John Lewis Michel Sr, Fishing

Jun '37 – First record of JLM giving a talk on fishing to a group. This event is a meeting of the Branch Valley Fish, Game and Forestry Association in Perkasie. This group was first organized in April 1934 with 121 sportsmen.

Jun '37 – JLM writes an article for an unidentified fishing magazine about a fishing expedition to Opeongo Lake in Ontario province. It provides a well-crafted story that describes the experience from the sportsman's perspective.

Jan '38 – JLM and team members from the PA State Fish and Game Protective Association won the amateur casting tournament with an average of 96.

Sep '38 – JLM is judge at a fly casting contest sponsored by the Branch Valley Fish, Game and Forestry Association at Lake Lenape.

Aug '38 – Sportsmen's Show in Philadelphia, he breaks the world's indoor casting accuracy record with a score of 99%.

Aug '38 – At Eastern PA and South Jersey Clubs' first annual casting tournament at Willow Grove Park, he came in second place for plug casting accuracy.¹

Aug '38 – In a Times Chronicle article, it mentions that every year he goes to Canada's Laurentian Mountains of Quebec or the Algonquin Indian Preserve in Ontario. It goes onto to report the following about JLM:

• 1938: He organized the Middle Atlantic Association of Casting Clubs (had 7500 membership in '41, was elected honorary life President)
• Is an honorary member of the Huntingdon Valley Fish & Game Protective Association
• Is a member of the Montgomery County Fish & Game Protective Association
• Is a member of the Baptiste, Ontario, Canada, Fish and Game Protective Association
• Is the Secretary of the Pennsylvania State Fish & Game Association, established in 1882

Jan '39 – JLM is re-elected secretary of the Pennsylvania Fish and Game Association.

Feb '39 – JLM will be leading the effort for an amateur plug-casting tournament at the Philadelphia Motorboat and Sportsmen's Show coming to Philadelphia.

Jan '39 – Lone handed, in 1938, he organized, managed and ran the first large "open" freshwater casting tournament in the Philadelphia area, and in 1939 set about organizing the Middle Atlantic Association of Casting Clubs. At the start, there were about 75 entries representing five clubs. By '41, there are 14 sportsmen's clubs affiliated with the Middle Atlantic Association.

Apr '41 – Pennsylvania Angler was an official Pennsylvania state publication that was published monthly by the Pennsylvania Board of Fish Commissioners. The April '41 issue had an appreciative column entitled "John Michel, Sportsman" that detailed some of the contributions of JLM to fishing in Pennsylvania:

"It is doubtful whether any one Pennsylvania sportsman has been more active in promoting the cause of Pennsylvania Conservation and conservation education during the last five years than has genial John Michel of Abington. In fishing as well as in tournament casting, his name has become a byword with sportsmen down Philadelphia way."

"Serving four years as secretary of the Pennsylvania State Fish and Game Protection Association, he organized the Fresh Water Casting Group in this association. This group, representing the association, have held the ⅝ ounce plug casting championship in the Philadelphia area for three years and in 1938 and 1939, Michel was captain and coach for the team. In 1938, he was ⅝ ounce plug accuracy caster in eastern Pennsylvania and in 1938 established what we understood at the time was an indoor United States Record score 99 for ⅝ plug accuracy."

"Lone handed, in 1938, he organized, managed and ran the first large "open" freshwater casting tournament in the Philadelphia area, and in 1939 set about organizing the Middle Atlantic Association of Casting Clubs. At the start, there were about 75 entries representing five clubs. Today, there are 14 sportsmen's clubs affiliated with the Middle Atlantic Association. In recognition of his splendid work, the M.A.A.C.C. this year unanimously elected him life honorary president when the press of other duties required him to forgo the presidency of this livewire organization. A central figure in casting tournaments in the Philadelphia area, he has for three years directed and managed the indoor plug casting tournaments at the Philadelphia Sportsmen's Show. This tournament now ranks with the largest held in the United States."

"An ardent admirer of the black bass, he has lectured frequently on this stellar game fish throughout the eastern part of the state, and given casting lessons to groups of boys and girls at high schools and the YMCA. "Put 'em back and catch 'em tomorrow" is a slogan which he originated and practices faithfully. He is an honorary member of the Huntingdon Valley Fish and Game Association, a member of the Montgomery County Fish and Game Protective Association, Norristown; the Branch Valley Fish and Game Association, Perkasie; and the Lake Baptiste Fish and Game Association in Ontario Canada. Summers are spent at Lake Wallenpaupack, where last year he caught a brown trout 23½ inches in length, weight three pounds 2 ounces, a 27½ inch walleyed pike weighing 7 pounds 4 ounces, and a large mouth bass 18½ inches in length and tipping the scales of four pounds 12 ounces."

"Pennsylvania is fortunate in having sportsmen of his fine, far-seeing caliber to carry forward the banner of conservation."

Pennsylvania Angler, April, 1941, p.21.