Proud of NJF today.... RIP LAB

[broken bobber]

i am so very proud of the NJF members today with the out pouring of sympathy and support pertaining to my buddys tradgic passing.... JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED.....

Spent time with his family this afternoon and a little bit tonight.... they were grateful to hear of the support here on the site....

will be with them tomorrow and will pass along any arrangments that will be made as soon as i know as i am sure alot of ya's want to say your goodbyes....

For as hard as today was, the next few will be tougher......

[IrishAngler]

Tom,

I was just about to post on the original thread and saw this. I couldn't agree more - this community is showing its true colors - a great group of people.

But there is good reason - Mike deserved it. We go way back on this site - probably a good 13 years or so. And although I only fished with him a few times and bumped into him in the Bay Head surf near his home once in a while - he as ALWAYS a stand up guy. It's no wonder why your post elicited such a tremendous response.

I know you two were tight - so my condolences to you, Di and the kids. This community, including you, rallied for me when I needed it 11 years ago. Lean on us if you need to. Tough couple of weeks coming up for sure....but there will be better days ahead. Hang in there.

IrishAngler

[Scoundrel]

A Gentlemen.

[Reel Class]

Tom, the guy was simply unforgettable. He made that impression on EVERYONE he met the very first time they met him in person.

I hope it's OK I share some LAB stories that come to mind at 6AM, if not I'll take it down.

Having known Mike for 14 years, I got to know him pretty well waaay back in the beginning. He was the "arranger" of the NJF/CEO (NJfishing vs. stripersonline conger eel forum guys) fish-offs that we did regularly for a few years on Capt Robbie's Sea Hunter. Mike was the comic relief, the guy that yucked it up with everyone, and was the person who everyone gravitated to (pink bikini included! LOL). My very first impression of him in the AH parking lot was him arriving in the back of the Sea Hunter BLASTING hip-hop so loud it made me stop in my tracks - I said to myself, Who is this guy? He gets out, I semi-recognized his picture from NJF, and he introduced himself to me. Unforgettable first impression!

As time went on over the next couple of years and life started changing, he was still around. I wound up NOT going to a NJF gathering in the early fall of around 2003, and I opted to do something with my future wife up in CT at my alma mater. At about 2:30 that afternoon, my phone rings, and it was Mike. I picked up the cell phone, hear Mike talking already on the other end (he had a propensity to start a conversation with you on the phone as soon as he heard you pick up, nevermind the hello?) saying that fishing sucked, but it was better than going antiquing in Connecticut LOL - He then proceeded to wish us safe travels and said hello to my wife. That was Mike. Superior ball buster but a heart of pure gold.

When I started doing charters, LAB was right there to fish with me on the boat for a few consecutive years. He gave me great advice, feedback, and encouragement in the first few years and I truly wish he was here so I could thank him for that again. The "hot lemonade!" alarm still goes off on Reel Class at least once per day on our trips LOL

When I got married, we were back one day from our honeymoon, and the phone rings, it was him. More advice, more "how not to get your balls in a sling while married" talk LOL. That was who he was.

Over the last few years, even though we still talked a couple times a year, my relationship with LAB would be best described as both of us going different ways. But, if I needed him he was always there. Whenever I saw him, I made sure I gave him a big man hug, forget the handshake - I just hope he knew how I felt about him :(

In so many ways he mentored many of us in different ways and degrees, including me, and I'm simply heartbroken with his untimely and unfortunate passing.

The guy was truly one of a kind, he was unforgettable. May he RIP.

[shrimpman steve]

Tom
Please let us know if you, or mikes family needs anything over the next few days.

[bunker dunker]

My Son And I Hit The Voyager For A Night Ling Trip A While Back.we Are
Up In The "pointy Part Of The Boat" When I Here From Behind Me"what Are You Lost" And Sure As Hell Its Lab With That Smerk On His Face.my Son And I Were Going To Have A Little Contest To See Who Could Catch More Ling.well Mike Finds Out And Takes Right Up With My Son Chris{who Also Thought The World Of Lab}.well It Was A Long Night For Me With Lab Doing Everything He Could To Keep Me From Catching.
We Laughed Until Our Sides Hurt And Then We Laughed A Little More.he
Was Just A Great Guy Who Loved Life And It Will Always Be My Pleasure To Have Had A Friend Like Mike.

[wink_man]

I'm still having a hard time with this. It's like I had a bad dream last night but it didn't go away this morning.

Being pretty much a loner, there are not to many people that 'float my boat' so to speak, but Michael was definitely one of the few.

Michael and I had many wonderful conversations, about people, fishing, and life in general, on the internet, cell phone, and most importantly in personal conversations around town.

While many saw him as a ballbuster(which he definitely was), I saw the side of him that was intellectual with intelligence, blended with the correct degree of common sense in everything he said and did. He was also very perceptive at reading people.

I will never forget him, or our conversations and was looking for more of it this spring. It was very hard not to love the guy in my opinion.

And while Michael saw himself as a small guy, and often joked about it, he may not have realized it but he was a giant of a man.

Again, my condolences and deepest sympathies to his family and to everyone who knew and loved him.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Keep these things coming... I'm sure there are a ton more LAB stories to be shared. We can compile them here and give them to the family afterwards.

Here is just one of my LAB stories:

Mike's mind was like a trap door... He remembered every conversation, every post and never forgot a name. He knew and stored up information about everyone he came in contact with. Watching him work the deck of a boat was masterful as he'd jump around the deck stopping to talk to everyone and related on a personal level the things he remembered about you. It was actually quite flattering because while he was using this information to bust your balls, you knew he remembered you. The odds he would post for the PUOSU trip were a perfect example of this.

Me and a bunch of guys from the site had booked a charter trip. We get back to the dock and who is waiting for us?? Mike.

Not only did he pick up on and remember we were going out but as an act of kindness was there to greet us when we got back with "cawfees".

It's these sort of things that made Mike who he was. Epic ball busting with a smattering of unexpected acts of kindness that made you feel special.

[broken bobber]

Great Idea Gerry.. the stories i have re endless.... and some I CANT EVEN MENTION HERE LOL......

while fishing tourneys or just out mike had no problem what so ever telling me hey there is so so... slow down and head over there, and when we as he would say, got in range, bam..... he would shoot a moon your way in histerical fashion, and if you were special to him you would get a shot of his "OSCAR GAMBLE" which we labeled his frontal pubic region...hahahaha...

i can see him now setting a hook on a fish and getting on his tippy toes while doing it..... snapping rod in half like no other.....always getting the first dogfish......just so many more things..... :)

[Art Berkman]

Oldie But a Goodie !

[Michael82929]

Nothing funnier than endless pics of monster fluke on the deck on TNT with monger mania and two in the pink and one in the stink.... and pink thongs....lol on the rail...

Great times reading / hearing you guys enter and win fluke tournaments representing njfishing.com

This is by far in my opinion one of the classiest fishing / gaming sites out there.

Tom - Sorry for your loss, really am.... While I dont have the experience, I can identify with the sorrow you must be going through...

My dad always says... dont mourn my life.. I had it good, put a smile on it, and celebrate the rememberance of it...

[sportfishingusa]

My favorite is the phone calling ending good byes... We would talk, sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes 45 minutes, but in the end, we would be mid conversation laughing, and he was make a wise ass remark, chuckle, say good bye, and just hang up while i was talking.. Never got old and it would make me laugh my ass off every time we got off the phone with each other!

[SaltyAngler]

From all of the stories I'd heard and read (and the limited banter I had with him) Mike was one hell of a stand up guy, and equally a great fisherman. Before I even spoke to him once, his first comment to me (at my profile photo) was:

"Hey, where'd you pick up the short fish?"

Quite the comedian, that proverbial slab of lead with the heart of gold, I'm sure he's lambasting a few of us up in that great, Tog-filled pond. Peace be upon him, and blessings to his family. Godspeed, LAB.

[jmurr711]

Setting: Dark parking lot, 3:30am 15degrees in december up pulls a pickup with DMX or Biggie blasting who gets out, a 5 foot,50 year old grey haired white guy & says " yo Philly get my stuff" I am going to miss that so much

I had posted about buying a new fluke rod on here back in like 2010 or so next week me & moe went out on the monger when we docked Mike was there with 2 really nice bucktailing rods of his & said " here ya go kid don't waste your money but i had to give her 1 too so i know they would be used right"

before I had a cell phone whenver the Devils beat the flyers he would call & leave a message on my answering machine then it was a text.

I catch my 12.2 on the monger a little before PUOSU, he is at the dock with the cawfee & before we even are tied up he yells "12lber your odds just went to 1,000:1 you bl*ew ur lo@d way to early kid, thats lack of experience!"

Night ling trip on the k3 way back & I am talking to him about how I feel like I'm f#cking up taking so long to get through college & his response "to long what are you 23, I got holes in my underwear older then you"

Everytime someone new was around he would bring up me being from Philly & say " I spent a year in Philly 1 weekend." somehow it never got old

Like I told VInnie(Sportfishingusa) he woulda given us the shirt off his back but then laughed as either of us tried to fit in it he was a 1 of a kind person & we are all lucky for having been able to call him our friend.

[bunker dunker]

we were fluking on one of the local head boats on day and lab has this old green glass rod and every time he went to set the hook i would cover up thinking that rod was going to explode.his hook set was one in a million to watch,like tennis and fishing combined.

[hartattack]

Some of my favorite Labisms:

- After meeting my son (same age as his son): " He's too skinny & good-looking to be yours ! "

- " You use your left hand on a spinning reel, why should you switch for a Conventional ? "

- He sold me a NIB Avet SX (lefty of course) for $100. I asked him if he's taking a loss on this, his reply " Never. I got it off of Bates for ~$100 worth of Steak. What I paid is what you paid. "

- His comment on my PUOSU odds was priceless: " The best fisherman in the Hart family is away at college " (my Daughter)

He touched all who ever met him. They broke the mold when they made him. Our loss is Heaven's gain. . . .

[Birds Nest]

Bobber & LAB on the old TNT
57256

LAB & friend
57255

NJF Christmas Party 2005
57258

The infamous thong photo
57259

[CatchEmUp]

Bump to the top - I never knew or met LAB (but was certainly aware of him) and it is wonderful to see how he is being remembered.

These should all be printed and given to his family.

[gypsy]

I have been with this site since the beginning, haven't posted much, but always lurking and reading. I had Sand Flea on my old Whaler, Irish Angler on another lost NJFishing.com member Land Shark's boat fluke fishing out of Pt. Pleasant, remember most Irish Angler pushing his biceps up like in the little rascals trying to flex, and Mikes cell phone ringing so much, he didn't get to put his line in the water for too long. The day was slow, as I remember a few skate, but the shit flew, and lots of laughs, Prayers go out to his family, they say he's gone to a better place, but his work wasn't finished here Rest In Peace Michael

[broken bobber]

Bobber & LAB on the old TNT
57256

LAB & friend
57255

NJF Christmas Party 2005
57258

The infamous thong photo
57259


NICE PIX RED... :D

[broken bobber]

ONCE AGAIN GUYS AND GALS.....

Just spoke to Mikes son Mick... He just finished reading all the comments here and said he had NO IDEA how many lives and hearts his dad touched

he asked me to sign on and let EVERYONE HERE KNOW How GRATEFUL he and the Family are for all the kind words AND THE SHOW OF SUPPORT.....

SO FROM THE WELLS FAMILY TO ALL....... THANK YOU VERY MUCH....

[Foul Hook]

The first time I met Mike was down at Ken's landing. I was getting off the boat and he said "How'd you do kid?". When I got home and figured out it was "LAB" I had met. I posted on the site about an hour later " I thought you were taller" his reply to me "Nope same size as you, 5 foot nuttin". How many people do you know, that you remember the first thing they ever said to you? That was Mike to me!

[Ismellfishy]

Rather than say unfortunately, I would like to say that I was fortunate enough to meet mike this past december on the PUOSU. I was there at the boat when he arrived and for sure, he ARRIVES, he doesnt just show up. At that time I was finally able to put the face to the name, the name that has had me doubled in laughter so many times on this site. Damn was he a fun and entertaining guy, and from what I experienced a HOF ball buster, starting with the fact that he called me "smell like a fish" and later "ll cool j". Unlike some, I could not even begin to muster anything but a smile and a laugh. Throughout that sunday and the following sunday, it became very clear that beneath the hard exterior was a gentle and caring mind and heart, when you would catch him in his quiet moments he was rather transparent to his true nature.

Truly a sad thing to see this MAN go. I really wish I could have had the chance to fish and talk with him more, even if the whole time he was breakin my stones. My condolences and prayers go out to the family, and all of us that were touched by Mike

[rocka1030]

Just logged onto the site so just seeing this terrible news. I don't post much the last few years, no time to fish anymore. Mike was one of the first people I ever met from this site. Fished the first couple PUOSU trips because he was nice enough to ask me to join. Sad day when you read this kind of stuff. Will take his 10,000 to 1 odds any day to win a PUOSU. My prayers go out to his family, friends and everyone on this site that he has had a positive influence on. There is a limit blackfish trip in heaven for him somewhere.

[Taxman]

On a web site where most do not use real names, I purchased a reel from LAB and he sent it with one of his drivers to a deli near where I worked for me to pick up and just trusted that I would mail him the check and that it would clear after it arrived.

Not many people have that much faith in others

[dales529]

TTT:
Met Mike for the first time at the 2008 SSFFF Dinner, we had some discussion over fisheries management (which would continue until this:mad: ) and the upcoming fund raiser trip I was running. A month later
we are docking after a successful Striper Charter (sponser) trip at Garden State Marina and who else but Mike is waiting at the Dock. After a quick handshake and saying hello to the dogs and asking him to "turn that crappy music down" I notice the truck has more than a few setups in the back and say "hey you going out late today?"

He says "No stupid, those are for you to pick through and Raffle off on your fund raiser trip" How thoughtful was that for him to A) know I was on that trip and B) Go out of his way to even think about donating gear and delivering it to where I was at.


Have to admit: He also said " wipe that smile off your face, the Captain caught all those fish you just paid for the ride" "dats NOT U catching dats U reeling"

Vintage LAB

[Relentless Charters]

I have not been on the board for a bit and to see this is shocking news. My condolences go out to Mike, his family and his friends. I never met or fished with Mike but anyone who was able to be his friend or fish with him sure was lucky. So sorry to hear this news.

Capt Dave

[Solemate]

Rip Lab

[Scotty]

Great Idea Gerry.. the stories i have re endless.... and some I CANT EVEN MENTION HERE LOL......

while fishing tourneys or just out mike had no problem what so ever telling me hey there is so so... slow down and head over there, and when we as he would say, got in range, bam..... he would shoot a moon your way in histerical fashion, and if you were special to him you would get a shot of his "OSCAR GAMBLE" which we labeled his frontal pubic region...hahahaha...

i can see him now setting a hook on a fish and getting on his tippy toes while doing it..... snapping rod in half like no other.....always getting the first dogfish......just so many more things..... :)Tom, I won't repeat it here, but were you there with Mike and "Wilson" the flounder? Funniest fishing story I've ever heard :eek:

[M Rod]

My last memory of Lab was over the winter months. I needed a bushel last minute and Lab told me to drive down to point and take a bushel he had hanging and leave the money on the boat. He barely knew me. I left the money in a cigarette pack and put a 6 oz bank sinker in the pack so the wind wouldn't blow it away. I still have his text in my phone after he found the cigarette pack. LAB- " Could have left me at least a 10 oz" LOL That was LAB for ya. I never did get to return to him his crab net and rope. RIP Buddy you were one of a kind.

[stevelikes2fish]

My last memory of Lab was over the winter months. I needed a bushel last minute and Lab told me to drive down to point and take a bushel he had hanging and leave the money on the boat. He barely knew me. I left the money in a cigarette pack and put a 6 oz bank sinker in the pack so the wind wouldn't blow it away. I still have his text in my phone after he found the cigarette pack. LAB- " Could have left me at least a 10 oz" LOL That was LAB for ya. I never did get to return to him his crab net and rope. RIP Buddy you were one of a kind.

Very touching story, so sorry.

[Gerry Zagorski]

TTT:
Met Mike for the first time at the 2008 SSFFF Dinner, we had some discussion over fisheries management (which would continue until this:mad: ) and the upcoming fund raiser trip I was running. A month later
we are docking after a successful Striper Charter (sponser) trip at Garden State Marina and who else but Mike is waiting at the Dock. After a quick handshake and saying hello to the dogs and asking him to "turn that crappy music down" I notice the truck has more than a few setups in the back and say "hey you going out late today?"

He says "No stupid, those are for you to pick through and Raffle off on your fund raiser trip" How thoughtful was that for him to A) know I was on that trip and B) Go out of his way to even think about donating gear and delivering it to where I was at.


Have to admit: He also said " wipe that smile off your face, the Captain caught all those fish you just paid for the ride" "dats NOT U catching dats U reeling"

Vintage LAB


Classic LAB story for sure.... You can't make this stuff up and he's one of the very few who could pull it off.

[chefsamg19]

I talked with lab a time or two on this site but never had the pleasure of meeting him. It's awesome seeing the response on here.. From what I heard and read Lab was one of the best..thoughts and prayers to his family and friends