Joby Smith, longtime Johnson Outdoors service technician, unexpectedly passed away on March 26, 2026, during the Bassmaster Elite Series tournament at the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in Columbus, Miss.
His passing was felt far and wide among a tight-knit grieving family of anglers, staff and industry representatives whom Smith worked beside and called his road family.
Smith, 57, of Milaca, Minn., and formerly of Clio, Ala., spent 37 years with Johnson Outdoors through its Humminbird and Minn Kota brands. He provided technical field support services for the brands’ fishfinders, trolling motors, battery chargers and shallow water anchors.
Editor’s note: Photos — Remembering Joby Smith
Smith was always quick to lend a helping hand to his peers, even those who represented other brands. Doing so is an unwritten code of honor shared by what he called his brothers and sisters belonging to a fraternity known as the service yard saviors.
Up long before daylight and in bed way after dark. Checking in and out of hotels for months at the time. Drive-through fast food and takeout grub eaten on and with plastic. Working in all kinds of weather, rain or shine, bone chilling cold or sweat pouring heat. Smith spent up to 185 days a year away from home at up to 25 tournaments during the season.
Despite the ongoing homesickness that comes with the title of road warrior, Smith always kept a positive outlook on life. Smith became a fixture in the bass fishing community as a friend to everyone he encountered. His most revered attributes were gentle kindness, quick sense of humor and attention he brought to any conversation.
“What made Joby special to us was how much he loved his family,” said Jeff Kolodzinski, Johnson Outdoors senior content manager. “Whenever we spoke on the phone the conversation always began with family news and then business.
“Joby’s devotion to his family also took him away from them for hundreds of days each year working for us,” he added. “That’s also how much he loved his company.”
Above all else, Smith called his connection with his road family that included hundreds of anglers as his greatest career reward. He had this to say in a Bassmaster.com article written about him for the Service Yard Saviors editorial franchise.
“I love the people. These service guys are like having family on the road. No matter what you need they offer to help, no questions asked, and they’d do it anytime, anywhere.”
Smith enjoyed a special connection to the B.A.S.S. family, who united to honor him by creating and wearing mourning ribbons during the Elite tournament in Mississippi. The ribbons were made of yellow and gold fabric, the brand colors of Humminbird and Minn Kota.
On Friday morning, the day after his passing, Elite Series emcee Dave Mercer called for a moment of silence prior to the official takeoff on Day 2. That was followed by a call for the anglers to sound their boat horns for 10 seconds, an honorary salute that lasted much longer.
Smith is survived by his wife Jackie Smith, son Ethan Leuthner, brothers Brent Smith and Terrell Smith, parents Gary and Neil Smith, daughter and son-in-law Chelsea and Roy Knopp, nieces, nephews and grandchildren. Funeral services were March 31, 2026, with burial in Clio, Ala.
Serving as pallbearers were his service yard brothers in arms that included Mike Cochran, Andy Stallings, Jacky “Chan” Suguru Takaui, Chad “Monkey” Smith, Daniel “Boner” Tucker, Trent Miller, Lance Scroggins, Scott Beattie and Lester Taylor.
