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Old 07-04-10, 10:27 PM   #76
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this is what ZOOKER'S mother likes gang. relay all your stories for her please. i want to THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TOO!


now for some news on the memorial and cookout. things have changed a bit ok? so here is the deal straight form MRS. DICKERSON.

memorial will be held on june 24th at their church. we are NOT gonna have the cookout at this time, but if oyu want to attend the family would love it. if oyu want to send flowers ok, but a donation would be better suited i think. i will get the address for you and you can send it to MRS. DICKERSON.we will let her decide waht to do with the money. does that sound ok? i think so.


now.........the COOKOUT is going to be held on labor day weekend, sept 5th at the DICKERSON HOUSE. LISA AND I WILL BE THERE. if oyu want to attend, let me know and i will get directions for you. or oyu can mapquest it yourself. if oyu are going to fly in, i was told there will be someone to pick oyu up at the airport. i don't know about what kind of food there will be or anything, gonna give MOM time to get things done on the memorial first then work out those details. i think i am gonna be the cook (scary huh? me with a grill? lmao!), i will get those details as well. so please IF YOU CAN PLEASE ATTEND THIS. i know some of oyu will have made plans made already, but you haven't......... come. if oyu want to relay a message, give it to me, send it to me. i will give oyu my address via private message. look forward to meeting some of oyu that i haven't met, but shared the common brotherhood with ZOOKER. MRS. DICKERSON and her family have read this thread and LOVED everything we have shared. there will be folks form other forums there as well. ZOOER was on several forums and touched LOTS of folks. i for one can't wait to meet them too. it is gonna be a lot of fun gang.
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Old 07-04-10, 11:47 PM   #77
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I seriously doubt that we will be able to attend either one of these events, having a 9 month old baby tends to keep you close to home. I think that the memorial service and the cookout is a great idea and I hope they help the family cope with everything.


I bet Zooker has overcame his superstitions against bananas and is up in heaven right now with his foot on the trolling motor pedal, a spinnerbait rod in one hand, and a banana in the other.

Fish on Hoss, we miss ya.
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Old 07-04-10, 11:51 PM   #78
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I bet Zooker has overcame his superstitions against bananas and is up in heaven right now with his foot on the trolling motor pedal, a spinnerbait rod in one hand, and a banana in the other.

Fish on Hoss, we miss ya.
C-rig, that wouldn't surprise me a bit!
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Old 07-05-10, 12:04 AM   #79
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I will not be able to attend the memorial. That will be the end of the baseball tournament for my son. So far they are 14-0, so we kind of expect them to play in the championship game that Friday night or Saturday. Of course, that is assuming they play like they have during the regular season. Even though I will not be able to attend, I will have Zooker's family and friends on my mind. To complicate matters for the weekend, we have a CAST tournament for that Saturday. If it comes down to choosing between a fishing tournament and my son's baseball tournament, you guessed it! Baseball it is!!!!!
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Old 07-05-10, 12:20 AM   #80
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I have a funny story to share...

Years ago, I got a call from Zooker one day and he got to asking me about the Potomac River. I told him I fished frogs a lot and he asked if I had ever fished a weedless Jitterbug.

Well, it's been maybe 15 years since I threw a jitterbug, so I said no. I had to admit, I wasn't even aware there was a 'weedless' version.

Zook went on to explain to me that was the right lure to have.

While I'm not saying there isn't a 'time and place' for a jitterbug, it isn't high on my list of favorite topwaters to say the least ( I can hear the grumbling right now ).

I'm pretty sure I told Zook that I'd buy one if I ever came across an antique tackle shop (this was my attempt at returning fishing humor over the phone line).

Fast forward maybe 5-6 months to the Member Event in Kentucky, and I'm at the dock standing on the bow of my boat and Zook comes walking down to me. He says, "Here", and hands me a weird looking lure.

Not having any clue why he handed me this weedless jitterbug, I say, "what's this for?", and he bluntly says, "that's the weedless jitterbug I was telling you about".

AHHHHH... now I remembered. I was shocked Zook even remembered that small tidbit of our conversation, especially considering how many phone calls he made!

I graciously accepted Zooker's weedless jitterbug and told him I'd try it out. I put the lure in a small little cubby under my boat's starboard rod locker where I store my marker buoys.

Fast forward to early this spring... I'm out on another river and need to toss a marker. I grab a marker and notice that yellow weedless jitterbug I had forgotten all about sitting in that little cubby.

I pulled the lure out and said to myself, "oh yea... I forgot all about putting this in here. I guess I should put it in one of my topwater boxes". But then I realized I probably wouldn't fish it anyway so I threw it back in that cubby. I wasn't going to throw it away.. after all, it was a gift, but I wasn't exactly eager to fish with it... I mean, it is a jitterbug ( I can hear grumbling again )

The lure went back in the cubby as a sort-of 'good luck charm'. Zooker had gifted it to me and though I didn't have high hopes for it being a productive lure, I thought it could at least be a productive good luck charm.

I'm far from being a superstitious person. Bananas taste extra good when fishing, trust me. But I've declared Zook's ugly yellow weedless jitterbug my one and only good luck charm. It'll stay in my boat and constantly remind me of the dear friend we all lost.

Right now, sitting in my boat, is only one lure... Zooker's yellow weedless jitterbug.

Maybe this week I'll tie it on and see if I can't catch one for the big man.

Nuff said.
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Old 07-05-10, 12:33 AM   #81
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Kevin, I have a gen-u-ine Zook-n-stein that he actually fished. It will now have a place of honor but will NOT be used-I don't want to lose it.

And no, I will not post a picture of it since he did not want the secret out

'nuff said

I sure am going to miss the big guy.
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Old 07-05-10, 12:36 AM   #82
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Kevin, I have a gen-u-ine Zook-n-stein that he actually fished. It will now have a place of honor but will NOT be used-I don't want to lose it.

And no, I will not post a picture of it since he did not want the secret out
I forgot all about the Zook-n-stein. Suddenly my weedless jitterbug feels second-rate.
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Old 07-05-10, 02:09 AM   #83
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Not sure if this is a funny story or not but it seems worth mentioning........

I never fish a crankbait straight out of the package, they all get the hooks changed to Mustad Triple Grips before they ever see my boat (I guess the same can be said for any other baits that use treble hooks). Anyways one night last summer I was changing the hooks on a bunch of new Strike King crankbaits I had bought. Zooker called and asked what I was up to, and I told him that I was changing the hooks on a bunch of Strike King Sexy Shad crankbaits. Zooker not being a huge fan of Strike King crankbaits said "Oh man those crankbaits need some help". I had never had a single problem with these crankbaits at all, at least until that time. That batch of crankbaits that I was working on was probably 30 or more crankbaits, and out of the whole lot I think that I had 4 of them that didn't fill up with water and sink. Everytime I tied one on and it filled up with water I kept thinking to myself "all these years of no problems and one phone call from Zooker and he cursed them all" lol. By the way I wrote Strike King an email telling them about the problem and they sent me 6 crankbaits and a hat to make up for the 26 baits that were junk, but that's not the point here.

I sure hope the Good Lord will greet Zooker with a box full of Strike King crankbaits as a gag gift from me lol.
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Old 07-05-10, 04:29 AM   #84
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I can't make the church. But I'm going to do my best to get to the one in Sept. if I got to hitch hike.

I still laugh when I think about the phone call when they brought home a Degirono's pizza. I'm listening to him talking about having just ate a bunch of macoroni salad and now they bring home a degiorno's pizza. We talk a little bit longer... he talks a little longer, about fishing and I'd forgotten about the pizza. Then he says real slow, calm, and drawn out.... "Duuuuddde.... You dooon't coooook aaaaa deeegiooorrrrnoooo'sss piiiizzzzaaaa with the caaaaarrdboooaaard under iiiiiittt."

You'd of had to heard him say it to get the full effect. I mean it had me snorting, and it takes a lot to get me snorting when I laugh.
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Old 07-05-10, 11:16 AM   #85
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I'll always remember this past Thanksgiving. Just 10 minutes before everyone was to sit down to the feast, I got a call from Zooker. Not wantting to be rude, I stepped out onto the deck to have what I thought was going to be a quick conversation. Snicker here, was there ever a quick conversation??? Anyways, We start to talking about fishin and then about his hunting,, and soon I see my wife giving me "the look". Now mind you I really havn't said anything to him other than "Hi, Happy Turkey Day". It's mostly just listening and occationally getting in an uh huh, yep, I see. But now everyone is starting to sit down at the table and looking at me. Over the next several minutes, I'm able to say to him, ummmm...well...ok, well...yeah...I have to....I should get back to.....I really...my wifes gonna kill me....pretty hungry here.... At some point he says, "well I'll let ya get back to your family". All I could do was laugh. And believe me, if I get a phone call this next Thanksgiving just before dinner I'm checkin the caller ID just to see. LOL I do know I'll never have Thanksgiving Dinner again without remember that day. Have a turkey leg up there in Heaven for me brother Zooker!
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Old 07-05-10, 11:40 AM   #86
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Well, guys, my apologies for I have just taken the time to browse a few of the discussions I visit less frequently and saw this thread. Of all of us, I knew Zooker the least. Judging from the many posts on here and the stories they tell, he was quite a character and quite a friend to many of you. My prayers are with the family and my greatest Prayer is that Zooker is fishing the grandest lake of all and catching huge bass on every cast, for eternity!
'nuff said!
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Old 07-05-10, 11:55 AM   #87
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Zooker and I met on a NC Angler website. Bunch of us got together back in July of 07 for a cookout and had a blast. Geniunely nice guy. I just got off the phone with his Mom and I see now where he gets his kindness. I joined this site just so I could add to all the great posts I have read here with teary eyes.. Looks like I'll stick around after seeing all great things youve all said.. See some of you the 24th, or Labor day.
Catch em up Zook!! RIP
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Old 07-05-10, 12:55 PM   #88
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i love reading all these story's about zooker, i didn't get to talk to him on here to much and never on the phone. but he did get to tell me how it was at least once and I am really glad now that it happened lol i posted a new thread " just my luck" kinda complaining about me coming in second in a tourney and losing by just a 1/4 ounce. So zooker pretty much told me to hush and be glad i got second and quit whining LOL my wife laughed so hard when she seen that he had said it. you will be missed buddy wish i would've got to know you better!
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Old 07-06-10, 12:11 PM   #89
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You all are right about trying to get a word in when Zook was on a roll. I met Zooker about two years ago. We were on a road trip vacation down south. I told my wife there was no way I could go down there and not visit him. We caught up with him and we all went out to dinner. I have a picture somewhere and when I find it I'll post it. I look like a midget standing next to him.
My girls were intimidated by him at first but when they saw what a great guy he was they got over it fast. They still talk about what a big guy he was and we joke about how scared they were at first. I can't remember what I ate that evening but I'll never forget meeting him. Zook left an impression on my family that will not be forgotten anytime soon.
He and I also worked on the Zook-n-stein together. Lots of e-mails and phone calls when we were doing that. I sent him samples of my work and he sent samples of his ideas. I still carry them in my boat at all times.
I will miss him the rest of my life and although I didn't get to fish with him in this life I am sure someday I will fish with him.
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Old 07-06-10, 12:26 PM   #90
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin View Post
I have a funny story to share...

Years ago, I got a call from Zooker one day and he got to asking me about the Potomac River. I told him I fished frogs a lot and he asked if I had ever fished a weedless Jitterbug.

Well, it's been maybe 15 years since I threw a jitterbug, so I said no. I had to admit, I wasn't even aware there was a 'weedless' version.

Zook went on to explain to me that was the right lure to have.

While I'm not saying there isn't a 'time and place' for a jitterbug, it isn't high on my list of favorite topwaters to say the least ( I can hear the grumbling right now ).

I'm pretty sure I told Zook that I'd buy one if I ever came across an antique tackle shop (this was my attempt at returning fishing humor over the phone line).

Fast forward maybe 5-6 months to the Member Event in Kentucky, and I'm at the dock standing on the bow of my boat and Zook comes walking down to me. He says, "Here", and hands me a weird looking lure.

Not having any clue why he handed me this weedless jitterbug, I say, "what's this for?", and he bluntly says, "that's the weedless jitterbug I was telling you about".

AHHHHH... now I remembered. I was shocked Zook even remembered that small tidbit of our conversation, especially considering how many phone calls he made!

I graciously accepted Zooker's weedless jitterbug and told him I'd try it out. I put the lure in a small little cubby under my boat's starboard rod locker where I store my marker buoys.

Fast forward to early this spring... I'm out on another river and need to toss a marker. I grab a marker and notice that yellow weedless jitterbug I had forgotten all about sitting in that little cubby.

I pulled the lure out and said to myself, "oh yea... I forgot all about putting this in here. I guess I should put it in one of my topwater boxes". But then I realized I probably wouldn't fish it anyway so I threw it back in that cubby. I wasn't going to throw it away.. after all, it was a gift, but I wasn't exactly eager to fish with it... I mean, it is a jitterbug ( I can hear grumbling again )

The lure went back in the cubby as a sort-of 'good luck charm'. Zooker had gifted it to me and though I didn't have high hopes for it being a productive lure, I thought it could at least be a productive good luck charm.

I'm far from being a superstitious person. Bananas taste extra good when fishing, trust me. But I've declared Zook's ugly yellow weedless jitterbug my one and only good luck charm. It'll stay in my boat and constantly remind me of the dear friend we all lost.

Right now, sitting in my boat, is only one lure... Zooker's yellow weedless jitterbug.

Maybe this week I'll tie it on and see if I can't catch one for the big man.

Nuff said.
Kevin, I remember Zooker telling me about you and the yellow jitterbug 2 years ago. He called on the phone when I was jogging through the middle of the woods, late in the evening. It was a long conversation, and finally I had to get off the phone because it was getting dark in a place I didn't want to be when it got dark. I always tried to get more words in, just cause he would take the conversations by the horns and I felt the need to keep up. I still have several ZooknSteins, all of which are going to be put up for safe keeping.
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Old 07-06-10, 01:38 PM   #91
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Some of you may or may not remember me, I posted on here a few years back and since then have always been a lurker in the shadows. One of the guys that always kept me around was Zook. Just one of the nicest guys around. As I was reading through all of your posts about his passing it was interesting have a tear fall and smiling at the same time. I had many a conversation with him over the phone. He was a crack up. Made me laugh everytime we talked.

Some of you hit the nail on the head when Zook got to talkin, you couldnt get a word in edge wise. He would get on a roll and it was like a freight train with no brakes. I remember having one conversation with him where I think the 2 words I said were "Hi" and "Bye" It used to crack me and leave my head shaking how we could talk for over an hour at a time and at the end of the conversation he could end the conversation and be off the phone in the blink of an eye. Some conversations were about fishin, guns, life. You name i and in a 1/2 conversation we talked about alot of things. easy to do when he talked at 100 mph.

To my bro Zook....I will miss you! You were one of the kindest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. A plethora of knowledge that you shared willingly. He was one of the guys that literally would have given the shirt off his back and never asked for anything in return. The guy forgot more about crankbait fishing than most of us will ever know in a lifetime. I could go on and on about the mighty Zooker.

He will be missed buy everyone whos life he touched!

Rest In Piece Zook!
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Old 07-06-10, 05:42 PM   #92
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hope you stick around decon, he told me a lot about ya'lls calls pal.
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Old 07-06-10, 10:46 PM   #93
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I like your thought Kevin. I do believe my Stein will become a permanent fixture on my boat somewhere safe.

Bassintom- I am now counting on you for a few replacements.
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Old 07-07-10, 01:29 PM   #94
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I don't know how I missed this, and I really don't know what to say. I pray that his family finds strength in each other, and the knowledge that he is in a better place.

I hear the bass are all huge in Heaven!
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Old 07-07-10, 01:41 PM   #95
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Wow I just seen this. What happen that took him so fast? He does not look to be very old? RIP and for the record, this is one guy that is sick of bad news and death. Man!
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Old 07-07-10, 03:15 PM   #96
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Wow I just seen this. What happen that took him so fast? He does not look to be very old? RIP and for the record, this is one guy that is sick of bad news and death. Man!
He'd been fighting AML with chemo for awhile.
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Old 07-07-10, 04:02 PM   #97
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Spent a while pondering this one before writing... Still can't figure out what to say. My heart goes out to all of you who were especially close to him. There are few larger than life characters to be found in our cookie-cutter world... Zooker was clearly larger than life. Rest in peace.
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Old 07-07-10, 05:44 PM   #98
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I was out of town without access to a computer for a few days and came back to the multiple threads with the bad news about Zooker. Although I never met him in person or talked to him on the phone, it's not hard at all to see from those of you who did what a great guy he was. I've never fished a Bandit Series crankbait, but as a tribute to Zooker, I plan to buy one on my way up to the lake this weekend and use it until I catch a fish with it.

May God's peace that surpasses our human understanding fill the heart and mind of each member of Zooker's family and each person in his circle of friends as well.

Dean
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Old 07-07-10, 05:51 PM   #99
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I've never fished a Bandit Series crankbait, but as a tribute to Zooker, I plan to buy one on my way up to the lake this weekend and use it until I catch a fish with it.



Dean
It shouldnt take long.
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Old 07-07-10, 06:18 PM   #100
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What was Zooks color of choice on the bandit ? Just curious , since he was proficient with it.
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