Just like most others here have said, I grew up watching bill dance, Roland Martin, hank Parker, and jimmy Houston. When I started paying attention to tournament fishing I gravitated towards kvd, Denny brauer, Gerald swindle and Greg hackney mostly because their fishing styles aligned with mine 

When I was little the only famous fisherman I knew of was Virgil Ward . Championship fishing aired on Sunday mornings and it was a must watch for me . After every show he demonstrated how he worked his lures in an aquarium . He was routinely lifting and dropping . That stuck with me .

All the ones listed when I was growing up for sure, really liked Roland Martin.   Dude was just cool, and I can remember watching him go to Baccarac in the early 90s as a kid.  

 

Present day, Josh Jones and Pat Cullen have lit a fire inside me.     All the big Bass hunters really put a charge into me, I just love their dedication to achieving greatness.    

 

I read this article every few weeks since finding out about Pat's story.   He's my main source of inspiration I'd have to say.   I'll be buzzbaiting until my arm falls off this summer

 

 

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

I was exposed to very little if any famous bass fisherman growing up

when I did.  Ramdon articles in Boys Life was about the extent of it.

Wasn't until adulthood that specific  bass fisherman appeared in any 'media' that I read. 

Even still, I fish quite a bit of gear and baits that came packaged with KVD's face and or signature on it.

A-Jay

I feel the same. Probably the most famous angler I’ve had the pleasure of meeting was Lefty Kreh. A fellow Marylander and a helluva fly fisherman. 
 

My buddy and I read Outdoor Life and Field and Stream a lot about all types of fishing in the early to mid-70’s, but I can’t say any of them inspired me. 

Bill Dance and Jimmy Houston for me.  I remember watching Jimmy Houston Outdoors on ESPN Sunday mornings.

None really.   Sure, I grew up watching Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, Bill Dance, etc.  But they didn't really inspire me.  My grandfather inspired me.  

Even today, while I'll pay attention to what the pros are doing, I don't really get inspiration from them.  I might try something new because one of them is doing it, but I've been around long enough to know that what works for them on their lakes doesn't have a high likelihood of success with me on my lakes.  Now if I talk to a guy at the dock who's killing it on pumpkin green senkos, guess what I'm rigging up first?  

Gadabout Gaddis. Babe Winkelman (sp?).  Used to watch their shows as much as possible. Of the pros I have met.....Hank Parker (wonderful person and always willing to talk to you). Shaw Grigsby....about the nicest pro I ever met, and excellent at explaining things.  Roland Martin...I thought he was a total jerk and did not like him as a person, but he was incredibly talented and knowledgeable.  They all inspired me to learn more about fish and fishing.

Growing up I watched Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Orlando Wilson, Hank Parker, and Roland Martin. I still watch them an TV and YouTube. I like Gerald Swindle and Ott DeFoe alot now. I watch a lot of fishing on YouTube check out the channel "Old School Bass Fishing Videos" I think I've watched every one.

Like others have said, I grew up watching Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin, and Hank Parker. But the one I really liked was Al Lindner. I like fishing for multiple species, and I felt like Al did that more than the others. Plus his heavy Minnesotan accent used to make me laugh as a kid, "Ya haff ta find da fish." ?

By far my biggest influence was Al Lindner. In-Fisherman is where I learned to fish.  I’ve met Al a few times and he is just the same in person as he is on TV. 

There have been quite a few that inspired me over the years, but not so much for the techniques they use, but more so their demeanor both on and off the water. They're fierce competitors during tournaments, but still managed to be courteous and respectful. Off the water they're some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.  My top 4 would be Jimmy Houston, Hank Parker, Al Lindner, and James Lindner. I've met them all multiple times and they're great people aside from being great anglers. They're true ambassadors of the sport and have inspired me to try to pass the sport on the same way they have. 

 

 

2 minutes ago, KSanford33 said:

Like others have said, I grew up watching Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin, and Hank Parker. But the one I really liked was Al Lindner. I like fishing for multiple species, and I felt like Al did that more than the others. Plus his heavy Minnesotan accent used to make me laugh as a kid, "Ya haff ta find da fish." ?

That's actually an Illinois accent, most prevalent around the Chicago area where he grew up.

2 hours ago, scaleface said:

When I was little the only famous fisherman I knew of was Virgil Ward . Championship fishing aired on Sunday mornings and it was a must watch for me . After every show he demonstrated how he worked his lures in an aquarium . He was routinely lifting and dropping . That stuck with me .

I know I've referenced this before but he always closed by saying "So long and good luck with your fishing".  Central Hardware was his primary sponsor.

40 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

I know I've referenced this before but he always closed by saying "So long and good luck with your fishing".  Central Hardware was his primary sponsor.

Virgil was a class act. My dad and I watched his show often.

Denny Brauer

Virgil Ward

Larry Nixon

KVD

 

As a kid first getting into fishing I watched the same as a lot of you. Winkelman, Linder, Houston, Dance, Martin and Parker. 

 

But I think where I really learned a lot was reading In-Fisherman and Bassmaster Magazine. All I wanted for my bdays were lures and a subscription to one of those two magazines. I also enjoyed Fishing Facts, Field & Stream and Outdoor Life. But the other two were just one a whole other level for me.

 

I also had 2 Doug Hannon VCR tapes that my mom bought at a rummage sale that I completely wore out. I swear for one summer straight I watched them every single night. 

Rick Clunn.   Bill Dance.  Jimmy Houston.  Shaw Grigsby.

Showing my age. Jason Lucas on bass fishing

I can't ever remember a time that I didn't fish and that was thanks to my grandma.  My family were commercial fisherman mainly oysters and shrimp so I was always on the water.  As a young kid, I would stay at the camp with my grandma while my grandpa and uncles were on the boats.  She would give me a spinning rod and reel and a bag of shrimp and I would fish off the wharf at the camp.  I think this was her way to get me out of her hair, but I was hooked from day one.  As I got older, she always came fishing with me until she was physically unable to do so anymore.  

 

As far as famous fisherman, the first would have to be Jimmy Houston with his tv shows.  KVD because of his success and the publicity he achieved.  Greg Hackney because of his personality and fishing style and because he is from Louisiana.

 

 

Doug Stange of In-Fisherman. He reminded me of my engineer father. Soft-spoken, but wise. 

 

I also liked Gary Roach. Like Stange, he was a good teacher. I also like how he ran a tiller engine and went out onto big water and big, bad days. 

 

I wish all of them would stop thrusting a fish at the camera while they teach. Dudes, I just watched you catch it! I'm not memory-challenged. I remember that you caught it! 

I can’t say any angler inspired me.  Several peeked my interest to become a better angler.  Early on there was a core group including Roland Martin, Larry Nixon, Harold Allen  and Tommy Martin. Later on several west coast guys seemed more relatable. Mike Folkstad, Rich Tauber, Greg Hines, Gary Dobyns , Gary Klein and Levell Sneed.

Rick Clunn taught me what a professional fisherman is.

 

Denny Brauer taught me that sometimes the best thing is to pick up a big fish bait and live or die with the flippin' stick.

 

And of course, Ike taught me to NEVER EVER QUIT!

Al Linder Bill Dance Billy Westmorland Tommy Martin plus Dan Gapen

Jimmy Houston and Hank Parker.

Another vote for Al Lindner. I always liked his versatility with multi-species.