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Posts: 2089
| Rolf Balansiak, maker of the Wishmaster has passed away. I don't have all the specifics, but have heard it was heart related. He was an incredible artist with a passion for Muskies. He will be missed by many. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to all of Rolf's family and friends. Steve
Edited by Steve Jonesi 1/18/2008 9:17 AM
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Posts: 2378
| Wow, just saw him at the Chicago show.
My best to his entire family. |
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Posts: 3156
| Very nice guy,,and what an artist |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | Wow...really messed up.
I sat there with him just last weekend and talked muskies and shot the bull with him for about a half hour....
Sorry to hear that. |
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Posts: 5874
| Met Rolf at the Milwaukee Expo quite a few years ago. I bought one of his lures just to hang on the wall as art. Beautiful stuff. Great guy. I'll miss talking with him at the Expo this year, and those in the future.
Prayers go out to his family.
Edited by Shep 1/18/2008 9:47 AM
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Posts: 1504
Location: Oregon | Wow, that's really sad. I talked with him several times last wknd in Chicago too. A really nice guy with spectacular talent.
Jed V.
Bikini Bait Co. |
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Posts: 66
| Just met him for the first time at the Chicago show. Amazing talent. Very sad.
Best to his family.
Brian |
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Posts: 33
Location: Southern Illinois/Northern MN | Prayers to the Balansiak family.
His work was second to none!
Matt |
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| A sad day indeed, a heart problem took one of the very best in the business from us. I was honored to know him and my prayers go out to his family and friends. A great musky fisherman and a great lure maker, cheers to the sky in honor of him.
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Posts: 167
Location: Girard Pa. | my condoalnces to rolf's family and friends. i felt foutunate to have him as a friend .. A great artist ,and person .you will be missed my friend art peters |
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Posts: 330
Location: Pittsburgh, pa | My Prayers go out to his family and friends. |
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Posts: 1296
Location: Hayward, Wisconsin | Unbelievable. Like many others, I just talked to Rolf at the Chicago Musky Show. His talent and he will be missed. |
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Posts: 670
Location: Minnetonka , MN. | He will be misted. |
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| I can't believe it, we've been next to Rolf in Chicago for years. Anyone know how his wife is and his friend (name escapes me for now) who was with him at the show? He hadn't said he was unwell just very tired, he'd been asleep behind his booth under the table for a while so, may have been an indicator.
Phil @ Fishing Pool |
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| His work reflected his character. Thanks for sharing Rolf.
Lee |
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Posts: 1106
Location: Muskegon Michigan | My Flag is at half mast over here. His lures are the quality that measures the top of of the industry. I knew Rolf pretty well. He helped me with problems I had in my earliest designs. He was not one to hide secrets. He just plain built great lures. He did seem a little weary at the Chicago show. Michelle and I send our condolences. This is a terrible loss to all who knew him. I pray his family and friends are comforted in Jesus name. Kingfisher |
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Posts: 1106
Location: Muskegon Michigan | This link is for any of you who have never seen his work. http://www.wishmasterbigbaits.com rest in peace. Kingfisher |
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Posts: 4053
Location: Land of the Musky | Rolf's lures were a big influence for me building my first big trolling lures 2 years ago. He was and always will be a master at making and painting those lures!
Prayers are with the family. |
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Posts: 359
Location: Wauwatosa, Wisconsin | I too had the pleasure of chatting with him once again in Chicago and admiring his craftsmanship. I also thought he looked tired. We'll miss him. |
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Posts: 324
Location: Bloomington, Illinois | A truly talented and humble man...I had been talking to him about doing a couple of smaller bait for me...He had worked on it this year When I talked to him at Chicago, he shook my hand and told me he could not make a 10 inch bait that wasn't too similar to baits already out there (he said he had some prototypes at home on his workbench)......He said he just didn't feel right making a bait that size that didn't have original characteristics...He made this bait for me last year...My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends...
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Posts: 13
Location: Sudbury Ontario Northern Ontario | Sad news indeed, he was a great Artist and a great person. He was a big influence for a lot of big bait makers outhere.
Rest in peace.
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Posts: 32924
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Sorry to hear this. Condolences to his friends and family. |
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Posts: 1247
Location: On the Niagara River in Buffalo, NY | Very sad news,I've know Rolf for many years,what a great person,one of the Good Guy's of the Musky World!
If anyone has info on the funeral,please post it here or email me at [email protected]
I would like to travel up north and say good by to a friend of many. My family and I will say a prayer for Rolf and his Family. |
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| BALANSIAK, Rolf After a brief illness, RoIf passed away unexpectedly at St. Michael's Hospital on Thursday, January 17, 2008. Loved companion for over 20 years to Kelly Lord (Johnson). Loved stepfather of Erin. Rolf is predeceased by his parents Hilde and Walter Balansiak. Dear brother of Rosi HoIm, Ranate Letts and Roman Balansiak and his wife Luise. Dear son-in-law of Don and June Johnson and brother-in-law of Glen and Brenda and Ron Christine. Special uncle to Eric and Vanessa Holm, Jared Letts, Daniel and Brian Johnson and Daniel Balansiak.
Friends will be received at the DONALD V. BROWN FUNERAL HOME, 36 Lake Avenue Drive, Stoney Creek on Monday, January 21, 2008 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Funeral service will be held in the funeral home chapel on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. Cremation to follow.
www.donaldvbrown.ca
Note- if you go to this site, there are good directions to the Donald V. Brown funeral home in Stoney Creek.....(near Hamilton, Ont.) |
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Posts: 432
Location: mpls | Like many, I just talked to him last weekend. What a shock and a loss for all. Rolf made what I consider one of the best, if not THE best trolling bait out there. He was also one heck of a good guy. My thoughts are with those he left behind.
Joe
Trueglide.com |
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| There has been a change in plans regarding visitation and funeral service as of 1:00 pm Sunday.
There will be NO VISITATION ON MONDAY Jan. 21
Instead, visitation will take place Tues., Jan 22 from noon to 1 pm.at the funeral home with a celebration of Rolf's life to follow after at that location.
The funeral home can be accessed at www.donaldvbrown.ca ; this information will appear on that site in an updated obituary notice.
Directions to the funeral home are available at that site.
Please share this information with others. |
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Posts: 1247
Location: On the Niagara River in Buffalo, NY | I have room in my truck for a couple persons if anyone would like to make the trip up from Buffalo on Tueseday for Rolf's celebration of life!
716-833-6739
Capt. Larry |
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| I would like to express my condolences and deepest sympathies to the Balansiak family and friends. The musky community has lost the greatest bigbait maker of our lifetime. As a friend of his, I'm truly honored to have known such a fantastic individual like he was. He will Dearly missed, but never forgotten. To me, he'll always be remembred as Mr.BIGBAIT and big HEART! |
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| Hello All,
Dan Araquel here. I am the webmaster at wishmasterbigbaits.com. Thanks for all the kind words on this thread regarding Rolf. I spoke with Kelly Yesterday. One thing I did mention to her was that people from all over North America were sending in condolences to the website. She was amazed and thankful for everyones kind words. I would like to ask that you forward your condolences to me as well (webmaster at wishmasterbigbaits.com) so I can quickly post them without having to jump thru too many hoops as far as obtaining permissions to publish them on Rolf's site. I'm sure that the family would appreciate that. Thanks everyone. See you Tuesday
Dan Araquel
webmaster
www.wishmasterbigbaits.com |
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Posts: 294
Location: Sakatchewan,Canada | Very sad news.I will always cherish the Big Wish Rolf made me not only because it's the nicest lure I own,but also because it has caught some of my best pike.Rolf was a class act that I had some very good converstions with.My condolences to the family. |
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