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

[Stripercoast1]

I was fortunate to have known and fished with Bob Pond when I was a youngster.
I lost out in a bidding war for Atom when Bob sold the company in the mid 90's.
On the last day he owned it, I was invited to join a select group of guests to bid the folks farewell.
Bob loaded all the molds, and handed each of us a plug hot from the steam jackets.
Mine was an Atom 40.
It was literally the last plug Bob ever made.
When it cooled I asked him to sign, I was the only one.

[bababooey]

What an awesome memory! You're a lucky guy,congrats.

[albiealert]

It was literally the last plug Bob ever made.
When it cooled I asked him to sign, I was the only one.

Do you still have that plug? A one of a kind item like that, many guys would have turned right around and sold it on e-bay after he passed away. I admire the respect you had for the guy not to do that. Great story!

[Stripercoast1]

If I had to sell everything I owned to survive, that plug would be in the pillow case under my head while I slept in a Maytag box in an alley.
Bob had a big part in why I am the conservationist I am today.
It used to **** me off when I would hear one of the old timers call him, "Chicken Little" when they saw him coming.
It was one of the greatest honors of my life to have shared Striper water with him.

[surfstix1963]

It doesn't get any better than that.Every time you see that plug it must bring back awesome memories of days gone by.

[DarkSkies]

Bob had a big part in why I am the conservationist I am today.
It used to **** me off when I would hear one of the old timers call him, "Chicken Little" when they saw him coming.
It was one of the greatest honors of my life to have shared Striper water with him.

There's still a lot of that going on, Gunny.

For every one like you and some others out there who talks about how things used to be, and tries to warn what could happen if all we do is take and take.... there are 10 guys who will stand up and tell you how "you don't know what you are talking about, there are more bass around than there ever were, etc, etc". They point to a good season in the last year or 2 as "evidence" to back their claims.

You try to tell them about the consistent decline in the YOY studies, some of the other data that has surfaced in the last 4 years, and they tell you the figures, data, and anecdotal evidence is a figment of someone's imagination.

You, my friend, along with others who talk about conservation, are still in the minority.
The one postive thing I can say is that it seems when Bob Pond was preaching to people, he was one of a handful.
And, as you said, he was ridiculed, until people saw that "Chicken Little's" predictions came through, and we we had to endure a striped bass moratorium.

The momentum of data and long-time fishermen may be enough at this time to get people to hear the voices. As for listening to the words, hell, we all know that many guys only listen to half of any conversation anyway...

Only time will tell.
I want people to know if they have any doubts, they can contact you any time, and you'll back up your observations with data and years of observations from your logs.

Best wishes to you and your family for a Happy New Year, and thanks for sharing the stories...

[dogfish]

Awesome story stripercoast.