Thursday, September 29, 2016

Frank Johnson, Founder of Mold Craft Lures

Article Courtesy: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/ | By: Steve Waters
Frank Johnson revolutionized big game fishing with his Mold Craft Soft Head lures.

A gifted innovator, he built a pneumatic injection molding machine that made soft plastic trolling lures that marlin would bite and hold on to.

Over the next 40 years, his small Pompano Beach company produced lures that caught fish around the world and set more than 200 IGFA world records, including the all-tackle Atlantic blue marlin record of 1,402 pounds that was caught in Brazil.

Johnson, of Lighthouse Point, died at the age of 77 Monday morning after a long illness. He and his son Frank Johnson III expanded the business over the years and produced numerous other innovations, including lures, plastic rod butts and shooting targets.

"Frank was a huge legend in the fishing world, no doubt," said George Poveromo of Parkland, who is the host of "George Poveromo's World of Salt Water Fishing" on NBC Sports. "When it came to making sure to put products on the market that caught fish, he was relentless."

Johnson's charitable efforts were also legendary. He was a big supporter of artificial reefs and the Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo, which helped fund numerous ship sinkings.