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John "Hab" Haberek dies

John "Hab" Haberek, a storied surf fisherman and the maker of Hab's Custom Plugs, died yesterday. He was 53.

"The sport-fishing world has lost a champion, someone who really made an impact," said his friend Mike Laptew, "The Diving Fisherman." Hab appears in some of Laptew's most memorable video footage. "I can’t really believe he’s gone," Mike said.

John was a member of the Wallum Lake Rod & Gun Club where he and his dog hunted pheasant.

He was known as a tireless angler and a brilliant craftsman who made exquisite wooden lures.

"I’ve had the great pleasure of knowing John for over a dozen years and I’ve watched him grow from a small wooden lure maker to the premiere custom plug crafter of our time," Mike said. "His ambition was simple, he wanted to make the best quality plugs humanly possible. He attained that goal quite a few years ago and countless trophy stripers have been taken on his lures.

"John was a true outdoorsman who loved hunting, training bird dogs and, of course, surf fishing. He raised his son to love and respect the outdoors as well."

"John and I fished together many times and we traveled to places like Menemsha in the spring where we joined forces with Buddy and Chip Vanderhoop to fish the legendary herring creek," Mike remembers. "Together we had quite an adventure with Captain George LaBonte in Jupiter, Florida and our trip to Cuttyhunk was a real corker. However the trip that will stay with me forever was John’s first trip to Menemsha. I had been telling him for years how great the fishing was in late May and how wonderful Gay Head (Aquinnah) and all of Martha’s Vineyard was before tourist season. In fact, it was over a cup of coffee on the porch of the general store at Beetlebung Corner where John turned to me and said, 'I can’t believe how relaxed I am. I can’t believe how relaxed I am!' Well, that morning the fishing was epic with more fish being caught on his poppers than on live herring. Ron Arra was there and everyone was landing nice fish on John’s top-water lures. At one point (it’s on my Stripers in Paradise video) John turns to the camera and says, 'I think I’m in heaven.'"

He was the husband of Jessica (Ashworth) Haberek to whom he was married on September 14, 1974.

Born in Norwood, Massachusetts on March 8, 1954, he was a son of Amelia (Piedzewick) Haberek of Attleboro and the late Edward J. Haberek, Sr. He was raised and educated in Attleboro and resided in Attleboro and North Attleboro prior to moving to Smithfield 21 years ago.

In addition to his wife of 33 years and his mother, he leaves a son, John M. Haberek, Jr. of Smithfield, Rhode Island; four siblings: Jo-Ann M. Wall of Middletown, Rhode Island; Michael A. Haberek of Norton; Gregory D. Haberek of Swansea and Michelle S. Carlson of Attleboro and several nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Edward J. “Butchie” Haberek, Jr.

Visiting hours are Wednesday, from 4:00 – 8:00 PM in the Memorial Chapel of the DYER-LAKE FUNERAL HOME, 161 Commonwealth Avenue (exit 5 off I-95 N or S, go right at end of ramp, ¾ mile on left), Village of Attleboro Falls, North Attleboro.

A funeral service is scheduled for Thursday, at 10:00 AM in the Memorial Chapel of the DYER-LAKE FUNERAL HOME, 161 Commonwealth Avenue (exit 5 off I-95 N or S, go right at end of ramp, ¾ mile on left), Village of Attleboro Falls, North Attleboro.

Burial will follow in North Purchase Cemetery, Attleboro.

Posted by Tom Meade  at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments 2