Remembering An Icon In The Fishing Industry, Jodie Gay
Today the nation’s fishing community mourns the passing of Jodie Gay, founder of Blue Water Candy Lures. Jodie passed away on Sunday, the 13th while completing a fishing tournament in Morehead City, NC.
The Blue Water Candy founder started the company with his wife Terry by designing and making lures at their kitchen table in their Hampstead, NC, home. As business grew, Jodie’s daughter Jessica joined the family business in an administrative role. In recent years, Jessica’s husband, Russell, came aboard as part of the company’s management.
Through the years, Blue Water Candy Lures grew from a company that provides lures for local commercial fishermen to an international name in commercial and recreational fishing. Recently the company expanded into a larger production and shipping facility in Holly Ridge, NC. This move marked another milestone in Jodie’s dreams and passion for his products, as well as his love of the recreational fishing industry.
Jodie’s success was due to his innovative skills in the development of popular lures and other fishing products. However, the greatest factor in the Blue Water Candy success was Jodie himself. His knowledge of fishing lures was extraordinary; however, his most powerful strength was his skill at interacting with people. To know Jodie was to truly like him. He always took time to talk to his customers, and to anyone passing by for that matter.
Today, anglers in the Southeast United States, and in many places around the world, will mourn his passing. We will also likely think of Jodie each time we reel in a fish with a Blue Water Candy lure in its mouth.
Thanks Jodie, we miss you already!
