By Capt. Cliff Lumpkin:
Friends, family and fellow anglers gathered the last weekend of January to remember the life and legacy of fishing legend Jose Wejebe who tragically lost his life in a plane crash in April 2012.
Jose was the host of the extremely popular TV fishing show, “The Spanish Fly”, which highlighted the great fishing and areas of south Florida and the Florida Keys. Jose was surely known for his fishing prowess, but he was equally known for giving back to the community through charity organizations like Make a Wish Foundation, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and the Red Bone Catch a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis, to name a few.
It was in memory of this generosity that the Spanish Fly Memorial Foundation was formed to continue this important work. The Spanish Fly Memorial Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization and honors Jose’s legacy by making fishing dreams come true for those who face life-impacting challenges. The Foundation not only provides a once-in-a-lifetime fishing experience, but also exposes participants to the ecology that Jose cared so much about.
To highlight these efforts, the Spanish Fly Memorial Foundation organized the annual #FishforJose event. This three-day event encourages the local community to take time to do something new by sharing a fishing experience with a friend or offering trade tips and techniques—anything that will help continue to spread Jose Wejebe’s mission of giving back.
The event kicked off with a welcome party at the Square Grouper’s upstairs bar My New Joint in Cudjoe Key. Guests were greeted at the door by another Florida fishing icon and foundation board member Capt. Jim Sharpe. The evening was filled with great food and drinks, a silent auction and raffles and provided the opportunity for guests to share stories and memories of Jose. In attendance at the event were some of the wounded and injured veterans that have benefited from the hard work of the foundation. Day two was dinner at Jose’s with the Spanish Fly family. The invite-only dinner featured Cuban food, music provided by local musicians Terry Cassidy and the Key Lime Band and guest speakers like legendary guides and mentors Stu Apte, Steve Huff, dear friend Carter Andrews and daughter Krissy Wejebe.
Day three encouraged participants to take the day to fish for Jose, post their stories on social media using #FishforJose and meet at the Saltwater Angler for an open bar, silent auctions and guest speakers from the fishing industry. The weekend was a huge success.
Cliff Lumpkin is the co-publisher of the Florida Keys edition of Coastal Angler Magazine. To learn more about Jose’s passion and spirit, visit the tribute to Jose Youtube video at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYPuTAQduMQ. To find out more about the organization or how you can help, visit the foundation’s website at www.josewejebefoundation.org.