been known as a place to not only buy bait , but sip a beer as well , featuring a 12-stool bar and surrounding tables .
The Butcher brothers , a year apart , grew up in Suisun City , fishing and hunting at local favorite spots like Grizzly Island . Both graduated from Armijo High School in Fairfield . Their father , Frank , discovered Virgil ’ s in the late 1950s when he was transferred to Travis Air Force Base , where he worked as a loadmaster .
“ He got off the train in 1958 and saw a sign that said cold beer ,” Butcher says , noting that many regulars have decades-long ties to Virgil ’ s . “ He stopped and that became his hangout . There are guys still around who have known me and my brother since I was knee-high to a beer bottle .”
One of those longtime friends is Brian Borrell , who grew up hunting and fishing with the Butchers and says he comes in every day , usually drinking a nonalcoholic Busch beer while trading stories with regulars .
“ They ’ re like brothers ,” says employee Joanne Holder , who has worked in the shop for seven years .
Their high school physical education teacher , Jim Gilley , would sign the absence slips for the Butchers and others if they could prove they missed school because they were hunting or fishing .
“ He did that for a lot of us ,” Butcher says , adding that Gilley still regularly comes in . “ We call him coach . He ’ d write us a pass , but would tell us to get our work done . He believed in us , helped us get through high school .”
Virgil ’ s , with the Suisun City Marina and Boat Ramp nearby , features a wide array of live and frozen bait options at low prices — with names such as ghost and grass shrimp , bullheads , pile worms , jumbo bloodworms and mucksuckers . Eric and Rick often drive on a moment ’ s notice to Merced , Sacramento or as far away as Oregon and Washington several times a year to secure needed bait if it isn ’ t available closer .
“ We have the cheapest prices around ,” Butcher boasts , noting , for example , the live ghost shrimp selling for $ 12 a dozen . “ We cater to the fisherman .”
Virgil ’ s original location , torn down in December 1994 , was closer to the train station . The current building is about 30 years old and has retained several original features , including the memorabilia on the walls , the bait sign out front , and the bar and ice box . It ’ s about three times larger than the original . The brothers bought Virgil ’ s from locals Bill and Joyce Oren in 2018 , and Butcher says every owner since its first , Virgil Crowell , who sold it around 1970 , had local ties .
Being part of the community , Butcher says , is important to Virgil ’ s brand . Memorabilia on the walls highlight Suisun City ’ s rich history . The business allows bus passengers to use its bathroom , he says , and often lets a customer needing an extra fishing pole to check one out for free . They don ’ t serve food , but usually have sandwiches from Ironwood American Bistro next door in stock .
The past year has been something of a return to normal for Virgil ’ s , with business picking up again and the return of the annual fish fry , which traditionally follows the striper fishing derby the first weekend of November . The derby and fish fry , often attended by local officials , bring needed business to local restaurants and hotels and drew almost 200 entrants in 2021 . With multiple winners — first place is $ 1,000 — and several categories , there are numerous ways to win a prize .
“ We call it the ‘ anybody can win it ’ fish derby ,” Butcher says .
Steve Martarano was a reporter at the Sacramento Union for 10 years before working in public affairs for both state and federal agencies in Sacramento . On Twitter @ MartArchives .
“ He got off the train in 1958 and saw a sign that said cold beer . He stopped and that became his hangout .”
Eric Butcher , owner , Virgil ’ s Bait Shop
Brian Borrell , who grew up with the Butcher brothers , is a regular customer at their bait shop , He ’ s scratching off a lottery ticket at the vintage bar , which was brought over when the original Virgil ' s was torn down in 1994 .
January 2022 | comstocksmag . com 29