In Memory of Phil Johnson
    by Greg Kennon

With the passing of Phil Johnson I have lost a friend, a mentor, and a "brother of the outdoors." Although I was only able to share a small portion of Phil's life, the glimpse that I had was truly impressive. Phil pursued his goal of a better Kokanee fishery with a passion that was beyond words. For those of us activists with the same goals, Phil was a true hero in terms of his accomplishments. His passion was matched by a compulsive attention to detail, a grasp of biology that many researchers would envy, creativity, a down-to-earth understanding of what is practical, and the tenacity required to get things done.

Through his efforts, Phil has left the sportsmen of California with a set of tools they can use to create a fishery, manage that fishery, and, best of all, catch a lot of fish. Phil is the man who built the "Better Fish Trap." In all things, Phil was a true sportsman. He loved the outdoors and he freely shared his knowledge and love of the outdoors with anyone that asked. And, this outstanding legacy was achieved with a quite dignity completely void of self promotion.

As I close, I would like to ask each of you to remember his life and legacy in loving reflection and to honor him with prayers for his family and continued support for his organization. Let's do what Phil would want and work to continue the outstanding organization he made possible. I can still hear him saying, "Keep your lines tight," and "I'll see you on the water." I hope we all do.

Greg Kennon
2nd Vice President
Kokanee Power