Toad Patrol Memorial Gathering- December 23rd

[Spike]

Scott's daughter Daisy is just finishing up her first term at college in Mass., thus the timing.  Many of Scott's friends have asked about a paddle-out,  I  thought I'd wait to find out if the local site(s) have anything planned.  The memorial part will be at Westward Beach, at the end, at point Dume.Daisy and Jack are going to need some help.  As things work forward, Kayakfishing.com will tie a few fundraisers into some of our events over the next few years including next years Kayakfishing.com Invitational Kayak Fishing Tournament to be held on the Sonoma Coast.  Consider a weekend in October 2011, 90 minutes past the Golden Gate Bridge.  The kid's mom, Amy, has risen to the cause here (under Daisy's supervision with a trustee).  A few of Scott's friends stepped up early with $serious help and got the house (and kids) stabilized through the year.  To few people's surprise, Scott didn't leave with things..... well organized.

If you didn't know Scott or like many, don't know the whole story...somewhere within all this rests the truth and the deepest rootrs to the sport.
16 years ago or so, I was talking to Tim Niemier (Founder of Ocean Kayak and industry pioneer) when he told me Scott Winner essentially turned down a partnership to do OK with him.  From Malibu/Vent CO, they had manufactured and sold many a fiberglass clamshell sit-on-top kayak, Scott's "Toad Patrol" kayak.  Tim found rotational molding, Scott became the career Malibu handyman and got his contractors license a few years back.  Scott was a fisherman...and a local...with a big heart.  His writing (for the Malibu Times and others) was pertinant and articulate.  He was passionate on his positions, especially on sustainable management, a position he grew into.  I think Scott understood he didn't have to go to weekend services to believe and was active with his family in the church community.  And the schools too as the kids were coming up (he liked that DFG collection permit and had some awesome tanks going in the school lab).

"Scott was the original kayak fisherman in so many ways"
                                     Tim Niemier, Founder, Ocean Kayak-On hearing the news




 

[Rhino]

See you on the 23rd.

[Falcon]

Likewise, I will see you all.

Falcon

[Spike]

Scott's son Jackson called for a memorial at Point Dume instead of Trancas.
Thursday December 23rd
10am - Paddleout
11am - Memorial Service on the beach

[Lou Dog]

I remember my first kayak fishing trip very well, summer of 2000.  I rented a beat-up tandem from Sport Chalet for $45, it was me and my dad.  I can't forget the feeling, within the first 2 minutes of leaving the mouth of the harbor @ Marina Del Rey I hooked into a monster Shovelnose (Guitar Fish). I knew 2 things were certain. I needed a kayak & my dad needed his own.  I remember thinking how original this form of fishing was, how most people hadn't/wouldn't dare try this.   The thing that got me into it was Adam "Trout" Traubman's article in South Coast Sportfishing Magazine, (still have that copy) and I wanted to be that guy holding a beautiful catch inches off the water.
Little did I know that 30 years prior, Scott Winner was already doing it, launching through the surf, catching fish minutes from home in a spot that took private boaters an hour to get to. 
I got to meet Scott and fish with him countless times. Thank you Toad Patrol.... for everything.

[Spike]

http://malibutimes.com/articles/2010/12/20/obituaries/obit3.txt