At 12:00 they serve a free lunch and both kids and their parents are welcome!

As the family and friends of Capt. Jose Wejebe prepare for his Celebration of Life memorial this Sunday in South Florida, the outpouring from the boating and fishing communities continued for the popular guide, producer and TV host who was admired for his kindness and recognized for his many charitable efforts, especially in the Florida Keys.

Wejebe, 54, of Summerland Key, died early Friday evening, April 6th, after his single-engine plane he was piloting, crashed shortly after takeoff in Everglades City, Fla. Weather is believed to have been a factor. He was the respected host of the long-running Spanish Fly fishing show which began in 1995 on ESPN and later on the Outdoor Channel.

Jose (R) filming with Flip Pallot

Those whose lives were touched by Jose are welcome to attend The Celebration of Life, Sunday April 15th, at 1:30 p.m., at the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) Museum in Dania Beach, Fla.

Wejebe was also a valued member of the Hell’s Bay Boatworks’ world class pro team, a unique blend of flats captains, authors, producers, TV hosts and leading fly and light tackle fishing educators all who shared Jose’s love for fishing and the environment. Most were together with Jose for the last time just weeks ago meeting with anglers at the Hell’s Bay exhibit in the Miami Boat Show:

· Chico Fernandez, author, fly expert and frequent TV guest: “Jose was a fine guitarist, a top fishing guide and a great angler on all facets of the sport. Yet he was humble about his accomplishments. His gentle ways will be missed by so many of us.”

· Andy Mill, Olympian, TV host, tarpon fishing champion, author: "Words can't describe the enormity of the fishing world’s loss with the passing of Jose. He impacted anyone who admired adventure, laughter and love. He lived large, and brought us all along for the ride, like Peter Pan."

· Flip Pallot – fly expert, host and producer of the Walker’s Cay Chronicles: "The unspeakable tragedy of Jose's death has left a great hole in the hearts of family, friends and fans alike. The adventures he has left us on film will forever define him in our combined memory. So long ‘Grasshopper.’"

· C.A. Richardson, Flats Class TV host, Tampa Bay guide and educator: “Jose has always been an inspiration throughout my career, teaching through example by staying humble and willingly sharing his vast fishing knowledge with others at industry events and workshops. He’s been the most significant face and personality associated with saltwater fishing for nearly 20 years and our entire industry will sorely miss Jose as our most affable and loved ambassador of the sport. So long bro. You’ll always be in our thoughts and prayers."

· Chris Peterson, President of Hell’s Bay – “I admired Jose's energy, love for life, and dedication to his friends. Jose inspired me with his ability to make everyone around him feel as if they were his personal best friend, or Bro. He had charismatic energy to light a room with just his mere presence. Jose was always willing to give to the children's charities, where he gave of himself and his personal time, a rare quality today. Jose brought his love of the ocean and the salty flats to all of us, like only a few have on film. He entered our homes on television and presented these adventures in such an artful and personal way. Jose, my friend, I wish you Godspeed for the next great adventure. Someday I'll meet you there, but until then you will be missed here."

· Will Benson, Key West guide, writer and film maker – “Watching Jose’s show was kind of a journey I’d take on weekends at school, transported back to my home in the Keys or to some exotic location. Through him I knew I wanted to be not only a guide but with a camera and as a writer be a voice and messenger to my generation about fly fishing, nature and the people. He was always cool and relevant by being independent; always presenting an intriguing, compelling and beautiful story about the people through the life, the heart and soul of a guide. He encouraged me as a film maker to look through the eyes of the ocean to see the people.”

Wejebe’s charitable contributions for people were many and helped launch Spanish Fly

Wejebe was also respected for his generosity, donating hundreds of hours to causes not only involving conservation but especially those for children such as Make-A-Wish, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and the Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series raising funds for cystic fibrosis research.

“It’s where he was first noticed and got his start in television nearly two decades ago,” said Redbone founder Capt. Gary Ellis, “when outdoor program producer Jerry McKinnis was filming a show at the Redbone’s Mariner Outboards SLAM tournament in Key West in 1993. “Jose was a popular young Keys guide who volunteered his efforts to fish the Redbone events. He was selected as one of the guides for NFL stars Gary Dunn and Kim Bokamper. McKinnis was instantly impressed with Jose who also appeared on Flip Pallot’s shows.”

The affable Cuban-born guide, whose family fled Fidel Castro’s Cuba when Jose was a youngster, was presented an opportunity by McKinnis to host his own TV show and began filming in 1994 for the 1995 initial season of Spanish Fly.

“And as his TV fishing show took off and he gained fame,” said Ellis, “he never forgot us by staying involved as a guide and by donating such unique items in our live auctions as complete three-day packages to fish as a guest on an episode of Spanish Fly. It not only raised thousands of dollars but also awareness towards the research efforts to catch a cure for CF”.

In 2000, he became close to Christian Goodpaster a young CF patient from N.C., who was waiting for a double lung transplant and who had been granted a Make-A-Wish trip to fish in the Redbone tournament partnered with his TV idol Wejebe.

“They became instant buddies,” said Ellis “With Capt. Dale Perez as their guide, Jose stood side-by-side giving Christian a great day of fishing, coaching him in the catch-and-release of both a redfish and bonefish in the competition. When Christian came off the boat each of those two days he was wearing a huge smile and saying how Jose was ‘just a regular guy,’ and ‘so fun to fish with.’ We had Christian and Jose on stage at the awards ceremony and you couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces, nor the tears among the audience members of admiration for them.

“Several years later, Jose invited Christian to do a TV show and the young man now a college student eloquently chronicled the on-the-water Keys experience. Unfortunately Christian died not long after, when the lung transplants didn't take and from the increasing difficulties of CF. Jose was shaken by his young friend’s death,” said Ellis. “Jose quietly did several of these types of benefits for charities.

“It’s a great loss,” said a saddened Ellis. “Jose gave our industry a very positive image showing fishing at its best, with his charitable involvements and the conservation efforts of catch-and-release in the Florida Keys.”

The 2012 ICAST Show will be coming back to Orlando in 2012.

Link to registration:ICAST

The show dates will be July 11-13th, 2012.

For questions regarding registration and housing, please contact the ICAST 2012 registration customer service center at 301-694-5243 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST or email ASA-ICAST@experient-inc.com.

These are the funeral arrangements for Freddie please pass it on

Memorial service will begin at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday December 15th at Lemon Bay Funeral Home 2 Buchan’s Landing

A/C Lockyer is ordering flowers if anyone would like to donate, see: http://www.redfishtour.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3017 A C had this to say: In the past I have had my florist make a tripod arrangement in the shape of the Christian Fish in red carnations with a spot on the tail. There is a ribbon placed across it that says from the IFA family. I would also like to have the IFA magazine cover that Fred and Dianne were featured on reproduced and blown up on a tripod for all at the service to see.

Fred was scheduled to be moved to hospice, where he could be treated for pain management, and expects to be moved to his home soon.

Here's a quote from AC Lockyer:

Karen, AJ and I went over to see Fred Thr. eve. He had just had 2 liters of fluid taken from one lung and had a breathing treatment. He was also having blood transfusion and they give him a Benydril like drug with that which normally makes him very sleepy. However that was wearing off and the family and I got there when Fred was VERY cognitive and talkative.

Dianne, Fred, Karen, AJ and I had a wonderful almost two hour visit talking about fishing memories, great friends and meeting on the front porch in Heaven sitting on the rocking chairs, watching the grass grow. Fred is at peace leaving this world and knows he has fought the good fight.

Yesterday they transferred Fred to a Hospice center to spend his final days. They have discontinued life extending measures and are now focusing on keeping him comfortable and pain free. Diane said it could be any time now and we all need to keep Fred in our prayers for a safe passage.

I met Fred and Diane through the redfish tournaments like most of you. I saw him as a quiet, stable, servant soldier, that was a great mentor and example for us all. I admired his relationship with his wife as they fished the tours together and you could clearly see how much he ADORED her.

Both Fred and I had to leave the tours two years ago as refugees of the economy like many. We rediscovered each other a year ago in the strangest of places...the roof cleaning / soft washing world. Fred was starting a roof cleaning business and I was deeply involved in one of the associations that worked with contractors in that industry.

Fred and I reconnected and I was guiding him through the process of adding roof cleaning to his handy man business.

Men like Fred are cut from a cloth that most of us can not understand the weave. Fred served us as a Green Beret, fighting in Vietnam and serving us as a National Guard member. These are privileges I never experienced but was deeply in gratitude to men like him who stood in the gap to keep our country free so we could do something like chase spot tails for money.

Diane shared with me that Fred's desire is to be cremated and half of his ashes be interned at the local Military Memorial Garden and the rest divided and taken by anglers and friends to be spread at a few of his favorite fishing spots in the Charlotte Harbor Area.

When I have more details I will post them here and maybe we can have a fun fishing tournament there in Port Charlotte in Fred's memory and together sprinkle a little of Fred where so many of his best memories were created.

In ones life some people make such an impact in such a short time. I did not know Fred as long as many of you. I watched him on TV like many of you I admire on the tour and dreamed about knowing him. For a time I was able to not only know him but I was able to call him friend.

We are all going to miss a gentle, humble, quiet, giant of a man.

The St. Bernard Parish Tourist Commission will host the 2011 Championship on Nov. 4-5th, 2011 at Gulf Outlet Marina located at Marina Hotel in Chalmette (255 Marina Road in Chalmette).

Registration Location: Frederic J. Sigur Civic Center Grand Ballroom in Chalmette.

Anglers from Texas to North Carolina will fish for a Fully Rigged Ranger 173 Ghost, 115 hp 4-stroke Yamaha outboard, Power Pole, Minn Kota trolling motor, Humminbird Electronics, and Bluepoint Metal Fabrication metalworks. This package is valued at $35,000 msrp.

Anglers will also be awarded cash prizes and contingencies exceeding $35,000.

This is a two-day event, which will determine the Cabela's Team of the Year, for $5,000.00, the Ultra 6 for $5,000.00 and annual contingencies from Minn Kota, Humminbird, Pure Fishing, Power Pole, Cabela's Angler Cash, and more.

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

Want to fish and win $25,000? It’s easy!

Sign up for the event at: http://www.ccalouisiana.com/cca11/news/375-plaquemines-parish-redfish-challenge-and-youth-rodeo

Plaquemines RC - Adult Entry Fee $350.00

Plaquemines Redfish Challenge - Adult CCA Membership $25.00

Plaquemines Redfish Challenge - Youth CCA Membership $10.00

Click to find out how to help here

Short Sleeve Only $10.00
Long Sleeve Only $20.00
+shipping of $4.95 via USPS priority mail.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mote-Project-Snook-T-Shirt-100-proceeds-donated-/280703235394
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mote-Project-Snook-Long-Sleeve-T-100-proceeds-donated-/270788957893

TrueFlies Clothing has graciously donated $5,000 worth of T-shirts to be sold for Project Snook to raise both money and public awareness to help our scientists rebuild wild snook populations. How cool is that!?!?!?

100% of the proceeds from the shirts will support Mote's snook aquaculture and stock enhancement efforts through Project Snook.

Project Snook was formed in 2010 by: Addictive Fishing Television, McCabe Productions, Inc., Star Brite boat wash and Mote Marine Laboratory.

(Mote is a non-profit marine research organization that does pretty amazing work in fisheries enhancement, aquaculture, coral reef restoration, and much more....check us out at www.mote.org). Major support for Project Snook includes a grant from Florida High Tech Corridor and donations from Dick's Sporting Goods, Star Brite, and TrueFlies Clothing.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS AND SPONSORS!

Thanks for looking at our auction and feel free to contact us if you have any questions. jwolf@mote.org 305-393-6022