Yesterday my good friend and fellow IDO member Rick Washburn (aka Washburn) was killed in a freak accident at work. I don’t know the details but as I understand they were using a crane to install a section of large pipeline when a strong wind gust caused it to strike a powerline. Rick was only 30 years old.
While he and I didn’t grow up together it was through our shared passion for fishing that over the past few years we had become very good friends. He rarely turned down an invitation to hit the lake no matter how early/late/cold/wet the conditions. Even when we weren’t fishing together we were sending each other photos and updates from on the water. Rick was there the first day I learned to pull Raps in shallow, he was there the first day we actually “got it right” and caught fish open basin trolling, heck he even joined in on my goofy superstitions of only pulling baits at odd numbers on the counter and growing a goofy mustache for special hunting/fishing events.
I am still in shock and tearing up as I type this realizing that Rick is gone and I will never have the opportunity to sit in a boat or ice shack with him again. Luckily last Friday after initially turning down my invitation for a night of Fall trolling because of how busy they were at work with winter approaching, Rick changed his mind and we were able spend one final night together on on the water. From this point forward on Oct 4th I will have an empty seat and extra rod in my boat pulling Rick’s favorite purple/silver rogue.
I’m so glad you changed your mind! Love you buddy, you will be missed 
October 5, 2012 at 3:02 pm
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