I fished with Eric Bergan several times on long range boats, including the Red Rooster III and the Excel. I met him back in the 1990's on the big X at Guadalupe Island, and took his photo as he learned to use the surface iron. He told me he was a wireman aboard marlin cruisers, and wanted to be called Eric The Wireman. I saw him many times coming off boats at the docks and he told me stories about what had happened. He was a good fisherman.

After he passed away April 27 at the age of 50, Eric was mourned by his friend Dave Berutich in the May 11 Western Outdoor News. "In the late '80s," wrote Berutich, Bergan "...moved to St. Croix, again fishing in all the top marlin tournaments, including the Boy Scout Tournament. Returning to Kona in the early '90s, he fished both commercial and sport, again fishing with the elite boats and captains in Kona. "In recent years Eric had returned to his greatest love, long range fishing, frequently fishing the most successful boats out of San Diego, the Royal Star, the Red Rooster III and Intrepid...I hope you can fins some time to remember him."