Who would you nominate to be in your states Bass Fishing Hall of Fame and why.  Doesn't necessarily have to be an angler.  Industry leaders are allowed.  Be sure to include the state.

 

I'll go first 😊

 

Tennessee

 

Bill Dance  - No explaination necessary.

 

Billy Westmorland - Professional angler, Smallmouth guru and host of his own fishing show.

 

Charlie Brewer -  Creator of Slider fishing and the father of finesse fishing (I'm sure everyone will agree with that 😆).

 

Charles Spence - Founder of Strike King Lures.  Fished in Ray Scott's first tournament.

 

Earl Bentz - Founder of several bass boat companies.  (Stratos, Triton,  Cayman) Also served as President of OMC after they purchased Stratos from him.

 

Paul Allison - Founder of Allison Boats.  He never built bass boats although Allison makes them now.  He was famous for making very fast boats.  He belongs in the hall of fame for the many innovations he made that are standard equipment on all bass boats today.  He invented the cupped propeller,  was the first to sell a power trim and a foot throttle.

 

 

 

 

Florida…Roland Martin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

VA,

Woo Daves by a mile.

 

Arizona:

 

John Murray

Danny Westfall

Floyd Preas

Bob Hirsch

Greg Hines

Dick LaPorte

Bobby Garland

 

And a bunch of others I’m forgetting, plus the younger guys out there too.

 

Michigan                    luremakers: Heddon & sons, Helin tackle (daredevle), and dozens of                                                  companies from 1920's to 1960's                                                                                                 Anglers: KVD, JVD, a couple other pros whose names escape me,                                                       Ajay, Mibassyaker, and others......                                                                                                   Henry Ford, Dodge brothers, President Gerald Ford, Chief Pontiac                                                  Sorry to all the great people of michigan to whom i forgot....

Well! it didn't look like this when i typed it  lol

MISSISSIPPI

Paul Elias

Cliff Pace

Bobby Cleveland

For Maine, I nominate Hank Parker and the YouTubers, Old Lady Angler and JonB, all southern anglers who recognize that Maine, long the land of brookies and Atlantic salmon, also delivers some fine bass fishing. 

 

My fishing buddy, the kid, might be worth nominating one day, for he's already outfishing millions of more seasoned anglers. 

 

For every state, I nominate @Glenn, who has connected bassheads from coast to coast and educated us beyond counting. 

 

 

Indiana:

 

Bill Lowen

Jacob Wheeler

New York----Jamie Hartman, from Newport NY... First New York State angler to fish the Bassmaster Elite Series.  

John Higby...Held the New York State Largemouth Bass record from 1987 to 2024. 11lbs 4oz, caught in his home lake of Buckhorn Lake NY. 

Washington 

 

Gary Loomis 

8 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

For every state, I nominate @Glenn, who has connected bassheads from coast to coast and educated us beyond counting. 

What she said, plus everyone one here on Bass Resource that I’ve learned so much from. 

Missouri- Virgil Ward

I guess NJ gets Ike.  Not sure who else is from here though.  

BPS has already thrown our guys in with everyone else in the National Fishing Hall of Fame in the Museum at the main store in Springfield MO.

Oh jeepers, where do I even start.

 

There's so many.

 

 

 

 

 

Georgia- Pat Cullen 

5 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Georgia- Pat Cullen 

and George Perry -  World record largemouth bass

1 minute ago, Tennessee Boy said:

and George Perry -  World record largemouth bass

Yeah. George was very lucky, but Pat was a highly skilled big fish hunter.

23 hours ago, detroit1 said:

Michigan                    luremakers: Heddon & sons, Helin tackle (daredevle), and dozens of                                                  companies from 1920's to 1960's                                                                                                 Anglers: KVD, JVD, a couple other pros whose names escape me,                                                       Ajay, Mibassyaker, and others......                                                                                                   Henry Ford, Dodge brothers, President Gerald Ford, Chief Pontiac                                                  Sorry to all the great people of michigan to whom i forgot....

Well! it didn't look like this when i typed it  lol

 

We could add Mark Zona for Michigan

 

(pretty sure I don't qualify though, lol!)

From Missouri , first would be Virgil Ward for promoting fishing on TV, and promoting conservation.                                                             Next is Guido Hibdon. A great light line/ finesse guy, Bass Master Classic champ, and all around great angler.

Doug Hannon anyone ❓

Over 800 bass of 10lbs or more.

Nayarit Mexico.  The Bait Monkey.

North Carolina:

 

 

Hank Parker

David Fritts

Hank Cherry

Bryan Thrift

 

gotta shout out KJ Queen and Brandon Card also.

 

Tons of local hammers - too many to list and many names no one would recognize.

Ohio

Fred Abrogast & Pleuger & Nick Creme tackle manufactures 

Joe Thomas, George Pilowski, Glen Lau, Steve Clapper & Homer Circle as fisherman. 

On 8/20/2025 at 9:59 AM, casts_by_fly said:

I guess NJ gets Ike.  Not sure who else is from here though.  

Ike is obviously in a class of his own, but pro anglers Greg DiPalma and Adrian Avena are both also from South Jersey.