craigdritchie Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 (edited) Deeply saddened to learn that former Ontario Out of Doors magazine editor John Kerr has passed away at 73 from complications related to cancer. John was not only a terrific angler and a true pioneer of many techniques that trout and salmon anglers in Ontario take for granted today, he fought countless battles with MNR on behalf of anglers and campaigned relentlessly toward getting MNR to establish the extended fall seasons and year-round seasons we all enjoy today. Beyond that, John was a true gentleman, a pillar of integrity, and one hell of a mentor to guys like me who wanted nothing more than to make a living writing about fishing. No funeral service details have been released. For more info, see https://oodmag.com/news/ood-editor-john-kerr-passes/ Edited March 31, 2020 by craigdritchie 2
kickingfrog Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 I've read his stuff in Ontario Out of Doors since the 80's, I know he likely was writing for them before then, but i was more into Hot Wheels and hockey cards in the 70's.
fishdawg Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 I've recently been going through boxes of old ODD magazines from the late 70s to present... I'll be sure to read a few of John's columns this evening. The industry has been lucky to have a few special gentlemen like John and others, past and present.. whether it's been front and center or quietly in the background Rest peacefully John
Yellow Fever Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 (edited) Fished beside him many times at the Ganny, as a 16 year old i was amazed how many fish he caught. I used to "accidentally " hook his line so i could untangle it to see what magic bait he was using. He was Great before Gretzky was.RIP, Jim Lyon Edited March 31, 2020 by Yellow Fever
ketchenany Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 I also had the pleasure to fish with him a few times. A true gentleman. I also did a fishing book with him for Ontario Tourism. He wrote an amazing article about one of our best Friends in April 1999. The spinnerman, David Fernie. RIP John it was pleasure knowing you.
Cast-Away Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 I read many of his articles over the years. He was very knowledgable. RIP John Kerr
grimsbylander Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 Though I never met him, I feel I still knew him through his work. Like many of you, his name was synonymous with OOD and as a teenager, his articles took me places my life couldn’t allow. RIP Mr. Kerr.
crappieperchhunter Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 John was a good man. I too read his articles for years. Still use his recipe for doing roe, but never fished for bows with him. However I ran into him every spring for probably the last 25-30 years fishing a favourite shore spot on Lake Simcoe for perch, a fish we both enjoyed chasing. Shared many conversations about fishing and gardening standing side by side tossing perch in our buckets. Last April he was not looking good but I was hoping he would get through it and I'd get to see him again at the "spot". RIP John and my condolences to all the friends and family of a great man. 1
Old Ironmaker Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 Anyone who ever tossed a line in Ontario knew the name John Kerr. If I'm not mistaken didn't he write for the Star as well? RIP.
craigdritchie Posted March 31, 2020 Author Report Posted March 31, 2020 21 minutes ago, Old Ironmaker said: Anyone who ever tossed a line in Ontario knew the name John Kerr. If I'm not mistaken didn't he write for the Star as well? RIP. John wrote for the Toronto Sun, every Thursday if I remember correctly, for many, many years. Before him it was written by Pete Sticklee (briefly) and Tiny Bennett, author of The Art of Angling. It was John Power (another wonderful guy) who wrote the outdoor column for the Star. I often regret the fact that we no longer have outdoor columns in the papers, even the online versions. Now that it's out of the mainstream media, it's becoming more and more of a fringe pastime ... something that's painfully obvious with every MNR budget cut.
misfish Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 The guy that shared the salt/brown sugar cure for roe . Always enjoyed his coloum in the Sun every Thursday . Actually, I could not wait for the next write up . Still this from 1989 . This was the start of changing of limits and slots . It was a great informative write up with boundarys and water bodies . RIP John Kerr
Canuck Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 Very sad. Have been reading his stuff for years. Condolences to his family and friends. RIP. F-Cancer
Jon Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 4 hours ago, craigdritchie said: John wrote for the Toronto Sun, every Thursday if I remember correctly, for many, many years. Before him it was written by Pete Sticklee (briefly) and Tiny Bennett, author of The Art of Angling. It was John Power (another wonderful guy) who wrote the outdoor column for the Star. I often regret the fact that we no longer have outdoor columns in the papers, even the online versions. Now that it's out of the mainstream media, it's becoming more and more of a fringe pastime ... something that's painfully obvious with every MNR budget cut. And I think Greg Clark wrote for the Toronto Star before they did. The Trout Unlimited Canada chapter on the Credit is named after him.
Pigeontroller Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 Sad news, he was a Ontario fishing icon for sure. My condolences to his family.
David Chong Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 Truly sad news! Read many of his informative and knowledgeable articles in the Toronto Sun, Ontario Fisherman and Ontario Out of Doors over the years! My deepest condolences to John's family and many friends!
ecmilley Posted March 31, 2020 Report Posted March 31, 2020 He will be.missed! I used to get the opportunity to fish fish with him and his son in late 80 early 90 learned lots about river fishing
chessy Posted April 2, 2020 Report Posted April 2, 2020 fish with John and his son many a times on the ganaraska .. had good laughs was there when he caught his first 20 lb rainbow ... last time I seen him he came to the ladder ..he will be missed in the fishing community
camillj Posted April 2, 2020 Report Posted April 2, 2020 Very Sad .. he was my hero as a kid ... I also got the good fortune of watching him land more trout in a day than I did in a season, a true gentleman and one of the earliest (along with "Red") to promote fishing (especially in Ontario). RIP John
fishdawg Posted April 5, 2020 Report Posted April 5, 2020 On 3/31/2020 at 2:10 PM, craigdritchie said: John wrote for the Toronto Sun, every Thursday if I remember correctly, for many, many years. Before him it was written by Pete Sticklee (briefly) and Tiny Bennett, author of The Art of Angling. It was John Power (another wonderful guy) who wrote the outdoor column for the Star. I often regret the fact that we no longer have outdoor columns in the papers, even the online versions. Now that it's out of the mainstream media, it's becoming more and more of a fringe pastime ... something that's painfully obvious with every MNR budget cut. Well said Craig I agree! In Niagara we had our legend writing in our papers for many years, Joe Montgomery. Hes still around in his early 90s..
dave524 Posted April 6, 2020 Report Posted April 6, 2020 12 hours ago, fishdawg said: Well said Craig I agree! In Niagara we had our legend writing in our papers for many years, Joe Montgomery. Hes still around in his early 90s.. In Niagara, going back further , he was a friend of my fathers and I hunted and fished with him a few times in the 60's, important man in conservation locally and did the column in the Tribune https://cudneyfuneralhome.com/book-of-memories/1601778/Elliott-Douglas/obituary.php
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