Martha’s Vineyard Fishing Legend Janet Messineo Passes at 76

Fishing legend, Janet Messineo. Photo/Vineyard Gazette/Ivy Ashe

Casting into the Light, by Janet Messineo.

Martha’s Vineyard fishing legend, author, artist, and celebrated taxidermist Janet May Messineo-Israel, 76, died on December 17 at her home in Vineyard Haven. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

For more than 50 years, Messineo was a familiar face and friend to anglers who fished the Vineyard, and also served as the island’s only taxidermist for many decades. Her memoir Casting Into the Light; Tales of a Fishing Life was published in 2019. Last summer, she shared the story of her life and fishing on “The Moth” PBS storytelling series.