admit it, I enjoy beach reads. This winter my daughter nudged me toward a few rom-fantasy novels, filled with flying dragons and daring quests for love. They were fun, but I’ve since returned to my usual reads. I recently finished Mind’s Eye by Douglas E. Richards and am now diving into Perimeter by M.A. Rothman. Action-packed adventures filled with heroes who possess extraordinary abilities to save the world.
Q: What music do you listen to when you want to relax? When you want to be inspired?
A: Naturally, I connect with Jimmy Buffett’s music. Motown and the songs of the ’70s bring back the memories of my early summers. I listen to old radio detective shows when on long drives in my car.
Q: Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A: I looked up to tournament-winning fishing captains, asking endless questions, eager to learn. One captain taught me the art of varnishing, a skill I still value. My father had a saying: “If you’re allowed to be five minutes late, you’re allowed to be five minutes early.” That perspective shaped my career and much of my life.
I idolized Jackie Morrow. He was an excellent bluefish and sailfish captain out of Palm Beach and he once called me on the radio back around the late ’70s or early ’80s and asked me what I saw in the water. Just the fact that he thought I was a good enough fisherman that he would call and ask if I was getting any bites meant the world to me.
When I feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next, I simply focus on doing the next right thing, and somehow everything falls into place.
Q: If your life story were to be made into a movie, who would play you?
A: My father was friends with Sean Connery, so my pick is an easy one.
Q: Who/what makes you laugh?
A: Rodney Dangerfield’s stand-up always got me laughing, and John Oliver never fails to deliver sharp, insightful humor that exposes society’s absurdities.
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