In Memoriam

by John Toth

(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association July 2009 Newsletter)

 

Joe Platoni

It is with deep sadness that I report that Joe Platoni passed away on May 22nd at the age of 90 years. He was a co-founder of the Montauk Surf Casters and also a member of the NJ State Marine Fisheries Council. Because of his efforts to support the goals of the JCAA, Joe was the recipient of the JCAA’s prestigious Sportsperson of the Year Award. Joe was a World War II veteran and an active member of the American Legion Post in his home of Leonia. Joe was a zealous angler and he was also zealous in the love of the USA. I know this to be true since I was his neighbor and saw the happiness on his face when he returned home from Montauk with striped bass in his van. I also heard Joe talk many times about how good it is to live in the USA and he was very proud of our country.

Joe loved his surf casting at Montauk by its lighthouse for stripers. He was given the title of “Jersey Joe” by the locals who watched him move quickly over slippery rocks in pursuit of stripers that even younger men feared to tread at that speed. I moved to Englewood in 1972 and I saw Joe across the street from my house and I went over to introduce myself as a new neighbor and to also ask him about the big striped bass in his van that he caught on returning from one of his Montauk fishing trips. Joe told me about a club called the Salt Water Anglers of Bergen County and he asked me to come to one of its meetings. I went with Joe and that is how I eventually became a member of that club and it changed my entire life since I eventually became deeply involved with other fishing clubs and associations like the JCAA in the many issues facing the recreational industry. In addition to his many titles, Joe served as President of the Salt Water Anglers of Bergen County.

I, along with my club members and many members connected to the recreational industry, will miss Joe. He was a “straight shooter” and an excellent fisherman.

May God give Joe a good wind to keep on catching those stripers!

 

Ray Marione

Coincidentally, Ray Marione from the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association also died on the same day as Joe at the age of 91. Ray was also well known in recreational fishing circles and he represented our interests at various management meetings. Like Joe Platoni, Ray was a World War II veteran and they both knew each other for over 30 years and they both belonged to Bergen County fishing clubs. Ray served recreational anglers in many ways such as devising a plan to improve a boat ramp below the George Washington Bridge and he also spoke to the NJ Assembly to urge passage of the Striped Bass Game Fish Bill which became state law in 1991. He also represented the HRFA at many JCAA meetings and he volunteered many hours of his time to support the HRFA and the JCAA in many of its activities and projects. Both Joe and Ray received the JCAA’s prestigious Sportsperson of the Year Award for their many contributions to the recreational fishing industry. Like Joe, Ray was very well liked and he will be surely missed by all of us. He knew many anglers form the Salt Water Anglers of Bergen County and we share in the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association loss of one of their finest members.

 

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