Paddle-Fishing.com

I'm deeply saddened to give you the news, Mark M passed on today.

Truly "One of the good ones"

I will let you know details of services when they become known to me.

I feel this cloud of sadness. A good guy who always had that MarkM smile.

Always smiling, always positive, always friendly. I didn't know him well but these were the impressions I got from him when we spoke. Truly a model to live by.

Sad news for us all. But glad that his suffering has ended.

He will be missed.

So sorry to hear this about such a great guy.

So sad. Glad he is in a better place.

I saw Mark last Thursday after paddling his beloved Double Branch. He gave me a thumbs-up sign after telling him where I'd been. He didn't speak, but seem to be in good spirits. Hard to believe he only had a few days left, but happy he didn't suffer much. He was a good guy. I am honored to have known him.

The community has lost a great ambassador today. I'm gutted.

Very sad indeed. Rest in peace, Mark.

A sad day indeed.

I did know him well. As well as we cared to know each other. We fished together for years, during beach snook, we fished 5 nights a week. I would dare say during my time in Tampa, we fished together 85% of the time. Almost every fishing memory I have during my time there, he was involved. He won the first OLC, he helped me with everyone after that. He was there when I got stuck by the catfish and thought I was going to die. When we decided that a ten mile paddle against the current and the wind to fish a tournament would be no big deal. He drove all the way to Texas non stop when we went for the Extreme Edge tournament....that was the first time I heard of satellite radio and we had to listen to the Garage the whole way. He was an accomplished guitarist, he loved college basketball, pro baseball....he was UNC fan, I lost every bet to him and had to put that ugly avatar on this site. Proud father, who every time we went to Jax for that tournament, visited with his son. He was schocked to learn that rum cost so little compared to whatever liquor he drank infrequently, maybe Vodka....but you will learn about rum hanging out with me and Todd. He took that crazy journey with me when I decided to start a fishing team, eAngler. Paddled those early Malibu kayaks even though he had a perfectly good Tarpon 160 in the garage (and I know so did Rik and others on the team). He helped me with every OLC tournament, and he even attended more of them than me. We were paddling back one day and I turned around to find him way behind.....learned a lesson about making sure you had the drain plug screwed in.....that Tarpon 160 becomes quite slow filled with water. He would come by the house when I needed help doing a two man job. Every personal best fish that I caught and the best fishing days I ever had were with Mark. Almost every photograph in a frame that I have he had to take....he was the only person I knew with a digital camera in the beginning. He was there when I caught the huge shark at Honeymoon at low tide in 110 degree heat with no breeze at noon on a gold spoon, that we thought was a cobia till 30 minutes later when we got it kayak side. We caught fish in every spot that I ever fished in Tampa. He was the one who showed me Double Branch as it was just around the corner from where we both lived. The last fish I caught in Tampa before moving was in a hole he showed me and he couldnt come with me because he had to work.

I know, I rambled. But we only got to spend a good portion of my adult life together. As I told Todd, other than my ex and kids, I spent more time with him than anyone. And it saddens me that someone like that, who was the nicest guy I ever met....no offense to anyone else...but just genuinely a good guy had to die. He is better off from what I have been told. We talked only twice after the first diagnosis and treatment. I meant to call....but I didnt. So I miss him. And only those of you on here, who knew him can grieve with me. I am not sure I can get back and I hate that. And it was this forum that brought he and I together to fish. And to become friends.

Rest in Peace Mark. You will be missed.

And I forgot the most important part. He taught me about using the Gold Dart.....best lure ever.

The Service for Mark will be held at CurlewHills @ 3pm on Saturday

http://curlewhills.com/book-of-memories ... etails.php

Thanks John.