There is a bit of a sad news that came out of Florida this week. Bob Hahn, one of the most influential lure builders in last 20 years passed away. I know that if you are just getting into the sport today you will ask “Bob who?” but take my word for it, Bob touched many lives, including mine.
Here is what Bill Wetzel, one of his biggest fans wrote on Surf Rats Ball at http://surfratsball.com/
“I have been a big Bob Hahn fan since the late eighties or early 90’s when I saw his plugs in a local bait and tackle shop. I noticed three things about his metal lips when compared to the other metal lips hanging on the shops wall. His lips were different, they had indented eyes, and they were the cheapest. I think back then they must have been about six bucks. I quickly learned that his plugs were some of the best if not the best swimmers on the market. I also learned that a Hahn did not need a fancy paint job to catch fish. The more paint peeled off his plugs the more mojo they seemed to have. I cannot begin to tell you how many stripers I have caught on a Hahn. To this day whenever I throw his plugs I shout his name at the top of my lungs “Bob Hahn!”. In some weird way it seems to give his plugs a little extra mojo. About 10 or 15 years ago Bob stopped making his plugs. Some of us that did not have dozens and dozens of his plugs, or were looking to fish them for the first time were devastated. Then about 7 years ago Bob began turning wood and somehow the surf casting community again seemed whole. Bob only ran these plugs for about another year as his health was failing. That is when I first had the opportunity to talk to this plug making legend. Bob sent me some plugs for the SRB’s tournament to raise money for kids with cancer. I remember being in awe as I was speaking to the man behind the name I had been crying out for years. From that point on I spoke to Bob via phone every few months or so. Sometimes he would go on for hours telling me about the “old days” of plug making. From those conversations I got the sense that Bob was a kind gentle soul and one of the best damn plug builders that has ever lived. May you rest in peace, Mr. Hahn. “
in other news…some of you who know me can probably feel that something is up. I wish I could tell you it’s not but I have never been that good at hiding feelings. I lost last season due to inflammation in my elbow. Months of therapy did not help but the cortisone or whatever shot he gave me did…too bad the relief only lasted few weeks.
Unfortunately the elbow pain is back and its worst than it was. Back to three times a week therapy and I assume another shot after that. If that does not work the only other option is a surgery and few months out of work. With my son getting ready for a senior year in high school I doubt that will happen. Maybe I will just learn to live with it. But casting is out of the question. Shit, opening a jar or a soda bottle is out of the question. The fish are trickling in, I am sure many of you are jonesing to get out. I will see you there, with a camera in my hand, yet again
I am sorry to hear of your problem. Hope it clears up asap.
↓Wishing you a Speedy recovery!
↓We have lost a master. His lures just flat out caught fish.
↓u have to takethe shots , anti inflamm and do the physical therapy. i have a tens machine that the jets use and helps stuff like that u r welcome to use it but i know u wont. mayb tommy john surg. go to hosp of spec surg if it comes to that or they will hack u up and u will be casting w ur monster
↓My deepest condolences to the Hahn family.
I hope you find relief for your elbow situation.
↓That is awful about Bob Hahn…some of the first plugs I could afford came from his creations at my local B+T. I knew about his failing health but all of his plugs had a certain charm I loved about them and they swam well.
Feel better Z!
↓If its tennis elbow see an acupuncturist put on the brace that tightens up the ligaments just below the elbow and try not to use that arm/hand. Tennis elbow changed my life for the better. I contracted a bad case of of it while commercial fishing in Maine, months went by without relief, Leahy Clinic doc in Massachusetts told me to take a year off. As a disabled vet I went to the VA, they sent me to school thru the voc Rehab Program where I put in 5 years as an undergrad, degree in Geology, met and married my wife who put me thru 2 years of grad school; all from tennis elbow… On Bob Hahn, I always have valued the few I have…
↓P.S. stay off the cortisone, it has lasting effects plus, it relieves the pain so much so that you will ovweruse the elbow and be in worst shape than before the cortisone, been there, done that…
↓My condolences to friends & family of Bob Hahn.
↓He is a legend in the history of plug making.
He will be missed.
RIP Mr Hahn.
BJ
In the late seventy’s I had the pleasure of fishing in Manasquan and Seagirt Rifle Butts with Bob and watch the master at work. I will miss his plugs and his wisedom and each time I use his swimmer I will remember the time we spent at the beach. My regards go out to his family and friends. Doug Peabody
↓My sincere condolences to all who were affected by his passing. I knew his father as he used to buy furniture from my father’s furniture store many, many years back. I delivered furniture to their house and if memory served I put it in either a large garage, or a man cave extension to the house. I remember the ceiling having loads of rods hanging from it. I thought “these are my kind of people LOL.” Sorry to hear about your elbow Z. Try a different therapy place. I had very bad tennis elbow for about two years before I found somebody who helped me get rid of it.
↓I still have a bunch of Bob Hahns. He was making them back when few others were turning lures.
↓Z you might think I’m nuts, but for years I had elbow problems, but after years of everything but the knife, I found that using a weighted ball and doing curls through the pain, I worked the tendons to the point of being pain free. I also was told that some time elbow pain is part of carpal tunnel . Good luck.
RIP Bob Hahns.
↓Zeno I hope therapy & rest works for you… Any surgery sucks.
↓I was one of the lucky winners of a Hahn plug at Surfrats Ball it’s always in my bag.