A Tribute to Jose Wejebe

TV personality and saltwater angler Jose Wejebe died earlier this month when his single engine airplane crashed shortly after take-off in Everglades City, Florida. I never had the pleasure of meeting Jose, but he, through his show Spanish Fly, entertained me on countless Saturday mornings, especially during the winter months when I longed to be on the water.

There are plenty of assumptions people might jump to when presented with the image of a Saturday morning fishing show. Perhaps they even apply to Spanish Fly. Most likely not. Think of bright blue water – the Keys, the Bahamas, South America. Stir-in wonderment for the ocean’s creatures, much the way Cousteau dazzled us. Add a host whose Cuban-American heritage added flair along with years of saltwater experience that never doused boyhood exuberance.

Jose has been described as affable, emotional, funny, and intense with a generosity of spirit. That’s certainly what came across in every episode. Granted, it’s possible that Jose was an entirely different person than portrayed on TV. What I do know, is that Jose Wejebe taught me many lessons. Like Cousteau, Wejebe often revealed new worlds by going into the water with a camera (at least once he even went under water with a fishing rod – to unhook a fish that got snagged on a rock). He was a master angler who cast a fly rod with ease and returned billfish with great care. In fact, it always seemed as though Jose handled fish with the care you might reserve for your favorite pet. What amazed me, too, was the excitement and joy he exuded with every catch. Even then, it really wasn’t about the catch, it was the act of experiencing sharing nature and being on the water.

Jose’s ability to communicate the wonderment of the ocean inspires me as a writer and his passing illustrates the impact we have on others, even those we have never met in person.

Captain Jose Wejebe, a heartfelt thank you.

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