Sad News from the Muskie World

The muskie world lost one of its greatest assets over the weekend. Legendary angler, prolific writer and tremendous human being Jack Burns passed away Sunday afternoon as a result of a snowmobile accident.

I was fortunate enough to have met Jack a couple of years ago and have him consider me a friend. I learned more in one day of fishing with him a couple of years ago than I could have on my own in a month. Reading his book last winter helped me put more fish in my boat last summer and fall. We had chatted by email just a couple of weeks ago and he mentioned a snowmobile trip he was planning for the end of January and a trip to Italy he had scheduled for April.

He was a true gentleman. Please say a prayer for his wife, Mary, and the rest of his family. Also remember his best friends/fishing buddies, Rob Kimm and Doug Johnson, in your prayers for comfort. I read on another board that Doug and Jack had planned 20+ days of fishing together so far in 2010.

Let his legacy live on by following the statement he used to close all of his Esox Angler editorial columns:

"Catch a big one and let it go. Let them all go."

Here is a link to a short article related to the accident:
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/eve...cle/id/159136/