Legends of the Salt... Saltwater Hall of Fame thread

[DarkSkies]

When we think about the evolution of surf fishing, many legendary characters come to mind.

From the humble beginnings of their heavy surf sticks paired with conventional reels and a few bucktails and tin squids, surf fishermen have come a long way.

If there was such Hall of Fame for East Coast surfcasters, who would be in it?

Who would you like to see in it?

Who stands out in your mind as a character who either contributed to surf fishing in some significant way or was one of the remarkable surf fishermen of his time?

[DarkSkies]

I want this thread to be something people might get enjoyment from for years to come. The focus of this thread will be the Saltwater Legends who are no longer with us.

Even though just posting the guys' name would be fine, I would like this thread to be something more than that. I would like it to be a legacy tribute to some of the most notable surfcasters out there.

Even though they're no longer with us, their memories can live on forever. If you want to post about a guy, please do us and family members who might see this someday a favor and try to include some research about them.

Some ways you might do that:

1. Post up an article that was written about them, with appropriate references.

2. Post up a paragraph or 2 or what you feel they brought to the surf fishing world, their technique, method, personality, record catches, or anything else you think might inspire future anglers to follow in their footsteps.

3. Post up a few words how you feel their achievements or efforts at conservation have set the bar for others to follow.

4. Don't limit yourself to my suggestions. Think outside the box. Be creative.

5. Don't limit yourself to just one post. Post a series of posts if the info you're bringing to the screen is lengthy. Try to break up articles with one/ post so people are more inclined to read them.

6. Of course, if ya just wanna post up and say "I nominate Mr XYX because he did a, b, and c....
feel free. This is about who you guys feel should be up here. Your opinion counts just as much as anyone else's.



Best post, or series of posts on a Saltwater legend who has passed on, wins a plug at the end of the year. Winner to be chosen by Pebbles.






Let's hear what you guys and girls think.

[DarkSkies]

I'll kick this thing off by nominating Bob Pond. I wasn't fortunate enough to meet him, but some of his ways have inspired me to try a little harder this year. Thank you Mr Pond.



Hoping the work of Bob Pond will inspire others
Here's a little more about Bob and the things he was involved in:

Stripers Forever members - some of you may have read about the recent passing of Bob Pond of Attleboro, MA, the creator of the Atom plug. We can quickly count at least half of Stripers Forever's board who were members of the now defunct Stripers Unlimited organization which Bob Pond founded. **** Russell, author of Striper Wars, was an old friend of Bob's and consulted him while he wrote that book. **** sent us these words about Bob Pond to share with our membership.

"The passing of Bob Pond at 92 is a great loss, for he was the true pioneer of striped bass conservation. Without Bob's sounding the alarm about the striper population in the mid-1960s, long before anyone else thought there was a problem, this magnificent fish would likely have disappeared from Atlantic coastal waters. After creating the legendary Atom plug used with success by so many anglers, Bob devoted his life to preserving striped bass for future generations. It is our job now to carry his legacy forward. Thank you, Bob Pond, and may you rest in peace. - **** Russell."

We at Stripers Forever share those sentiments

Picture below of Bob Pond from Attleboro, MA newspaper

[DarkSkies]

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[DarkSkies]

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[DarkSkies]

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