Body of Respected Fishing Business Owner Recovered in Bay Three Weeks after Disappearance

A well-known Bay fishing captain managed to bring together one of the largest grassroots search efforts the local boating community has seen — even if he never meant to.

Lonnie “LJ” Johnson, 65, a familiar name on the Chesapeake, went missing on the water after heading out from the Chesapeake Beach Inlet around noon on Thursday, Nov. 13. When fellow charter captains couldn’t reach him later that day, they knew something wasn’t right. His truck and trailer were still at the launch ramp, but Johnson — and his boat — were nowhere to be found.

That realization set off an immediate response. Friends, fellow fishermen, and charter operators began scanning the Bay, hopping on radios, and coordinating search patterns the way only seasoned boaters can. Before long, it felt like half the fishing community was out there, eyes on the water.

Johnson’s 21-foot Parker center-console was eventually found near Taylors Island — empty, engine still running in neutral — a discovery made not by officials, but by friends who refused to sit still and wait.

For the next three weeks, search efforts continued, supported by a long list of local, state, and federal agencies, along with countless volunteers who donated time, fuel, and effort. Boats searched by day, helicopters scanned from above, and hope — even if tempered — never fully disappeared.

On Thursday, Dec. 4, Maryland Natural Resources Police announced that Johnson’s body had been recovered in the waters near Taylors Island, not far from where the search had begun. Officials credited both professional responders and the fishing community for their dedication throughout the 21-day effort.

Johnson was the owner of G-Eye Jigs, a fishing tackle company whose products are sold up and down the East Coast. He was also a longtime charter captain who loved taking families out on the Bay. The “GI” in his company’s name was no accident — Johnson was an Army veteran who spent 25 years with the Old Guard Fire and Drum Corps before settling in Chesapeake Beach in 1998 to fully embrace life on the water.

Friends say Johnson was exactly the kind of person you’d want around: patient, knowledgeable, and always teaching. He frequently hosted seminars, shared tips freely, and never acted like fishing knowledge was something to hoard.

“That’s just who LJ was,” said Todd Riggs, a fellow veteran and owner of Hawgfin Apparel. “If one of us had gone missing, he would’ve been the first guy out there looking.”

Riggs and many others spent hours searching in breezy November conditions, coordinating over the radio and covering water they knew by heart. Even when optimism began to fade, no one suggested stopping.

“As a military thing, you don’t leave someone behind,” Riggs said. “You bring them home.”

In the end, Johnson did come home — carried there by the determination of a tight-knit community that reflected the kind of man he was. While the outcome wasn’t what anyone hoped for, the overwhelming show of support made one thing clear: LJ Johnson left behind more than fishing gear and a business. He left behind people who cared deeply, showed up when it mattered, and honored him the best way they knew how — together.

ORIGINAL SOURCE