[Fish_Eye]

The sport fishing world has lost a champion, someone who really made an impact.

I was stunned to hear of John’s passing this morning…I can’t really believe he’s gone.

I’ve had the great pleasure of knowing John for over a dozen years and I’ve watched him grow from a small wooden lure maker to the premiere custom plug crafter of our time. His ambition was simple, he wanted to make the best quality plugs humanly possible…he attained that goal quite a few years ago and countless trophy stripers have been taken on his lures.

John was a true outdoorsman who loved hunting, training bird dogs and of course surf fishing. He raised his son to love and respect the outdoors as well. John was very much a family man and my deepest sympathy and prayers go out to Jessie, his son and all his family.

John and I fished together many times and we traveled to places like Menemsha in the spring where we joined forces with Buddy and Chip Vanderhoop to fish the legendary herring creek. Together we had quite an adventure with Captain George LaBonte in Jupiter, Florida and our trip to Cuttyhunk was a real corker. However the trip that will stay with me forever was John’s first trip to Menemsha. I had been telling him for years how great the fishing was in late May and how wonderful Gay Head (Aquinnah) and all of Martha’s Vineyard was before tourist season. In fact it was over a cup of coffee on the porch of the general store at Beetlebung Corner where John turned to me and said, “I can’t believe how relaxed I am. I can’t believe how relaxed I am!” Well that morning the fishing was epic with more fish being caught on his poppers than on live herring. Ron Arra was there and everyone was landing nice fish on John’s top water lures. At one point (it’s on my Stripers in Paradise video) John turns to the camera and says, “I think I’m in heaven.” John, it was a pleasure sharing a little heaven-on-earth with you, rest in peace old friend.

I have a hundred funny stories I can tell, but I’ll post those some other time, right now I’m heading to Coddington Brewing Co to have a tall blueberry ale and to toast the memory of a great man. Anyone care to join me I might be there for a spell?

Here’s a collage of John enjoying life to the fullest and showing off his latest creations.