Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

It saddens me to announce that Dave Roberson better known as Orso Dave passed onto bass fishing heaven last night, 12/27/09 of a heart attack. Dave was only 34 years of age.

Most of us know Dave for his crazy antics and jokes on this site the popular HEADCAM videos and his incredible swimbaits that he made, the Orso Swimbaits! If you haven't already seen this guy or his videos check him out on youtube.com or at the website below:

http://www.orsoswimbaits.com/

Dave was a great man and solid personal friend of mine. Very shocking news to lose another great person and inventor in the bass fishing world!

For those of us that have met Dave personally and befriended him know what a great guy he was! You will be missed Orso Dave!!!!

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family!

Eric Elshere

This is just horrible news and a tragic ending for a man who was way too young! may he be up in the clouds catching giant bass on every cast! My thoughts and prayers are with Dave and his family..

Kevin Johnson

Unreal! He was a very cool guy, I was his VTO at the HBC CL. The guy seemed to be in tip top shape. The only thing I noticed is that he smoked like a chimney. Really sux to hear this. This is very sad news to me.
Heres one of his baits. I took this picture as the camera boat rolled up on us.

Does anyone have a family members email? I thought they might like to have the pics I took.

Eric... that is HORRIBLE NEWS!!!
Dave was a good stick, he made killer baits and he was one hell of a nice guy..

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family...

Pete Marino

This is absolutely devastating news Eric. Dave was a dear friend of mine as well.

For those who never met Dave Roberson, he was an absolute hoot. Dave was an accomplished trophy bass angler and talented swimbait designer. He was also a loyal and dedicated career military man and was recently reassigned from Southern California to Texas, where he was having the time of his life throwing his Orso Swimbaits on the many trophy bass lakes in Texas.

This is an absolute tragedy and simply devastating.

God Bless You Dave Roberson. You will be sorely missed, my friend.

WHAT My Lord thats terrible. I am soo sorry Eric. I know you two were very close and dang. I am teared up as I type. Dang what words can I say other than I am sorry and He will truly be missed. I can't believe it. My prayers go out to all his family and close friends.

Don O

I'm at a total loss for words. I can't believe it - Dave was a great person and I'm just torn up at the thought.

The Lord has just enlisted a great soldier into His army.

Rest in peace my friend.
Roger

Wow... Sad news indeed. Dave was a really cool guy and friend. RIP Dave. As Dave so eloquently said. "Drop the fairy wand and pick up the big stick." My next swim bait fish is for you bro.

Dave was one hell of a good guy. Always in a good mood and always chuckin a 15" bait on a 20' rod. He will definitely be missed by all those who met him.
God always seems to take the good ones so soon.
Tight Lines in Heaven

I never had the pleasure to meet him, but its shocking the number of guys who have died or who are terribly sick this year...is it just me or has it been news like this almost every week?

Just talked to him last week. He was a very good friend of mine we spoke every other week or so. Just bought a house recently and was talkin to me about this mass production he was gettin ready to invest in. I can't even believe it!!!!! Take care buddy you will be missed. Thank you for the baits- they will be thrown in memory of you everytime thery're thrown.

Your friend Steve...

WOW, that blows me away. Dave was a great guy. Too young, just too young!!
Guy Williams

Wow i am shocked and at a total loss of words too. he was a great guy and will be dearly missed. I had just chatted with him a month ago. My condolences go out to his family.

Rest in peace my friend.

I met Dave at the Bass a Thon last year and what a Super cool dude. He gave me inside pointers on Casitas where he made his classic swimbait vids. Ironically, I found a 5 section Split Tail a few months back and repainted it. I can't help but feel really sad after actually meeting a big bait specialist then hearing about his early passing . God Bless his family. I appreciate what he did for Bass Fishing.

thats terrible news, Dave was a great guy.

Does anyone know where I can get a Gillzilla? I kept putting it off because lfe got in the way. This is a bait I would love to keep forever.

I have one but I think I'm gonna keep it. He personally gave it to me one day out on Casitas when we ran into eachother. Shouldn't be too hard to find one.

Wow, unbelievable. Great guy always willing to talk fishing.

Very sad.

i just dont have the words...like most of us...he was a friend and a one of the most unselfish people i will ever meet...god shine his light on you my friend

Wow very sad news is right. I met Dave on Casitas a few years back and he was a great guy and very creative to come up with his bait. I caught some fish thanks to his advise on the water. Dave you will be missed.

sorry to hear, at just a young age. lets hope he had his fill of life. its not the years in your life but the life in your years. catch us all a toad in the afterlife. if there was family and kids remember dad as he was and will always be.Hats off to you and our simpathies. Scott

Wow!

Thoughts and prayers out to the family and friends, what a shocker!

I also had a chance to meet and speak with Dave at the 08
Bass-A-Thon.Super cool dude,he gave me some pointers on fishing his baits(picked up a gillzilla,gillzilla jr and a 12 inch trout).

Thank you for all you gave to people with your awesome baits,videos and kindness.

I'll be throwing the big 12 floater trout in 2010 in your honor dude.

RIP Dave

Dave if your reading this stuff from up there jump in my boat an I'll take you to the big ones.( GOD BLESS YOU MAN) you were a great friend and fisherman. VERY,VERY SAD NEWS 34 THAT TO SHORT!!
BUTCH BROWN

RIP Dave... I did not know him personally and only met him in passing but I could tell he was one of the good guys out there.. It is really sad that his life was cut so short..

that sux way to young seems like a lot of younger people have died lately whats the deal. my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

God Bless Dave and his family. I only me the guy once, but he was for sure fun to be around. I will remember him for the "Bass A Thon movie" he and his boys made out front of Angler's Marine one cold November morning..what a hoot that video was to watch

Another one gone to soon...

wow I just read this. So busy with work and such. Dam I am really sad to hear this. Dave was a great guy and really a lot of fun to hang out with. Dam this is not real is it?????????????

DL wrote:God Bless Dave and his family. I only me the guy once, but he was for sure fun to be around. I will remember him for the "Bass A Thon movie" he and his boys made out front of Angler's Marine one cold November morning..what a hoot that video was to watch

Another one gone to soon...

DL,

I was just watching that movie yesterday myself... remembering that awful cold all nighter we pulled drinking Budweiser Tall boys and talking swimbaits with the likes of Ken HUddleston and Gabe Bolivar. The video of the bass a thon and the HBC signups is exactly a portrait of this guy.

Lived life to the fullest and tried to have fun in whatever the situation is!

Eric,

Didn't Rick buy you guys pizza that night for being the "un-official" boat security detail?

Good times for sure...

Wow! That is way to young Dave will be missed and our prayers go out to his family.

Guys and gals go get a stress test! We don't eat at home enough or do we good food these days and if you smoke its a must! My wife had a heart attacck at 36 yo she is fine now but I myself just had a stress test this past january was told my heart was good and min. Blockage in my arteries.

This is no joke GET Tested! And most dr. Will not send you for the test (its political bs with ins. Company) so you need to push for it hell demand it! My insur. Refuse to pay for it so I paid $500.00 then went after my ins. And won!

DL,

Rick did indeed buy us pizza that night. What can I say...one of the funnest nights of my life! getting to Anglers Marine at 8pm and staying awake till opening eating pizza. One of the most memorable nights of my life!

Eric

Sad is a understatement. Really funny guy. 2009 cant get over fast enough IMHO. Rick G.

I met Dave through Orso his swimbait company. We would meet in Oak View and he would give me my lures. I was immediately impressed with Dave, I buy 3 lures and he gives me 6 for free cause he knows I am going to Clear Lake and he thinks they will work well. He just always came off like a great guy. I was hoping to get to fish with him. I last saw him before he moved to Texas and was hoping to get out and fish with him.

Dave seemed like he was in excellent shape to hear that he passed of a heart attack really blows my mind. Dave was just a great guy and fun to be around and it was a pleasure to know him the little I did, just one cool brother period.
Rich Lund

Waking up this a.m I got the news of Dave passing away, I couldn't believe it. He was one of the nicest guys I have come across in the bassworld. I filmed with Dave on a few different occasions and really saw his passion and love for the sport. His story alone moving from Alaska to Caly to fish swimbaits for big bass was amazing, such dedication that he got into creating his own baits, "ORSO Swimbaits". I feel so fortunate to have some of his baits that will be charished forever. We will miss you and your kick *** videos with you screaming at the top of your lungs after a swimbait bite, all time classic footage my friend, your bro Shea McIntee :(

WOW........ Too sad to comment on this one. What a great guy period. All that has been already stated is spot on. Just a passionate great guy. What a tragic loss. My condolences to his family and friends. You will be missed Dave.
Jeremy Anderson

So sad, and at such a young age! RIP and enjoy fishing up in that big pond in the sky!

My Prayers to the family and friends
This is just to much for words guys thats 2 great people who have passed in a short time at what should be the height of their lifes. If we can take anything from all this , we really need to all take a good long look at our own life styles and ask what can I do to ensure I'm here for my family. The best thing is to take care of ourselves. So it's for the wives and kids we need to protect. I personaly have started by dropping 20 xtra pounds by eatting better and making sure I get some kind of exercise. If anyone wants info on how please contact me and I'll share with you on how.
Sorry but this is just a way to express myself and share my 2 cents

Rick G wrote:2009 cant get over fast enough IMHO.

+1

Dave was an amazing person from the moment I met him. He could spend hours discussing the ins and outs of swimbaits. So humble and such a cool individual that was PASSIONATE about every aspect of fishing. Dave really pushed the boundries of swimbaits...who knows how far he could have taken it? Really a huge loss to our community.

Rest In Peace my brother......

RIP bro, RIP

I can only think that God needed someone to make swimbaits for Him.

Anyone know how to get into contact with Dave's family?
Rob Cummings perhaps? Any help would be cool!

Steve

Dave was a great guy our prayers go out to his family
John Barron

Man, that is horrible.

Very nice guy. Got to hang out a bit at the first 2 HBC's. Not much to say beyond what already has been. But just a real, cool, laid back guy.

Just horrible.

That is truly sad news, and a real shock.
I've known Dave as a fellow lure builder since he showed me his first "dinosaur" swimbait prototype, that white/grey monster, at Casitas.
My partner Dan once asked me, after seeing Dave at Casitas for the first time, why someone with such a nice boat couldn't afford a decent hat. He was refering to that slamon colored hat cam Dave always wore.
We spoke at the lake all the time, and every year at the Bass-A-Thon we'd swap building info.
I missed him this year, so I emailed him afterwards to see how he was doing.
This is really hard to take.
To his family and friends, and to Rub, my condolences.
There is a big hole in my fishing world.
He is missed.

This was posted under the "Remembering Dave Roberson" thread. I just wanted to make sure everyone sees it so I'm re-posting it here.



On behalf of the family of Dave Roberson, they all appreciate the condolences. As a friend of Dave and the family, it has come as a complete shock to us all, including the Swimbait Nation.

The family has ask that instead of flowers or cards, please contribute to a Memorial Fund set up in Daves name for Warriors on the Water. This is a Military Appreciation Bass Tournament held each year in NC. It takes servicemen and women fishing a day plus has a great banquet. Dave was planning on attending this year.

Please send all contributions for Dave to:
Warriors on the Water
Att: Hal Abshire
509 Rabbit Run Lane
Cameron, NC 28326

A Memorial Service will be held Jan 9th at 11 am- Clements Funeral Home, 1105 Broad St, Durham NC

***EDIT*** Modified the date as per the original updated message