Famous Fisherman Who Inspired You

[Mobasser]

Most of us have been inspired in some way by a famous bass fisherman.                 My own list is:                           Light tackle: Charlie Brewer and Billy Westmoreland.                                Texans Tommy Martin and Larry Nixon.                               From my home state of Missouri: Virgil Ward, Charlie Campbell, and Guido Hibdon.                                        From California: Dee Thomas with flipping.                      Who are some famous fisherman who you have inspired you?      

[Jar11591]

I grew up watching Bill Dance and Roland Martin, so those 2 really stick out in my mind. I think watching them really enforced my love of bass fishing. I will never forget the theme songs for those 2 shows. Not many days go by without me singing them at least once. 
 

I was always appreciative of Aaron Marten’s finesse, northern style of fishing. I felt like I could really relate to that. His calm, soft spoken demeanor was a welcome contrast to some of the more animated folks on the tours. Made his information much more digestible. RIP. 
 

Honorable mention goes to Larry Czonka. I know, he’s a famous football player, not fisherman. Not sure how many remember his show “North to Alaska”, where he would fish and hunt the whole state, but I was hooked on that show. Watching it before I went to school or any chance I got really helped foster a love for the outdoors and being a sportsman as well. 

[Bluebasser86]

Denny Brauer was my favorite bass fisherman growing up. I liked George Cochran a lot also because they were both shallow water fishermen that were going to catch them their way instead of following the crowd.

 

Doug Stange had a big influence on me also because he was such an avid multispecies angler who had an appreciation for all fish. 

[volzfan59]

For me it's Bill Dance and Billy Westmoreland.

[MN Fisher]

I kinda fell into bass fishing - but the two guys who really inspired my fishing overall are Al Lindner and Babe Winkelman...I even met and talked with them back when I was a teen.

[A-Jay]

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

[roadwarrior]

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansascity/name/harold-ensley-obituary?id=4295657

[Team9nine]

So many names over the years, but I believe my top 4 would be (in no particular order)…
 

Buck Perry

Bill Binkelman

Al Lindner

Rick Clunn

 

[TnRiver46]

Bill dance and all the in fisherman crew 

[GaryH]

Bill Dance, Hank Parker, Rick Clunn

[Buzzbaiter]

Do I have to say it? Fine, Jeremy Wade. I used to watch nature documentaries as early as I can remember. River Monsters (though not really a nature documentary) ranked among my favorites. Looking back, the show is very dramatic and over the top, but I don’t know if I’d have picked up a fishing rod if it weren’t for Jeremy Wade’s show

[LrgmouthShad]

I was familiar with members on here before I was familiar with members on the pro circuit. For that reason, the first fisherman that inspired me is @WRB. There are a lot of great fisherman on this site, but @WRB’s big bass and his intricate knowledge of bass fishing was just stunning to me when I first scrolled bassresource. So, thank you sir for what you continue to contribute. 
 

After that, as I became familiar with the pro circuit, Greg Hackney inspired me because of his fishing style.

 

Bill Murphy then inspired me because of his book

[Jar11591]

11 minutes ago, Buzzbaiter said:

Do I have to say it? Fine, Jeremy Wade. I used to watch nature documentaries as early as I can remember. River Monsters (though not really a nature documentary) ranked among my favorites. Looking back, the show is very dramatic and over the top, but I don’t know if I’d have picked up a fishing rod if it weren’t for Jeremy Wade’s show

While the show was definitely made dramatic for TV purposes, I think most people are in agreement that Jeremy Wade is a pretty good stick. 

[Catt]

I was fortunate enough to be around Toledo Bend during the 70s.

Tommy Martin: Rat-L-Traps & deepwater grass & matted grass with a Jig-n-Craw 

Larry Nixon: Texas Rigged plastics 

Lonnie Stanley: spinnerbaits & jigs 

Structure fishing: the three above & Elwood Buck Perry 

 

[Skunkmaster-k]

Glenn May 

[LrgmouthShad]

Just now, Catt said:

Rat-L-Traps

I’m just becoming familiar with fishing these things at a moderate or slow clip. If you spend too much time around YouTube, youll absorb that the two ways to fish them are burning and yo-yoing. Lately, just a slow retrieve has worked better for me than yo-yoing. Excited to explore some more versatility of the lipless this year

4 minutes ago, Skunkmaster-k said:

Glenn May 

Kiss a** 

[newapti5]

No one taught me face-to-face about fishing. I had to learn it from YouTube and forums at the beginning, some tips here and a piece of information there. So my inspirations came from numerous persons, pros and no-pros. 

[Zcoker]

I met Roland Martin some 30 years ago at a local tackle store in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was giving some sort of seminar there, so I stuck around for a while and listened to his speech. Seemed interesting enough and did get my attention. I really can't say that he "inspired" me, as I was more into the salty side of the world. Remained in that world for a long, long time. It was some 30 years later that I got back into freshwater bass fishing and started watching some of his fishing videos. My, how things had changed! He had changed hardly at all! Roland didn't seem a year older lol. Anyhow, I watched some of his current videos more because they related to my fishing area, which is the Florida Everglades and Fellsmere. His topics and presentations were spot on for those areas. So I guess he inspired me in that kind of way. 

[Skunkmaster-k]

It’s true. 

[Deleted account]

Billy Urvalek, John DeMaio, Fred Golofaro.

[Jig Man]

Charlie Campbell, Dean Byrum, Steve Holland were all local fishermen a couple of them guides.  All could do wonders with a Zara Spook.

[DitchPanda]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Denny Brauer was my favorite bass fisherman growing up. I liked George Cochran a lot also because they were both shallow water fishermen that were going to catch them their way instead of following the crowd.

 

Doug Stange had a big influence on me also because he was such an avid multispecies angler who had an appreciation for all fish. 

Doug Stange for me and its not even close. Because of his multi species approach particularly towards catfish and the "other" species like suckers, gar etc. Also he has has an impact on me as far as selective harvest...not keeping the biggest fish and not taking home a bucket full, instead keeping enough of those medium sized more abundant fish for a meal or two. In fact his book Life and Times in catfish country is my favorite fishing book. He has a very particular style of writing that helps tell the story while sneaking in plenty of nuggets of info.

[Str8BraidPowa]

When I was a kid I watched Bill Dance, and Roland Martin on TV and always liked them, I never really looked into tournament fishing then. I took about 15 years off fishing and only got back into it about three years ago. Since then I have appreciated the info I have gotten from watching Matt Allen and Tim Little, but to say I am inspired by any one fisherman. It would have to be Gerald Swindle. His positive outlook and fishing style in general fits my way of fishing. I'm sure there are better fishermen, and ones with a better history to the sport but that's my guy.

[CM-fisher]

For fishing in the northland in general, whether it be ice fishing, bass fishing or maybe walleyes and panfish, Al Lindner, Doug Stange, Brian Brosdahl, Jay Siemens and Jason Mitchell. For bass fishing specifically, I would have to say Hank Parker, John Crews, Cody Meyer, Jared Lintner and Edwin Evers.

[Susky River Rat]

I can’t say anyone has. It’s been my love for fishing. If I can say anyone influenced me it would be my dad for even getting me into fishing at a young age.