Bob Pond needs your Prayers - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

The Kid · 04-07-2009, 06:45 AM

This morning at around 3:00am Bob took a bad fall and shattered his nose, possibly fractured his neck and has bleeding into his brain. The cause of the fall is unknown right now as it happened at the nursing home where he was being taken care of for his advanced alzheimers. He will turn 92 on July 4th.

For those of you who may not know him or have only heard the name, here is why this man is a person who you should know about.

Bob was one of the first pioneers in the conservation of Striped Bass, without his efforts in the 70's, 80's, and early 90's we may not be catching stripers and websites like this might not even exist. Bob was also a true fisherman and a friend to fishermen everywhere, he was the founder of Atom lures, a brand that at one point was a staple in every lure bag, from the Atom-40 to his blue and white popper, most of us used his lures at one point and many of us still use replicas of the design today. And for some of the old timers here they may remember the shop down in South Attleboro where you could go and buy his seconds for a fraction of the price, and it was not uncommon for him to dump whole batches of perfectly good lures into the seconds bin so everyone could have a top quality lure that would last and last.

Please remember he is not gone yet, but he needs your prayers.

stripercrazy · 04-07-2009, 10:47 AM

he's a great man, allways treated us really nice, nice ladys working for him too...sorry to hear about his fall.

numbskull · 04-07-2009, 10:53 AM

The world needs more Bob Ponds. The man just oozed kindness.

striperman36 · 04-07-2009, 10:55 AM

Agree with NumbSkull, my prayers reach out for Bob P

RIJIMMY · 04-07-2009, 10:57 AM

t and p sent, sorry to hear that

Mr. Sandman · 04-07-2009, 10:57 AM

Numb....Amen to that. Thoughts and prayers for his recovery.

vineyardblues · 04-07-2009, 11:20 AM

I thought Bob turned 100 last year ?

Get well soon

VB

Rappin Mikey · 04-07-2009, 11:44 AM

Thoughts and prayers sent.

BasicPatrick · 04-07-2009, 12:36 PM

Being involved with MSBA I had the leasure of meeting Bob many times before he got sick. We still get reports on how he is doing and all I can say is alz... is a nasty nasty disease.

Bob founded Stripers Unlimited and his company Atom was the principle funding source. Bob used to assemble teams of both scientists and volunteers to travel to theh chesapeake bay and then he paid for and conducted some of the first science dedicated to Striped Bass.

Bob was laughed at by most of the greats of the era. The old guard tells some funny stories of how they all thought he was nuts and used to give him a hard time. Eventually, Bob was proven correct on manny of his theories. Bob was talking striped bass conservation twenty years before everyone else, especially sport fishers.

There is no one human that has given more time, spent more of their own money or in general done more for Striped Bass..period!!!

On my way out this evenign I am goignt os top by my church and say a prayer there...this many deserves peace.

Nebe · 04-07-2009, 12:42 PM

Get well Bob.

I hope Avis is ok.

Both should be considered striped bass royalty.

Raven · 04-07-2009, 12:49 PM

Get well soon BOB

thoughts and Prayers sent...

Sea Flat · 04-07-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

Being involved with MSBA I had the leasure of meeting Bob many times before he got sick. We still get reports on how he is doing and all I can say is alz... is a nasty nasty disease.

There is no one human that has given more time, spent more of their own money or in general done more for Striped Bass..period!!!

.

Well said. My grandfather died with Alzheimers, just horrible.

I find it incredible that someone who's business relied on people fishing went so far as to use his proceeds to pay to protect a fish which might in turn make people fish less and buy less of his product. In it for the greater good.

quick decision · 04-07-2009, 01:01 PM

prayers sent

JohnR · 04-07-2009, 04:38 PM

Bob,

Thank you for all that you have done, as always.

Thoughts & Prayers go out for you.

Pete F. · 04-07-2009, 04:40 PM

Thoughts and prayers

Backbeach Jake · 04-07-2009, 04:50 PM

My Thoughts and Prayers..

DMenace · 04-07-2009, 06:17 PM

I don't know him, of him, nor have I ever heard of him, but from the way that you guy's that did know him speak of him, he must be a great guy. I'd like to think that the Alzheimers can't erase the memory of standing on a nice sandy beach, waves crashing at his feet, late in the evening on an early fall night with a %$%$%$%$load of stripers slamming his lures.

Tagger · 04-07-2009, 06:35 PM

Get well soon Bob ... T&P's sent ..

Rockfish9 · 04-07-2009, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by numbskull

The world needs more Bob Ponds. The man just oozed kindness.

my thoughts exactly.... men like him are a rare and dieing breed...

MAC · 04-07-2009, 06:51 PM

Best wishes Bob.

Slipknot · 04-07-2009, 07:07 PM

Thoughts and prayers to Bob

fumifish · 04-07-2009, 08:11 PM

get well bob.. speedy recovery

Squid kids Dad · 04-07-2009, 09:11 PM

Prayers and thoughts are on there way

gone fishin · 04-07-2009, 09:40 PM

Thoughts and prayers for Bob. Thanks for his many memorie!

jimmy z · 04-07-2009, 11:24 PM

I will pray for Bob Pond. God bless him!

afterhours · 04-08-2009, 06:14 AM

T'S & P'S. Best wishes bob.

Fisherwoman · 04-08-2009, 06:52 AM

What sad news!!!, Bob is a wonderful person, and dedicated so much of his life for the fish we love so dearly, Our thoughts and prayers go out him and his family. I hope he recovers to fight another day!!!
Bill & Jules

Jorge · 04-08-2009, 07:04 AM

God bless Bob Pond

The Kid · 04-08-2009, 08:15 AM

Bob has improved vastly over, they did not find a fracture in his neck and they stopped the bleeding in his brain and they will be sending him back to the nursing home today.

He does look like hell though, he did in fact shatter his nose and looks like he went 10 rounds with an early 90's mike tyson. Thank you for all of your support and continued support as he will need it, he is not out of the woods yet.

If any get well cards want to be sent or any condolence cards to his wife Avis you can send them here.

Bob Pond or Avis Boyd
267 mendon rd.
North Attleboro, MA
02760

Thank you greatly for your support

Saltheart · 04-08-2009, 10:34 AM

Thanks for the good news.

I live close to the old shop in S attleboro and would go there regularly. There was supposed to be a limit to the number of seconds you could buy but he never enforced it unless there was suspicion you were reselling. It was like a trip to the tackle shop. I had a 5 gallon pale full of Atom poppers but liked to go ther to talk to him and see what was new.

His big thing was Stripers Unlimited. I had the hooded sweatshirt with the logo.
He used to talk about tranplanting fish from I think the Chesapeak to the Ct River. I think that was successful because I belive there is a small amount of spawning that happens there now. he also talked about one of the biggest striper extinction issues which was over fertilization in Central PA which washed down and ultimately into the Chesapeak which would some years ruin the spawning and result in few eggs hatching.

he knew more about stripers than anyone I know and as you say above , he was a great guy who took the time to talk to people.

God Bless and may his remaining days be as happy as possible.