Haircuts with Herb by Ed Belote Sr.

Herb Benjamin has been cutting hair in the town of North East, Maryland for more than forty-five years. His barbershop (just off the side of his tackle shop) has become a landmark, and all who visit appreciate Herb’s affable, witty personality. Getting a cut at Herb’s is like stepping back in time; almost like being in Mayberry — the friendship and laughter beckon you to come back for more. Push open that squeaky screen door — come on in and listen...

May/June 2009: Spring is in the Air

Cap'n Mike with Mark Simpson of North East

It was sunny and about 60 degrees as I traveled down Route 273 on the morning of March the seventh. I was headed to North East for my appointment with Herb and his friends. Along the entire route I saw scores of joggers, walkers, bicyclists, and motorcyclists doing their thing, no doubt lured out by this unusually early bit of warm weather. Their enthusiasm was infectious and my spirit was lifted. When I pulled in at the little barber shop, I noticed Herb some distance behind the building, strolling along the little creek that runs under his shop and continues under Main Street. Even his son, Cap’n Mike, was standing outside taking a break. As I parked my car I noticed customers arriving, so I joined them and walked in. Cap’n Mike entered and signaled to Mark Simpson of North East to get into his chair.

And, wouldn’t you know it … the subject of the day was fishing.

“Ed,” Mike started. “You need to go down to the town park. There must be 30 fishermen down there catching yellow perch. We’re having a great spring run right now—the best I’ve seen in 40 years. One fellow I was talking to said he made 30 casts and caught 30 fi sh … of course, some of these catches were doubles.” When I asked Mike why he thinks we are presently getting so many fish up here, he replied, “Well, three years ago the state started putting some restrictions on the commercial fisherman—the size of the catch and the length of the season and such. Nothing could get up the rivers where the sports fisherman could get a chance at them, and of course everybody was blaming it on pollution.

The Privett Family: Michelle, Adam, Alexis, Samantha, Andy, with Herb

“You know, the Northeast river was voted the fifth best bass fishing river on the East Coast. You know why?” Answering his own question emphatically, he barked, “You can’t sell bass, it’s illegal … same with clams!

“Let me tell you how ‘pollution’ works in the Chesapeake Bay; it kills all the fish you can sell, and if you can’t sell them, it doesn’t kill them! So three years ago we got some restrictions on the yellow perch catch for the commercial fishermen, and guess what happened? The pollution left! And now we’re catching the heck out of them. “Let me give you some numbers about the economics of yellow perch,” Mike continued. “To the commercial fisherman, yellow perch are worth about $1.25 per pound; alive, $2.50 a pound. It takes two and a half fish to equal a pound, making them worth just a bit less than 50 cents apiece. The State of Maryland limits the harvest of yellow perch in the upper bay to 38,000 pounds. Since we have less than 60 commercial guys fi shing for that 38,000 pounds, it averages out to less than $1000 per commercial fisherman for the entire season.

Adam Privett helps Herb out

“Now that being said, with that fish worth about 50 cents a pound commercial, let’s take that same fish, and, say, Mark here (a recreational fisherman) wants to catch it. What does it cost Mark to catch that same fish?” asked Mike. As if on cue, Mark said, “Well, I’d probably stop off at Herb’s and get some bait and tackle.” Across the room Herb shouted, “And a haircut, Mark … you gotta look good for those fi sh!” The shop broke up into spontaneous laughter.

Cap’n Mike continued, “And Mark would need bait, sandwiches, beer, gas for his boat, and he would give ole Butch $10 to launch it. If he didn’t have a boat he would charter mine for $200 a half-day. Now, suddenly, we’re looking at a fi ve or ten dollar perch! And the entire community gets a piece of that little perch.” Herb’s son, Mike Benjamin, is a smart man with a lot of Chesapeake Bay knowledge and he speaks with seriousness and conviction. When you talk to him, he leaves no doubt about his passion for the bay and its wildlife.

Cap'n Mike with Tyler Vaughan

This early glimpse of spring had put excitement in the air. Herb’s shop was packed, both chairs were buzzing, and I had a difficult time taking notes. People were coming back and forth from the tackle shop, tapping into Herb’s fishing knowledge: “What do you think, Herb? Yellow or white jig?” “Either one will catch ‘em,” came the quick answer. Then just as quickly, Herb shouted to me, “Hey Ed, you like perch?” “Sure,” I replied. About that time, Andy Privett came in with his entire beautiful family. His son Adam grabbed the broom and started sweeping Herb’s side of the floor, and daughter Alexis swept Mike’s area.

The mayhem in this little shop peaked when Clem Vaughan, head football coach at Rising Sun High School, put his son Tyler on Cap’n Mike’s board. (Tyler didn’t seem to enjoy this at all.) Clem sat down with his daughter, Samantha, and smiled as Mike cut his son’s hair.

Samantha & Clem Vaughan

Through all the talking and laughter, Herb appeared in front of me and extended a big brown bag of frozen perch towards me, saying, ”I want you to know this kills me, Ed.” When I asked him why, he replied, “I never give away cleaned fish.” I consider this act of graciousness an honor, Herb. Thank you, my dear friend. —CSM