A great teacher

[Steve Craig]

Here is one of my original teachers. He is still going strong and still catching them.
This is a Florida Lake. Check out that old Meter Depth finder!
Anyone know who this guy is?

[Team9nine]

Ferencek? (Tom)

[site admin]

Doug Bush?

[TN Dave]

Steve,

Can't really tell from the photo; but judging from the size/build and from the statement about an early Spoonplugging teacher; I say it is Tommy Ferencek. Tom and Don Dickson were the first, real live, Spoonpluggers I got to meet. Took their class at Leesburg, FL, a long time ago; January 1979. Tommy was an excellent teacher. Still remember the classes.

TN Dave

[Steve Craig]

Yes it is Tom Ferencek.
This was taken just a few days ago.
He is coming back to fresh water it seems. He has been doing the salt water thing now for quite some time.

David
I believe you and I took those classes in the same year. January 1979 I believe .
On Harris and Little Lake Harris and on Marion!
It is good to see Tommy back at it!

[Steve Craig]

David,
Ooops! Sorry, but Tommy said I was there in 1977! Not 1979. Time does get away sometimes.

[TN Dave]

Steve,

You are correct , January 1979. Good class and I realized how much more I had to learn about Spoonplugging even though I had been reading Mr. Perry's material for six or seven years. The best thing about the class was learning how to do everything in an orderly manner and knowing what kind of boat/motor/equipment I needed to learn Spoonplugging. (Certainly did not need one of the new "bass boats" that were exploding on the market)

Tommy had excellent boat control and could read the "meter" (the needle on the unit in the photo) with ease. Made the whole trolling experience look a whole lot easier than it was.. Especially when I was trying to follow a breakline with that needle unit.

TN Dave

[Steve Craig]

David,
Tommy is a great guy, great person, a great teacher, and a good christian man.
One of his best characteristics, was his never quit attitude while on the water.
On a spot on Little Lake Harris, I recall him working a finger that was dropping into a slot over and over and over again, and again, all day long. At the time, I thought wow.......is this what we are supposed to do?
I was somewhat bored, and losing interest at the time, but then BANG.....the fish moved and it was a fish on every trolling pass( we tried casting but the speed was too slow). He taught me a great lesson on that first trip, about never quitting or giving up!