Where are the memorials? How soon we forget...or does it Matter.

Fast Eddie · Post by **Fast Eddie** » Fri Jul 19, 2024 6:34 am

Ah, the West Coast fishing community, or should I say the fishing community in general. How soon we forget. Ya know they (who is they?) say you die twice, once, when you physically pass, and again when the last person says your name for the last time. That would mean you leave a legacy that folks remember. But....... not in the fishing world. Not on the West Coast. Nooooo, John Bedwell once told me after he retired from fishing, that it was strange, that all the guys who used to call him suddenly stopped calling. How true it was. But the same can be said about those legacy fishermen who passed away.
Today is the second anniversary of Dee Thomas' passing. My question is where are the Memorial Tournaments, or Tournament for the Delta Master, the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Famer, the winner of the Bassmaster on Bull Shoals, and a COHOF recipient?
When the Jacobs family started FLW in 1996 it was Jacob's who renamed the organization after Forrest L. Wood. So this legacy would live on. Mention FLW (now MLF), and immediately you would think of Forrest. Forrest and Dee were great friends, and Forrest a great supporter of Dee. Dee was known as the "flippin king", King of the Delta and many others. Did Dee make enemies? Sure as I'm sure we all do. So again I ask, Where's the Memorial Tournaments? It's typical West Coast fisheries gone but not forgotten, my rear end......gone and forgotten in a matter of months is more like it. Will So Cal organizations hold a Mike Folkstead, or Don Iovino Memorial tournament? It's doubtful, and it's not a matter of whether or not they want it, its more a matter of respect
When Dee passed, the only organization which had a Dee Thomas Memorial tournament was Dan Mathisen. Number of boats was not a lot. To me it showed a disrespect to a Delta Legend. Today on the second anniversary of Dee's passing, will anyone remember? I've surveyed several fisherman and not one, I mean not one remembers this anniversary.
Well I for one will remember, my friend, and every time I'm on the Delta I think of him. So as long as I'm alive, I will keep hoping that an organization steps up and gives this man his due. A legacy tournament.
RIP Dee
GOD Bless You
TL
FE

Fast Eddie · Post by **Fast Eddie** » Fri Jul 19, 2024 6:38 am

This was supposed to go out yesterday. Dee passed on July 18, 2022. Sorry for the error in time.
FE

kb · Post by kb » Fri Jul 19, 2024 7:46 am

I did remember the date and I did put up a mention of the anniversary of Dee's passing on my social media pages yesterday the 18th.

As one of the group that put the Don Lee Memorial Scholarship Tournament together for many years on the Delta it got to a point that participation dropped and we felt that many of the anglers didn't know who Don was or they had other events to fish. We paid all the scholarships but decided as a group to end the event a few years back with the input of Don's family as well.

I see your point Ed and yes a tournament might be great but I would worry that it would be like many other events that would end up with a low boat count and that wouldn't pay the tribute to Dee. I feel the biggest honor to Dee's legacy is that flippin stick in every boat out there every weekend not only on the Delta but everywhere in the country.

I do miss my friend and had a great chat with Gary Klein yesterday about Dee and Craig Miller and I shared some memories and photos of him......

kb

Caleb.Smith · Post by **Caleb.Smith** » Fri Jul 19, 2024 2:21 pm

Well said Eddie, I can still hear his belly laugh a mile away over the tullies.
With that being said, for the Windy Wednesday Nighter TOC winner I have set aside an Original Wooden Triple Trout signed by the Master himself. Whoever the winner is will cherish that memorabilia.

monte300 · Post by **monte300** » Fri Jul 19, 2024 8:06 pm

Caleb.Smith wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 2:21 pm Well said Eddie, I can still hear his belly laugh a mile away over the tullies.
With that being said, for the Windy Wednesday Nighter TOC winner I have set aside an Original Wooden Triple Trout signed by the Master himself. Whoever the winner is will cherish that memorabilia.

Love your old school attitude, respect for the sport and those that came before you, Caleb

WRB · Post by **WRB** » Fri Jul 19, 2024 8:47 pm

Dee Thomas was a icon of the sport sport of bass fishing in what is known as “flipping” to our sport of bass fishing. Does anyone remember a Dave Gliebe who introduced “piching”to our sport? How about Dick Trask who introduced the Split Shot Rig and Dart head jig? Andy “ Cooch” Caccia who introduced everyone and kids to the sport of bass fishing in the Delta. The list is long the history endless and Aaron Martens shouldn’t be overlooked.
Tom

DanC · Post by **DanC** » Mon Jul 22, 2024 5:57 pm

What about something along the lines of a one day Legends of the West tournament. Something that stands in remembrance of all those Legends we have lost over the years. This way one could honor them and all and in someway individually without having 15 or so separate tournaments spread out trying to compete with each other. Just a thought...

jiggin4bass · Post by **jiggin4bass** » Mon Jul 22, 2024 6:53 pm

That is a very good idea DanC

DanC · Post by **DanC** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 4:53 pm

jiggin4bass wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 6:53 pm That is a very good idea DanC

Well once in a.while I am able to throw some light in the dark..

Rattle · Post by **Rattle** » Sun Aug 04, 2024 6:21 pm

WRB wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 8:47 pm Dee Thomas was a icon of the sport sport of bass fishing in what is known as “flipping” to our sport of bass fishing. Does anyone remember a Dave Gliebe who introduced “piching”to our sport? How about Dick Trask who introduced the Split Shot Rig and Dart head jig? Andy “ Cooch” Caccia who introduced everyone and kids to the sport of bass fishing in the Delta. The list is long the history endless and Aaron Martens shouldn’t be overlooked.
Tom

Dave Gliebe has not passed away. He’s alive and well. I just saw him on Friday. Yes a great Fisherman indeed but too early for a memorial!!

monte300 · Post by **monte300** » Mon Aug 05, 2024 8:20 am

Rattle wrote: ↑Sun Aug 04, 2024 6:21 pm
WRB wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 8:47 pm Dee Thomas was a icon of the sport sport of bass fishing in what is known as “flipping” to our sport of bass fishing. Does anyone remember a Dave Gliebe who introduced “piching”to our sport? How about Dick Trask who introduced the Split Shot Rig and Dart head jig? Andy “ Cooch” Caccia who introduced everyone and kids to the sport of bass fishing in the Delta. The list is long the history endless and Aaron Martens shouldn’t be overlooked.
Tom
Dave Gliebe has not passed away. He’s alive and well. I just saw him on Friday. Yes a great Fisherman indeed but too early for a memorial!!

Is Gliebe still able to get out and fish? His was a very big name when I started bass fishing 43 years ago

kb · Post by kb » Mon Aug 05, 2024 9:20 am

For the past several years Dave has worked at the Bass Pro Shops in Manteca in the fishing department. He has fished the US Open the past few years on Mojave and is still on the Delta and the motherlode lakes quite often. If you are in the BPS stop and say hello to Dave...

WRB · Post by **WRB** » Mon Aug 05, 2024 10:14 am

Rattle wrote: ↑Sun Aug 04, 2024 6:21 pm
WRB wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 8:47 pm Dee Thomas was a icon of the sport sport of bass fishing in what is known as “flipping” to our sport of bass fishing. Does anyone remember a Dave Gliebe who introduced “piching”to our sport? How about Dick Trask who introduced the Split Shot Rig and Dart head jig? Andy “ Cooch” Caccia who introduced everyone and kids to the sport of bass fishing in the Delta. The list is long the history endless and Aaron Martens shouldn’t be overlooked.
Tom
Dave Gliebe has not passed away. He’s alive and well. I just saw him on Friday. Yes a great Fisherman indeed but too early for a memorial!!

Apologize Dave, my bad