Who’s Your Daddy (of finesse fishing)

[Tennessee Boy]

3 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Jason Lucas, 1947

Chapter XIX; The Fine-Line Caster

 

"The beginner at bass fishing, and the man who gets to fish only occasionally, might as well skip this chapter, for it will not concern him: it is addressed only to those who fish a good deal all through the season, and so can hope to refine their tackle and methods to the utmost possible.

 

How much must a man fish before he can think of getting down to the lightest tackle?"

 

I have studied this subject quite a bit, and there is no simple answer in terms of who to consider the Godfather of what we consider finesse fishing for bass now days. The answer of who coined the term "finesse" is a bit easier to answer, though.

 

The above example is one of the earliest references to using light tackle (spin or casting) specifically for bass, an entire chapter dedicated to it in his (Jason Lucas') book, "Lucas on Bass Fishing." Another very early example from someone who is considered a bass fishing pioneer (historically speaking), came from Robert Page Lincoln's 1952 book, "Black Bass Fishing," and the chapter titled, "THE GENTLE ART OF SPINNNING."

 

Billy Westmoreland's name was brought up, and I have found newspaper articles dating back to 1958 mentioning the Hoss Fly, which means he was using light tackle to fish the bait at least that long ago. In fact, some of the articles even picture large trout being caught on Hoss Fly's, and Billy would later go on to become renowned for his prowess with hair jigs for smallmouth. He could certainly be considered the Godfather in that specific sense (hair jig smallies in clear highland impoundments).

 

Also in the 1950s and 1960s, the Ozark greats enter the discussion, and where you pick up guys like Guido, Ned, Ray Finke, Drew Reese and Chuck Woods, and see the birth of things like the Beetle (Spin) and the Puddle Jumper. That time frame is also where you can peg the start of marabou jigs, Bass Buster and Virgil Ward.

 

In 1966, Bill Binkelman penned what might be considered the first treatise on light line fishing exclusively with the publishing of "Nightcrawler Secrets." Though it was specifically a live bait technique, it's focus was on using the smallest hooks, the lightest split shot, and 4 to 6 pound line for trophy bass and walleye. He was centered in the upper Midwest, Milwaukee to be exact, and was the guy who created Fishing Facts magazine. Back in December 1963 when he started it, it was originally called Boston Store Fishing News and Wisconsin Spoonplugger.

 

The late 1960s was when Charlie Brewer developed Slider Fishing. It didn't really catch on until the first articles he was asked to write on the method appeared in Fishing Facts back in 1972. This is where we can also peg the term "finesse" to bass fishing, as he and another gentleman, Charlie Ritchie of Texas, both wrote articles on Slider fishing for bass using Charlies lures and first applying the term "finesse" in print to the technique. According to Charlie Jr., "The name 'Finesse Fishing' came about because Charlie Sr. was forced to play Bridge with his wife of 56 years, and it was a term that applied to their card game and he applied it to fishing." The term 'Finesse' in bridge goes back to the 1930s, so this makes sense.

 

As WRB mentioned, this is also the time that Dick Trask and Don Iovino were doing their light line specialty fishing out West, split shotting and deep doodling. To the best of my knowledge though, they didn't refer to what they were doing as 'finesse fishing', at least not quite as early as Charlie, and I've been privy to a few conversations with Ned and George Kramer, noted Western fishing author.

 

So, in summary, I can't really peg a specific person with creating finesse fishing and being the Godfather, though I have mentioned the most prominent names, but I would hang my hat on Charlie at this point as being the person who coined the term first to his Slider bass fishing as being "finesse," at least until someone can come up with something definitive showing otherwise.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and research.  You and @WRB can always be counted on to provide the history on treads like this.

 

For those interested here is a link to the 1972 Charlie Brewer article in Fishing Facts.
 

http://media.sliderfishing.com/uploads/sites/38/file_store/2067/151/5827/charlie-brewer-fishing-facts-do-nothing-fishing-july-1972.pdf

 

 

[ironbjorn]

The only real finesse fishing I do is the Ned Rig. So Ned.

[Catt]

Guido Hibdon introduced us to the Gitzit & the Guido Bug. The entire Hibdon family were guides, Guido started guiding at age 13.

 

https://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/guido-hibdon-1946-2018/153446

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ibass360.com/amp/how-bout-we-make-a-hollow-bait-with-tentacles

[Bluebasser86]

My dad loves UL fishing, so I grew up fishing a majority of the time with an UL. Caught many big fish with it, lost some big ones because of it. 

 

Fished a semi-private lake a lot as a kid and an old man that fished frequently was a super finesse fisherman. He fished almost only with tiny grubs and crappie jigs on UL gear and 2lb test, but targeted bass. I fished with him several times and learned how enticing those tiny baits could be and how well that light line could present those little baits.

 

I had the privilege of fishing with one of Ned's MWF buddies, one of the benefits of living 30 minutes from Ned I guess. I talked with him a lot via email, but only got to fish with him once. He was probably in his 70's at this point, and never before or since have I been outfished so badly from the back of my own boat, easily 10-1. I had the big fish of the day, but it did little to heal my pride from the straight up and down butt whooping I'd taken on the water. 

 

I'd say the combination of those 3 people influenced me the most in my finesse fishing. 

[Mobasser]

8 hours ago, Catt said:

Guido Hibdon introduced us to the Gitzit & the Guido Bug. The entire Hibdon family were guides, Guido started guiding at age 13.

 

https://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/guido-hibdon-1946-2018/153446

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ibass360.com/amp/how-bout-we-make-a-hollow-bait-with-tentacles

Catt, the reason I knew about Roger Moore in this thread because I remembered you mentioned him in a past thread on finesse guys. I looked him.up and learned about him.

And agree Guido Hibdon was very good also.

[OkobojiEagle]

Dick "Mr. Jig" Bengraff led me to the teachings of Charlie Brewer.

 

oe

[Mobasser]

I always enjoy these threads on the history and how a certain style got started. In this case, finesse fishing. So many good anglers helped develop this style all across the country.                              I also believe that by learning about the past, you can become a better fisherman. Put all this info together, and you could develop your own finesse system, which works good on your home lakes. That's what all these guys did years ago. They experimented, tinkered, and tried a variety of things to develop they're own styles of finesse fishing. 

[A-Jay]

Clearly this entire thread reads like a who's Who and a 

Finesse Hall of Fame at the same time.

So Good. 

By the time I was 'deep' into my bass fishing deal, I was (and still am) fishing mostly alone.

Well ahead of the video age, my personal list has come and was built over the course of many years. In the beginning, mostly all second hand, while poring through books & magazine articles, periodicals as well as many hard to decipher pictures and drawings. 

Back then (and especially today) there was and still is, plenty of "advice". 

Perhaps more now than ever before.

Either way, when it comes to how & where I fish,

what was and has been very helpful throughout this entire process,

has been learning to adapt what is useful,

reject what is useless and most importantly perhaps,

to add what is specifically my own. 

Might always come with a ton of trial & error,

and I'm still working on it every trip.

But that's fishing.

A-Jay

 

 

[J Francho]

The Hibdons were a huge influence up here, as was Charlie Nuckols float and fly, but I don't think they came up with the name "finesse."  Finesse in cards means throwing a lower card in hopes of teasing I higher card from your opponent while keeping a higher card.  In Euchre, this often occurs when you are "left guarded" on an opponent's trump call.  It ensures a stopper.

[BassNJake]

21 hours ago, J Francho said:

Rich Zaleski. 

 

This instantly came to mind and I was wondering what the auto parts king knew about finesse fishing, but that's Ray Zalinsky

 

[WRB]

Michael Jones book Complete Guide to Finesse Bass Fishing is a good history and read on this subject along with Don Iovino’s Finesse Bass Fishing and the Sonar Connection paper back.

Gary Yamamoto got his start as a finesse bass angler using Bobby and Garry Garlands Gitzits and spider jigs.

Michael Jones  used the  term “Finesse” for bass fishing in the 70’s.

It’s good for the sport to use tackle appropriate for the average size bass being caught….finesse fits perfectly.

Tom

[DitchPanda]

4 hours ago, WRB said:

Michael Jones book Complete Guide to Finesse Bass Fishing is a good history and read on this subject along with Don Iovino’s Finesse Bass Fishing and the Sonar Connection paper back.

Gary Yamamoto got his start as a finesse bass angler using Bobby and Garry Garlands Gitzits and spider jigs.

Michael Jones  used the  term “Finesse” for bass fishing in the 70’s.

It’s good for the sport to use tackle appropriate for the average size bass being caught….finesse fits perfectly.

Tom

I just got this Michael Jones book off Amazon a week or so ago

[Alex from GA]

Bill Lamb.

[Mobasser]

One thing that makes these threads good for younger guys. If they're not familiar with the names mentioned in this thread, they can look them up and read up on these anglers, and get a better understanding of finesse fishing in general.

[Bankbeater]

I was always taught that big baits catch big bass so the first time I really fished for bass with small baits was after joining this forum. 

[scaleface]

I read one time that Guido Hibdon would fish a tube in wood with light line . When he got a bite he would gently pull the fish out then set the hook .

[J Francho]

Might have been him. I thought I read the same about Brewer?  I know I've prefished with hookless crank baits and you can get them just about up to the boat by being gentle. I've done it with regular bass jigs too, not setting the  hook but leading them up to the boat to see his big they are. 

[Big Hands]

On 11/3/2021 at 11:50 AM, WRB said:

Dick Trask won 7 fully rigged Ranger Boats and Don Iovino is in the Fishing Hall of Fame as the Father of Finesse fishing, also won several Ranger Boats fishing west coast tournaments.

Trask taught Aaron Martens how to finesse fish. Trask, Iovino and Martens a trio of the top finesse bass anglers. 

Tom

 

All three are greats in the world of finesse fishing and seemed to spend a LOT of time at Castaic. I don't know for certain, but I would have to put Dick Trask as the top dog with Don Iovino right in there too. Three very different personalities too.

 

I can still see in my mind Dick's instantly recognizable red/white classic old school bass boat sitting out in what looked to be no-man's-land for hours on end. With the water currently down 140', you can see why he spent a lot of time there.

 

Of course, Aaron Martens took the ball and ran quite far with it. I was surprised to hear that he didn't really like to finesse fish all that much, but he certainly knew what to do when he needed to use it. 

[Hammer 4]

I'll have to go with Don Iovino. He use to fish at the same lake I did. At that time I wanted to buy some of his famous hand pour worms, that led to him telling me about finesse fishing.

Just to add, the same day I got his hand poured worms, I caught more bass that day, in a lake that really wasn't known for being a " bass lake ".

Sometimes I motor out to middle of the lake and watch Don fish, I learned a bunch just watching how and where he fished. For that I'm really grateful to him.  

[Cgolf]

I don’t think I have a person in general. I grew up, my fishing years, reading in fisherman and fishing facts s the magazines get the nod for me. Mostly being a bank angler I basically fished Midwest finesse and took a liking to slider heads over 20 years ago and for weedless presentations they are about all I ever use. Oddly I didn’t get the slider fishing book till 5 years ago. I am pretty sure my biggest bass came out of a Florida pond at the condo we were vacationing at on a 2” yellow grub. Even 30 years later I remember the feel of the take, but have no clue the actual size. I just know the local kid was shocked and I was too new to bass fishing to document it. 
 

so if magazines count that is mine. 
 

 

[KP Duty]

On 11/3/2021 at 12:57 PM, J Francho said:

Rich Zaleski. 

I thought he was the auto parts king...

  

[Chris Catignani]

It wouldn't be fair to leave out bass fishing kingpin Jerry McKinnis.

He was probably the most instrumental person promoting finesse techniques.

bio

 

[J Francho]

11 hours ago, KP Duty said:

I thought he was the auto parts king...

  

 Ha!

 

https://www.richz.com/fishing/blog/?page_id=2