Joe Yee
Joe Yee is one of the world's most successful and sought-after lure makers. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1928, Yee's love of the ocean began as a surfer, but he would later become known as the creator of some of the most sought-after marlin lures ever created.
Yee grew up on the island of O'ahu, where spending time at the beach and learning to surf was a natural pastime. During his teens, he met Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic gold medal champion and widely credited as the person that spread the sport of surfing across the globe. As surfing gained in popularity, Joe worked for Duke and began crafting surfboards. It was here that he honed his skills in shaping fiberglass.
One morning, Joe was on the beach when he saw Japanese planes flying overhead. He recalls wondering what was happening, and the attack on Pearl Harbor began moments later. Post-war, Joe became an aircraft mechanic, and through ingenuity, he discovered that by combining techniques he learned carving surfboards and aircraft parts, he could create hard heads for marlin lures. "In 1960, I was changing the plugs on a plane brought the plug home and filled it with resin, and that was the first lure mold I made," recalls Joe.
At the same time, IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame Inductee and Trustee Emeritus Peter Fithian began the fledgling Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament. Held in the marlin-rich waters off Kona, Hawaii, the annual tournament drew anglers from around the world and quickly grew in popularity. Joe sold his lures during the event, and they successfully caught marlin. Soon, anglers were bringing Yee's lures back to their home countries, and his lures gained popularity across the globe.
While the idea of machining the lures to meet demand may have been tempting, Yee continued to handcraft his lures. By incorporating shells, teddy bear eyes, colored resins, and other interesting items into the head, each lure is unique. However, the design of each lure is specific and honed to run true every time. When asked what makes his lures so effective, Joe simply says “they catch fish.” With names like Crackerjack, 505, Apollo, and the Super Plunger, it is said that Yee’s lures have caught more marlin over 1,000 pounds than any other handmade lure.
One of those granders was landed by Ray Hawkes during the 1993 Hawaiian International Billfish Pro Am Tournament. The giant Pacific blue marlin was caught on Yee’s Super Plunger. It weighed 1,166 pounds earning him the IGFA World Record for the 50-pound line class. This incredible record remains unbroken. However, that was not Joe’s most memorable catch. When asked what was, Joe recalls. “In 1985, I was fishing Kona with my first grandson, my granddaughter, and my wife. I was fishing my strawberry pearl super plunger and caught a 775-pound marlin. That was one of my favorite catches.” Family and the tradition of lure making runs deep in Joe’s family. At age 95, Yee is semi-retired from lure making and his grandson is now carrying on the tradition.
For his lure-making innovations and their impact on marlin sportfishing, the IGFA welcomes Joe Yee into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame.
15 окт 2024
