Our club has lost one of its long-time and much admired members, Jim Lazarotti, who died Aug. 19, shortly after a massive stroke. He was 73. This newsletter publisher remembers his prowess as a surf fisher, and used a photo of him casting into the foamy surf on the cover of one of our membership rosters, prompting him to remark, "I didn't know I was going to be a cover girl!"
John Steele also fondly remembers using a photo he took of a very large steelhead Jim caught on the San Lorenzo River on a fly plate, also featuring beautiful steelhead flies Jim used. Joe Bigas won the bidding in the silent auction the fly plate was in, and now has it as a valued keepsake, both for its beauty and in memory of Jim.
A native of Santa Cruz, he attended Branciforte Elementary School and graduated from Santa Cruz High in 1950.
Jim was an avid fisherman from the age of 8. While his pursuit of fishing for all kinds of fish took him to other waters north, south and east, nothing warmed his heart more than fishing our local areas. He was a member of the Santa Cruz Fly Fishermen, the Carmel River Steelheaders and was a staunch conservationist.
He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Arlene, his stepson Patrick Griffith and stepdaughter Karen Knox. Cremation and interment were private. Contributions are preferred to the SPCA, PO Box 3800, Santa Cruz, CA 95063 or Hospice Caring Project at 6851 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003.

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