April 2020 – Fish360.Net

I learned from social media that my friend Peter Johnson passed away. Peter was a worldly man. He graduated from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. He served in the United States Military as a Navy Fighter Pilot. He planted himself on Martha’s Vineyard, where he grew deep roots. I first met Peter when I visited his Robert’s Rangers booth at the 2012 New England Saltwater Fishing Sow. The last time that I saw Peter was at last year’s MSBA Fishing Show. Our shared time was too short.

Many business professionals are driven by profit. Peter was driven by providing a quality fishing lure that caught fish at an affordable price. He sold and shipped Robert’s Rangers to anglers all over the world. Each time I saw Peter, he had a new fishing story and a picture of a new species that was landed on a Robert’s Ranger. I am delighted that his family and friends will continue his legacy by running the company that he transformed through relationships and grit. My surf bag always has a Robert’s Rangers.

In the middle of a bluefish blitz he [Lance Dimock] caught a stripper on a Roberts Ranger. He had never seen a striper before in his life. The fish weighed 50 lbs..
— Ron Domurat, Three Decades of the The Derby

Peter was gentleman, a scholar, a savvy business person, and a sharpie surfcaster with overflowing generosity. I am sad that he is gone. I am a better person because of our conversations on fishing, family, business, and politics. We violently agreed on three of these topics and peacefully disagreed on the other.

I re-purposed one of my Plano boxes that I was not using because the internal dividers did not work for me. This storage solution stores my hybrid frogs really well. But! I feel strange buying new Plano boxes so that I can modify them via high speed rotary tool. Hence, I purchased an open compartment utility box form Plano and made my own internal dividers.

Making your own internal dividers is easy. You only need an open utility box, a sheet of paper, cardboard, and a recycled corrugated vinyl sign. In addition, you also need some simple tools: ruler, scissor, utility knife, fine tip Sharpie, and two clips.

First, make two templates for the inner dimensions of your box via paper and scissors. One template for the length and height and one template for the width and height.

Second, place the paper templates onto cardboard and secure them via clips. Trace the outline of the templates onto the cardboard via fine tip Sharpie. Cut along the Sharpie lines via utility knife. Be sure to have a piece of scrap plywood (or a similar material) underneath the cardboard so that you do not damage the underlying surface.

Third, make the interlocking slots on the “length” cardboard divider template. Divide the length of the template into three equal segments and mark it via fine tip Sharpie. At the two marked interlocking points, cut slots to half the height of the divider and to the width that will accommodate the thickness of your corrugated vinyl sign.

Forth, make the interlocking slots on the “width” cardboard divider templates. At each end of the the template, cut slots to half the height of the divider and to the width that will accommodate the thickness of your corrugated vinyl sign.

Fifth, place the cardboard templates on your vinyl sign such that the internal ribs are perpendicular to the templates. Secure the cardboard templates to the vinyl sign via clips. Trace the templates onto the sign via via fine tip Sharpie. Cut along the Sharpie lines via utility knife. For the “length” dividers, cut the two internal ribs at each end. This will help the dividers bend at each curved corner of the utility box.

And lastly, connect the dividers inside the utility box. Trim and make adjustments via utility knife, as needed.

This inexpensive DIY storage solution effectively quarantines my hybrid frogs so that they do not mate, infect their colors onto their neighbors, or damage their delicate feet.

Monthly Archives: April 2020

Peter Johnson, Surfcasting Legend

DIY Hybrid Frog Tackle Box II