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Denny |
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Denny Brauer worked himself up
through the ranks, within the B.A.S.S. Federation
Division. If ever there was an impoundment that would allow an angler to perfect their skills, then Lake of the Ozarks would prove to be such a lake. Just learning to fish one lake was not enough for this young man. He wanted to reach the pinnacle of bass fishing...he wanted to be known as one of the best...one of the premier anglers of the sport. And, if his records prove anything, he's done it! Since starting full-time, professional, tournament bass fishing in 1980, Denny Brauer established himself as one of the genuine superstars of the sport, and has become of of the most respected anglers in the country. A thirteen-time winner, on the highly competitive B.A.S.S. tournament trail, including his most recent victory, two weeks ago, at the Citgo BassMaster Tour in Eufaula, Alabama, he earned the coveted B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year title in 1987. He also holds the single season money winnings record on the B.A.S.S. circuit and has won such prestigious events as the 1992 B.A.S.S. Megabucks tournament, the 1993 B.A.S.S. Superstars title and in 1998 captured the crown jewel of competitive bass fishing, when he won the BassMasters Classic, on High Rock Lake, outside of Greensboro, North Carolina. He has qualified for an amazing 17 BassMasters Classics and in 1998, the year he won the BassMasters Classic, he also won the Wal*Mart FLW Tour Angler of the Year, which allowed him to become the first bass fisherman ever to appear on a box of Wheaties cereal. For the past few years he has been extremely active as a seminar speaker and lure designer for Strike King Lure Company and he's given the sport of bass fishing a national presence by becoming the first professional bass angler to ever appear, not once, but twice, on Late Night with David Letterman. These appearances proved to his many sponsors that television was ready for him, so, he now hosts his own saturday morning fishing program: The Bass Class, which can be seen on ESPN2 television. Through it all, he has had the
privilege of seeing his only child, Chad, grow into a
seasoned veteran of the national bass tournament trails, as
well has having his lovely wife, Shirley, travel with him
across America. |
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Bob |
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When Ray Scott formed the Bass Anglers Sportsmen Society, over thirty-five years ago, no one would have ever known about it had it not been for the media.As a matter of fact, had it not been for the media, it's possible no-one would have ever found out about organized bass fishing. Without the support of the media and the ability of the press to share the knowledge of the professionals' how-to techniques, that were being developed in the late 1960's and early 1970's, probably none of us would've ever learned the habits and seasonal patterns needed to catch bass on a year-round basis. Bob Cobb has probably done more to promote the profession of bass fishing, and the individuals who will be inducted into the Professional Bass Fishing Hall of Fame for the next several years, than any person in the history of the sport. When he first met Ray Scott, in Springdale, Arkansas, in 1967, he was working for the Tulsa Tribune, as their Outdoors Editor. His natural talent, easygoing personality and mild demeanor, plus his inquisitive nature, to find out everything he could about a bass, allowed him to blend in with everyone, especially tournament anglers, that he came in contact with. As a matter of fact, Bob Cobb and Ray Scott bonded from the very beginning. Over the years, Ray Scott has often said, about their first meeting: I must have spoken to Bob for about two hours, after my presentation to the folks of Springdale, Arkansas, about my first attempt at a bass tournament. But, when Bob finished interviewing me, after my presentation, I felt like a Christmas turkey. I felt like I'd been picked to the bone. In 1969, he became the first editor of Bassmaster Magazine. a publication that has been called: the bible of bass fishing.Upon his appointment, Ray Scott said he was: the first editor I've had who can read and write. In taking over the job as Editor of BassMaster Magazine, he found handwritten collections of manuscripts, in a cardboard box, mailed in from bass anglers across America. It was these notes and letters that provided the launching pad for how-to techniques and the wisdom of years of on-the-water experience that anglers were willing to share with their fellow B.A.S.S. members. He marveled at the "buried gems" that were being uncovered in the various innovations and winning ways of the successful bass anglers everywhere. From 1969-1986, Bob Cobb switched hats between being the BassMaster Magazine Editor, to Director of B.A.S.S. News Services, Author, with angling greats: Bill Dance; Tom Mann and Al Lindner, as well as the Press Director for the Bass Masters Classic and Editor of the Bass Classic Report. In 1984, while producing TV news footage of Rick Clunn's dramatic BassMaster's Classic victory, on the Arkansas River, a story that was so compelling that the news clips were compiled into a 30 minute television special, The BassMasters television program was created. The BassMasters, which went inside the B.A.S.S. Tournament Trail and showed weekend anglers how the pros solved the bass fishing puzzle, was to receive the highest tribute offered from the TV Cable industry. It was twice nominated for the annual Ace Awards, for excellence in programming, once again, proving Mr. Cobb's talents and abilities. During his tenure, he served in multiple roles: as the producer, director, writer and, at times, even, on-air host of The Bassmasters, through the 1999 season on the Nashville Network and served on the original advisory board for the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. Mr. Cobb has been honored as the Conservation Communicator of the Year, by the Oklahoma Wildlife Federation and presented the Award of Merit by the American Association for Conservation Information. |
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Cotton |
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When Cotton Cordell was just a kid, his father owned a boat landing on Lake Catherine, in Hot Springs, where he cut his teeth on fishing, guiding, and lure designing. After World War II, he discovered that, by purchasing survival kits from B52's, he would get a knife, a razor, twine, bandages, and a bucktail jig, made with white-tail deer hair. It was the jig that caught his attention. When war survival kits became scarce, he learned to improvise by using hair from his English Setter. "Dog hair will catch just as many fish as deer hair. But before it was over, I had the baldest English Setter in the world". Quite an inauspicious beginning for sure and one that led to him forming his own lure company when the demand for his jig heads outgrew his ability to make them in the bathroom of his small bait and tackle shop. When he sold Cordell lures in 1980, he had designed baits that are still produced by the millions and have become household names: the Gay Blade; the Boy Howdy; the Red Fin and the Crazy Shad. The plastic version of the crankbait "the Big O" and, of course, the famous Hot Spot, a lure that is probably in more tackle boxes than any one bait ever produced! The Hot Spot was designed while he was sitting in a deer stand. Had a deer not come along and interrupted this inventor, the "Hot Spot" would probably have never been invented, as the prototype, that he was carving out of a piece of pine bark, was laid down so he could shoot a small three-point buck. When he went back later that evening, to retrieve his carving knife, he realized what an outstanding design he had come up with, by looking at the unfinished product. The "Hot Spot" was later improved upon, when it was discovered, by accident, that when the rattles that were glued inside the bait for weight, broke loose, the sound of these rattles attracted even more fish than the original version. Once a fishing lure designer, always a fishing lure designer. His office is literally scattered with dozens of wood carvings of prototype lures and hand shaved plastic molds that will one day help everyone catch more fish. He was elected into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 1987, and into the Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame a few years later. He is a past Board of Directors Member of the Ouachita Baptist University and an Honorary Member of the National Fishing Lure Collectors Club. |
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Guido |
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Guido Hibdon, while having fished all of his life, came to the national fishing public's attention, when he won the first B.A.S.S.. tournament he ever competed in, on Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, in 1980. This, however, was only the beginning of a storied career for this outstanding angler. While growing up in the mountains of central Missouri, he became known as one of the best hunters and fishermen to ever go in search of his prey. Growing up in a family that was the first to guide on Lake of the Ozarks had a little something to do with it. Early on, he learned to make fishing lures for a living. Not as a business, but out of necessity. Since he began his professional tournament career, in 1980 he has collected awards and achievements second to none. In 1988 he won one of the toughest BassMaster Classics ever held, by capturing the title on the James River, outside of Richmond, Virginia, with a three day total of 28 pounds, 8ounces. What made this victory so much sweeter, was the fact that, for three days, he had a captive audience of dozens of spectator boats following him up the tiny Appomattox River. Anyone who has seen the television coverage of this event knows what it meant. At this same event, his son, Dion, was also making his first BassMaster Classic appearance. A father/son combination that has only been accomplished one other time during B.A.S.S.. history and a Classic title that his son would also capture a few years later. However, fishing under tough conditions proved to be his forte. In 1990 and 1991, he captured the coveted B.A.S.S.. "Angler of the Year" title. A "back-to-back" feat that has only been done twice throughout the history of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society's tournament trail. Once, by the legendary angler Roland Martin. It was this man's uncanny ability to catch bass in gin-clear lakes, on small, four-to-eight pound test lines, that have become the stuff that legends are made of. He is credited with catching more bass over ten pounds, on light line, than most people have ever caught on any size of line. He's designed some of the greatest bass lures ever created, for Gambler Lure Company. Baits like the "Guido Bug" and the "Guido's Original". And, just to prove that, in his
mid-fifties, he still has the "right stuff", he finished in
4th place in last year's Wal*Mart FLW Tour "Angler of the
Year" race. |
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Jimmy |
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He began his fishing career, it seems, while still in diapers. After all, we've been watching him on television for over twenty-five years. To get a TV. show of his own, he had to be able to catch a bass. And, catch 'em he can. Jimmy Houston won his first professional bass tournament in 1966. In 1968, he began fishing the B.A.S.S. tournament trail. Something he continues, even today. His first tournament on the B.A.S.S. circuit certainly proved that he could "stick with the big boys", when he finished in sixth place at Lake Eufaula, Alabama. A performance that was simply a "forecast of things to come". As his tournament record started to grow, so did the thousands of fishing fans who came to watch him weigh-in his fish, tell a joke, give fishing advice, or simply discuss bass fishing with him. He has been, and continues to be, one of the most popular anglers ever. Plus, he's easily one of the most recognizable anglers to ever wet a hook. With his boyish looks, his trademark Moe Howard haircut, and that unforgettable giggle, this man is someone whom you both enjoy being around and learning from at the same time. Personality aside, this man catches bass and lots of them. In 1976 he won his first B.A.S.S. "Angler-of-the-Year" title, and followed it up with another B.A.S.S. "Angler-of-the-Year" title in 1986. Along the waterways of America, he has acquireded two national B.A.S.S. tournament victories, he's placed in the money an astounding 50% of the time he's competed and has won over $400,000 dollars along the B.A.S.S. and Wal*Mart FLW Tours. Jimmy Houston has also produced one of the most popular television programs of all time, for more than twenty-five years, and his "Jimmy Houston Outdoors" television show is seen each week on ESPN2 by more than 73 million viewers. In addition, he is a great
businessman. His many "Jimmy Houston Outdoors" marine
dealerships have proven to be the "in spot" to purchase
boats, in every community he's opened one and the number of
dealerships that he owns continues to grow! |
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Johnny |
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It's not his contribution as a professional angler that brings him into this distinguished class, but his business skills. Johnny Morris has perhaps done more to assist anglers by providing quality fishing tackle, at affordable prices, than any single person in the history of the sport. In 1971 he decided that he was tired of not being able to get a variety of fishing tackle at his local bait shops, so he did something about it. He cosigned an inventory loan with his father and set up a small, eight-foot tackle display in the back of his father's "Brown Derby" liquor store. This wasn't just any liquor store, on just any ole street corner. This was the most successful chain of liquor stores in the state of Missouri. With his successful father's entrepreneurial sense of business savvy, a deep love and respect of the outdoors, and a desire to provide anglers everywhere with high quality fishing tackle at prices anyone could afford, the start of the now world famous "Bass Pro Shops" began in very humble surroundings. His father also took the time to take him hunting, fishing and to teach him to respect and appreciate the outdoors. His fish catching abilities were starting to get noticed by everyone around the central Ozarks region of the country. It was these fish catching skills that would aid him in selecting just the right lures to sell in his small, fledgling, tackle business. By early 1974, the reputation of his tackle shop had grown to such a point that anglers who had traveled through Springfield, Missouri, and shopped with him, would often call back, placing orders for more lures, over the telephone. Sensing the need for a larger distribution network convinced this man to produce his first, 180-page catalog with about 1,500 items in it. Today, that same "Bass Pro Shops" catalog is produced as both seasonal publications and a Master catalog. In all, more than 30,000 items can be found in today's "Bass Pro Shops" catalogs, that are shipped to more than 34-million sportsmen. The success of the catalogs spawned two additional catalogs...one for saltwater anglers called: "Offshore Angler" and one filled with hunting gear called: "The Redhead" catalog. Regardless of your outdoor interest, this man has probably produced a catalog for your needs! Before today's mass produced, and mass marketed, fishing boats became mainstream, he saw a need for fishermen to be able to go to one location and purchase a fully-rigged, "fish ready" outfit. "Tracker Marine" and "Bass Tracker" were formed. A move that proved to be both profound and profitable. Today, "Tracker Marine" entails a number of fishing boats, pontoon boats, houseboats, saltwater boats, and the high performance fiberglass bass boat "Nitro". By the early 1980's "Bass Pro Shops" catalog had grown so large that thousands of anglers longed to have a place to shop for the same tackle that they were seeing on the pages of "Bass Pro" catalogs. Sensing a need in the marketplace, Mr. Morris created a place "where angler's can meet and greet". A wonderland for every fishing, camping, hunting or outdoor need that a person might have. In 1981, the now world-renowned "Bass Pro Shops-Outdoor World" opened it's doors in Springfield, Missouri. A location that has grown to more than 4 million visitors a year and is the single largest tourist attraction in the state of Missouri, and one of the top 10 in America. Johnny Morris' accomplishments include: the world-class "Big Cedar Lodge", on Table Rock Lake, south of Branson, Missouri; his "Top of the Rock", Jack Nicklaus designed golf course, adjacent to "Big Cedar Lodge". The 10,000 acre wilderness area he created: "Dogwood Canyon". He has been awarded the "President's Award" from the International Association of Fishing and Wildlife Agencies, along with serving for six years on the Board of Directors for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, three of which he served as Chairman. He received the "Teddy Roosevelt Conservationist Award", from former president George Bush and in 1992 was elected into the Sport Fishing Hall of Fame. |
