Johnny Habs Pictures and Stories

[Slipknot]

I think this was from that night at MSBA also




and it was my truck with the thumb, bassmaster was helping out as usual



I have so many stories I remember I can't type them all


How about the time in RI where fisheye took pictures of Habs and bassmaster under the hoopie like they were getting married
and before that Habs had a big mousetrap layed out next to his plugs
John really played into the bassmaster ho thing and played along with it even at the plugfests at my shop, swiping Dave's hanging plugs and getting Dave all worked up, the bottom pic is from the very first plugfest as he escapes with a bassmaster plug, the pic to the left was from RI earlier in the fall

[JeffH]

First thoughts and prayers to John's family.

I met John probably 15 years , as many did, fishing Quonny Breachway. I remember one particuliarly miserable night about 12 years ago with the wind blowing straight in at 25+ mph and the waves breaking up and over the hard side of Quonny keeping us 30-40 ft back on the jetty. Everyone had left as fishing was near impossible and it was only John and myself. We were talking about how bad the conditions were and I told him I was going to jig the end of the breachway because you couldn't cast anything else he decided to put on a bomber! I laughed at him and asked how he was going to cast that thing and then climbed down on the rocks to make a cast. I turned to see John make his first cast which went all of 20 ft out and come straight back at him and drop at his feet barely in the water. He puts 3 cranks on the reel and the rod doubles over and he's on! He managed to work the fish around to the inside and I jumped down and retrieved his fish, which turned out to be 45" 35+ lbs., we just stood there and laughed. He thanked me for helping him landed the fish and invited me back to his car where he gave me two prototype squid poppers that still hang in my basement unfished. Everytime I saw him I would just say I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.

- Rest in peace John.

[eelman]

John in1989, I took this at watch hill Light, ...just an afternoon of fun fishing

[IMG][/IMG]

[eelman]

Originally Posted by JeffH

First thoughts and prayers to John's family.

I met John probably 15 years , as many did, fishing Quonny Breachway. I remember one particuliarly miserable night about 12 years ago with the wind blowing straight in at 25+ mph and the waves breaking up and over the hard side of Quonny keeping us 30-40 ft back on the jetty. Everyone had left as fishing was near impossible and it was only John and myself. We were talking about how bad the conditions were and I told him I was going to jig the end of the breachway because you couldn't cast anything else he decided to put on a bomber! I laughed at him and asked how he was going to cast that thing and then climbed down on the rocks to make a cast. I turned to see John make his first cast which went all of 20 ft out and come straight back at him and drop at his feet barely in the water. He puts 3 cranks on the reel and the rod doubles over and he's on! He managed to work the fish around to the inside and I jumped down and retrieved his fish, which turned out to be 45" 35+ lbs., we just stood there and laughed. He thanked me for helping him landed the fish and invited me back to his car where he gave me two prototype squid poppers that still hang in my basement unfished. Everytime I saw him I would just say I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.

- Rest in peace John.

Boy Jeff, those years at that breachway were some of the best times in my life...we all had such a great time and the crew there was the best..

[Finaddict]

I don't know John as well as many or most of you, but I have to say that he was always the tops when it came to assisting with anything related to fishing, would always make himself available and always try to help out. A true gentleman.

Knowing how this impacts me with the little time I've got to know him, my support goes out to (his family of course), but also to all you guys who have known him for as long as you have, who called him a friend.

He will missed and my family sends our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.

[bigbuck28]

WOW i cant belive hes gone just the other day i pmd him and he gave me his number and told me to call him well i did and he told me all his little secterts abotu how to fish them and he told me to call him back when i got the big one!!!

[Swimmer]

Thank you all for posting those pictures. Cast a paul on the fall run.

[Nebe]

I knew john for about 3 or 4 years.. we would always run into each other at point jude lighthouse and he was always full of energy. the first time i met him, I didnt know he was the needlefish guy and he gave me a beautiful 2 ounce needle that i cherished for a long time- infact i took a fish that was 32 lbs on it.

john was always kind to me and always had a great joke to tell me. sometimes when i would call him on the phone, he would spot my name on his caller ID and yell out "ehhhbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!" at the top of his lungs.

He really liked the glass that i make and we did a few trades over the years- I made a glass squid for him and a glass habs needle that he kept in his
'habratory'. in exchange he made me a bunch of plugs- I'll still fish some of them- i know thats what john would want- the rest will stay in my collection to remember him by..

I'll miss you John.

[tlapinski]

I first met John a few years ago at one of the Mass bass shows. Actually, I met a lot of guys there that year that are dear friends to this day. Anyway, I ended up hanging around a bit with Habs, Tattoo, and a couple others after the show closed. We proceeded to empty the cooler of Guinness one of them had brought, took some "funny" pictures in front of some of the other displays, and then moved on to another establishment. Iron Mike somehow made his way into the mix, as did Laptew. We drank and laughed and told stories for the whole night. At one point, the how still escapes me, we ended up at some jazz bar watching a live band. Just sort of a blurry, crazy night that led to many years of friendships with John and others. As mentioned before, he would always ask how your family life was going before you would get on the topic of fishing. He called me a few weeks back just to see how I was doing. We hadn't talked in a while, and he genuinely cared how I was and how things were. That was what was so special about him, he really cared about you as a person. I had dinner with him, his son, and his wife a couple nights of the RISAA show this past winter. We all sat around the pub just talking for hours. He never let the "fame" of being HABS take over.

He will truly be missed. We lost a great part of our community this past weekend, and it will never be the same.

[goosefish]

I never met John. I saw him, but we never talked. I know him through his lures. And his lures have caught me a lot of bass. Some of my biggest, were taken on his white 2.5 needle. I love that plug.

Tonight, I'm heading out with nothing but Habs in the bag. I'm going to fish his needles the way I always fish them--low, along the bottom, down in the rocks. I don't care if I lose one. I want to catch a bass--Habs, I don't think, would want it any other way.

[hyefisherman2]

great pics guys.

rip john

[Surfpirate]

The Classic Habs

[GattaFish]

Some great times,,,,

[SeaWolf]

days later, i am still in total shock over this loss of a good friend. when the news came early sunday morning i couldnt believe it. that's all that was on my mind sunday - hab's is gone. i did what i think hab's would have wanted on sunday evening, went fishing w/ a couple friends while pondering over some of the memories and throwing a hab's needle as a thank you for all those memories. i am still choked up today seeing some of the posts and looking at the pictures. all those memories...to john's wife jessica and his son john jr., my sincere condolences on your loss. he was a great man.

i've known john for over 20+ years from working with him in his business and as a friend. i still remember getting my first hab's needle back in the early 90's when it was not yet hab's on his own. i still have that same lure, which has been sitting on the wall for years now. back then as he was today, john loved to give.

memories...

i remember some of those casts next to him on the "hard side" as bass were pulled out of the rip.

i remember the mid-late 90's going to a csa hartford event and there was hab's in the corner w/ a small table and some of his lures spread out on it. how far he grew from that day.

i remember in recent years during the fall mda/ms tournament seeing hab pull in or already there on those sunday mornings and there was a large waiting to be weighed or just weighed that helped pulled in the trophy for his club.

i remember a few years back tattoo, hab, and i sitting at the gin mill talking over hab's new website to be built - what do you want, how's it going to flow, etc. well, many beers later the drafts were nothing like what we wanted it to be as the laughs, jokes, and beer started to take over.

toby, i think we are thinking of the same story, the mass bass, year's ago. that was a good time.

all the times i went to the habratory, bumped into him on the beach, bumped into him at a shop, there was one thing that was expected - hab was happy to greet you, had a smile and full of that energy.

hab loved his trade and fishing. he may not have built the first wood lure, but i think it's fair to say he started the recent renaissance into custom wood lures and built the market to what it is today. he brought quality and craftmanship into custom wood lures again in that renaissance. they may have been hard to get at times, but when you "got a hab on" you felt that next cast could be the big one. and, as history shows, they caught fish. friends, fish your hab's lure as that is exactly what he would want us all to do.

john, i'll say hi on those dark nights when i put your needle on and ask for some good mojo. i'm sure you gave st. peter a needle on your way through the golden gate. may your casts be forever now. god bless. john, good-bye my friend.

dave fontaine

[Rock Hopper]

Last RISSA Show - Last Picture I have with John:

[Charlie M]

I only met him a few times. First was at the first SOL RI fling. I was up in Weekapaug B&T a few weeks later and he recognized me and talked for a few minutes. I was suprised he remembered who I was. I mean I was just (still) a plug building moron. He was HABS (in my mind). HABS were everything a plug should be. He was always down to earth and I really enjoyed that about him.

I always had a real deep respected for the way he went about his business. I always knew I would never be a HABS, but always thought if there was to be a model for this plug building world, he was it. The plug building world wouldn't be what it is today without him.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Charlie M

I only met him a few times. First was at the first SOL RI fling. I was up in Weekapaug B&T a few weeks later and he recognized me and talked for a few minutes. I was suprised he remembered who I was. I mean I was just (still) a plug building moron. He was HABS (in my mind). HABS were everything a plug should be. He was always down to earth and I really enjoyed that about him.

I always had a real deep respected for the way he went about his business. I always knew I would never be a HABS, but always thought if there was to be a model for this plug building world, he was it. The plug building world wouldn't be what it is today without him.

That was John--if you met him once, he'd remember you years later. I met John at one of the MSBA shows when they were still at the Braintree Armory. I was there with Brad the Hawg Hunter. John came over and talked plugmaking with Brad and gave him a bunch of pre-punched lips, as Brad was trying his hand at making swimmers. A couple of years later I ran into him at Watch Hill light, and he remembered me as "Brad's friend from NY". I saw him a lot more over the years, after that.

[zacs]

He really had a knack for remembering people he only met once or twice. And always had made you feel like one of the crew, no matter how long he knew you. And talk about generous>>> sometimes I think he gave away more plugs than he sold. Every time I saw him he would give me something to 'try out.' Then I remember the time in the parking lot of the old clubhouse I think I was with TT, and he kept giving us wood to turn. And then he reached into a box and started giving us handfuls of these old gibs style popper bodies he used to make.

What a guy. I feel lucky to have know him.

RIP John.

[afterhours]

i last talked to him a couple of weeks ago. he said he was feeling good and liking the speed bag out bag. and how much he was looking towards working with his dogs. last thing he told me was to take it easy not work seven days and enjoy life...thanks john and God bless you.

[NIB]

On my trips to the north I would often take the scenic rt. home.On the way one time I ran into John. I later would come to find out he would often visit this location.It was a pick up spot. .Some of his conn. friends would come and get the contra-ban for their store.Tattoo would be with him an we would sit an talk and bust balls.John was one of the many who got the NIB internet humor.It was At the meeting spot though where Our friendship was formed.I would go out of the way when I had A idea he would be there.We spent many hrs talking of life the old days and our Polish heritage.He took a pic of me on a rock, it floats around on the inernet somewhere.It's me waving back to my friend when John called my name..Over the winter I talked to him.He was first in line when I needed something for the kids...He gave me cart blanche.Though I never took advantage of it.I guess I thought he would always be available.I told him to do it for others.As I read the kind words and stories I come to realize it was John's way.He wanted you to feel like You where something special.There is no greater quality in a man in my opinion.We are greatly diminished.

[fishbones]

I remember meeting Mr. Haberek for the first time a few years ago at one of the shows at the convention center. I had been fishing his lures with much success and when I spotted him, I had to thank him. I was in my early thirties but I was nervous because he was a legend to me, even at that age. I may as well have been a kid meeting Tom Brady or Big Papi.
I told him that I had caught my personal best striper on one of his needles, and he was genuinely happy for me. I figured he had probably heard these compliments thousands of times, but his face still lit up with joy. He asked me how big the fish was and I told him....."well I didn't weigh it, but it was 36 inches". He told me that I wasn't fishing enough and to get back out there and come back when I had a "real big fish". He then laughed and thanked me for using his lures. He just seemed to me to be a guy who loved where he was in life and loved bringing joy to others. I had a few more occasions in the last couple of years to thank him and always did when I saw him.

[Goose]

Bullwinkle

I enjoyed the sportsmen conversations with John.

[tattoobob]

I have so many stories that I sit here almost every night and I am going to type one but get chocked up and can't get myself to do it.
Here is another couple of pix.

Last year as most of you know I was laid off, I went fishing everyday from July 29th till I ended it with DZ on Block Island November 18th. I Caught so many Stripers but the one that sticks out in my mind and I will never forget, It was in the middle of the day the sun was hot and bright I was plugging the beach at Plum Island and I had the whole 7 miles down all the holes,rips,cuts and Bars. I finally get down to about the 5 mile mark and get out I had a Habs 2oz. pencil Popper White red eyes, the surf was probably 4 feet with nice rolling waves so I made a cast right before the wave started to grow I start to pop and work the plug the wave comes up and the sun was shinning thru perfect as I watch the plug I see this huge Striper race thru that wave and inhale the pencil popper at first I thought it missed the plug but no she didn't miss it and after I got it in it was 25 pounds just 41 inches. it was a perfect day

these pix are from Mass Bass 2 years ago at M&D'S Booth

[Canalman]

With the Hab's Tournament set to kickoff tonight at 6:00 p.m. I thought it might be cool to mount my S-B comeback by bumping a few threads dedicated to the man himself. If you'd like to join the party go to www.gotight.net/habs-tournament 100% of the proceeds go to benefit Hasbro Children's Hospital and the Tomorrow Fund. Hope you enjoy the read

[tattoobob]

Wow some great memories

[piemma]

This thread brought a lump to my throat. What great years we all had with Habs.

Kind of amazing that one crazy man like him could have had an effect on so many lives. 8 years and it still seems like we just lost him.

[JohnR]

I was looking for a picture with Hab's Humping Deer Hunting hat for the Hab's Tourney Tag but could not find one. But for those that never saw it (or saw it and never put 2+2 together) it was somewhat like this - but orange, with more humping deer...

[Sea Dangles]

I remember him spitting blueberry vodka at a grill on BI one weekend,he called it the flamethrower...

He had a potato peeler in his shed with a hook on it, said it was proof that fish eat anything

We were at the Wekapaug overlook one morning before sunrise when he was come upon by a dog walker whilst making a doody.

Truly one of a kind
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[bloocrab]

Originally Posted by JohnR

I was looking for a picture with Hab's Humping Deer Hunting hat for the Hab's Tourney Tag but could not find one. But for those that never saw it (or saw it and never put 2+2 together) it was somewhat like this - but orange, with more humping deer...

I think it's called "buck-ing"

[t_man7]

Those are some great pictures @tattoobob. Even though I never met Habs I can feel how great of a person he was. His plugs are really something that I admire greatly.