TATER HOG CUSTOM LURES         

The Kid finds a fishers of men.

Abba ABBA aba to the Fish God's.... Abba Abba aba to the fish God... Splash!!!! Back goes the first fish of the day!!.

"Kid what in Tar Heel nation are you doin dagnabit"... "Dont tick me off Kid! you know Im in a good mood today!!! I'm fishing with you and my pal Toot!" and now im ticked!!!.. "Why did you just throw that nice walleye back in the water!! UNBELIEVABLE #%#%#%%!! back in my day if you threw away a fish like that old Toot would throw you in with it and pray a musky would eat you!!!. You work to hard to get them dang it!! we've been out here for 7 hours!!! 7 #&#*%& HOURS!!!. Dag kids this days can you believe that TOOT!!!"......

Well that is sorta how it would go when you fished with Harry. Man I miss him already. Sure his name doesn't have the same brand reconigtion as Kevin Vandam or maybe Rick Clunn. You will never read articles about Harry Stormer in Outdoor publications. I know it will never make it to the fishing hall of fame. Harry will never be considered a legend among the great anglers of our time and I'm purdy sure most of you never knew about this spunky old guy until today! So for me to put Harry on a list of fishing legends ahead of KVD or CLUNN could be a stretch. But, if you could go back in time and meet the 16 year old kid shown sharing fish and taters with this kind man. Im sure he would have something to say that would leave no doubt that Harry was a Legend and a fishers of men. In my opinion, Spunky Harry Stormer has all the greats covered.

Getting yelled at by Harry for leaving the coffee pot on while we were on the lake was priceless. I can honestly say it was great preparation for marriage. "when your married your wife's not going to put up with this #%##!"... Something like that...

Kevin Vandam could offer me all of his secret tricks on fishing a jerkbait and I would pass on the advice and pick a good spunky Harry Stormer explosion. It will always go farther and help in my life than knowing how to fish a jerkbait like KVD. Sorry Kevin.

Last week a good friend of mine up in Michigan called and told me of Harry's passing. It wasn't a huge shock. Harry was 82 years old and did just have triple bypass surgery on his heart. But the little fact I just left out was Spunky Harry Stormer had that surgery 25 years ago. Man time sure flys when your having fun. I was able to have a phone call with Harry a month after his wife Annie's passing back in June. She had a illness that hurt her ability to do daily tasks without help from Harry. Most of us believe Harry would hold on as long as Annie needed him. It's funny, when I hung up the phone I had a silent feeling this could be my last chat with Harry, so I was glad I had 20 mins with my friend on the phone. Due to Annie's illness and the fact I lived a long way from Michigan now, we hadnt had a chance to fish together since I moved to North Carolina in 1998. We talked about Annie's illness and I told him how hard it must have been caring for Annie's daily tasks. He told me he had alot of help but he never wanted to leave Annie's side. In all the years I knew him he never complained one time about it to me or others. If anything he wanted me to know how much he loved caring for her needs. In today's terms commitment and loyalty means 1 or 2 years. For some its even shorter.

Most of Harry's friends including me, always felt he kept a tight grip on life so he could care for Annie during her illness. Harry showed all of us the real meaning of commitment, loyalty and love. He cared for his beloved in sickness and in health for 52 years. I just hope to live that long. I can't image 52 years of loyalty, commitment and love.

It's amazing how long a heart will beat on those 3 words. Another lesson taught without getting ticked off! Thanks Harry!

So what's all that Abba Abba aba to the Fish God about?... At well at age 7, My father started taking me on Annual fishing trips to Canada each summer. At age 13, we lodged at a small resort on Wild Goose Lake in Geraldton, ON. On a brisk summer morning my father got up earlier and went for a morning jog and left his 13 year old son on his own for breakfast. As I awoke, this aroma of biscuits and gravy led me to the cabin next door where I met 6 amazing men that ended up being a 26 year friendship. With tons of stories and lasting impressions to choose from I picked this moment to share with you about my friend Harry! It's my favorite.

TICK TICK TICK!!! Hours keep going by without a bite!!!!!! Tick tick tick.. Still no fish!!! "If this last any longer Im going to need a beer!" Tootie would say. "If this last any longer Im going to need a case!" as Harry said chuckling. 7 hours later I finally caught the first walleye of the day! On top of that it was a keeper! Harry and Tootie were in the boat with me and very excited. "This one is going to end up on the table tonight for supper". Harry said. As Toot and Harry were fighting over were Harry put the darn stringer... Your's truely stood up and said "ABBA ABA ABBA DABA to the FISH GOD's!! and tossed it back in the lake!"... "Sacrifice the first fish boys and more will come our way later!" I said with a big grin. "Keep the fish god happy and he will provide more" I said. "HORSE DO DO!" Harry said. "What the heck are your learning in school kid!" "blah blah on and on for 20 mins or so.. Harry had a way of letting you know he was ticked!!!....

He didnt really like this new theory "THE KID" as he like to call me... was trying teach.

But sure enough, we each caught a limit of fish in the next hour and enjoyed fish and tater's later! ( SEE now your finally on to MY NAME!!! I caught the fish but ate all the Taters!.).. Some might say its just another fish story.... Others will say we finally found active fish. I like to have faith and believe in the higher power. All I can say is.......for Harry and Tootie the abba abba daba da ba to the fish god became a tradition and we all met every year in Canada for 16 years straight. Each year we tossed the first fish back no matter what!

Throughout life all of us meet amazing people. We might just bump into them by chance with no explanation. Others happen upon us for spiritual reasons. I like to believe all of us are connected in some sort of way. Things happen for a reasons. Maybe that is why I met Harry on a brisk summer day in Canada 1,500 miles from my home at 13. Maybe that is why Im sitting here writing this story. After 26 years of friendship I learned the value of commitment, loyalty and love in your marriage and in life. Harry taught me that through the years caring for his wife in sickness. Marriage is hard enough in health. So when you use the words loyalty, love and commitment dont just say it. Live by it.

I believe that blows away any jerkbait lesson Kevin Vandam could teach me. The common man teaching lifelong lessons. They say God picks common people to teach his word. I like to believe Harry was a fisher of men. Maybe he's not in your hall of fame. Maybe he's way is not the exact way a pastor would teach God's word at church. But in the end the message is the same.

As Feb 14th approaches, I dont know a better way to give thanks to my friend that showed 52 years of commitment,loyalty and love than to honor is life and friendship by naming one of my bait designs after him!

SO HERE's TATER"s NEW DESIGN!!! THE STORMER SPUNK! YOUR FAMOUS NOW HARRY!!! I wouldnt change the name of this bait if KVD himself broke his contract with Strike King and offered it for the naming rights to this bait design! Harry's better lookin! and Loyalty is priceless.

I could give you more information about its action, design and fish catching ability to help you decided to bid or not!!! But then it would take away from my message. Sometimes in life you just have to cast away and have faith. Your commitment, loyalty and love will pay off in the end. Here's to you Harry! Tell TOOT I said HELLO!!!

Tight lines,

THE KID