The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame had a big day. Three new people, Glen Andrews, Bruce Holt, and Michael Iaconelli, were inducted into the Hall of Fame on September 28th, which was attended by more than 275 folks, including Johnny Morris, the founder of Bass Pro Shops.
The 2023 edition of Celebrate Bass Fishing Week raised more than$ 200, 000, surpassing all previous Celebrate bass fishing year numbers, thanks to donations and industry support as well as the well-liked online auction that featured fishing trips and other outdoor activities, pro angler antiques, and a huge selection of fishing tackle.
According to BFHOF Board President John Mazurkiewicz,” The induction ceremony night and the events and activities leading up to it really showed what the bass fishing world is all about.” We were both allowed to work together to support the Hall’s goal of celebrating, advancing, and preserving the activity of bass fishing, regardless of the tournament circuit you prefer, the boat you ride in, or the type of tackle you use.
It was a memorable night for many reasons, with 20 Hall of Famers in attendance who could all be identified by their royal blue jackets and fresh banners commemorating each training course hanging from the ceiling.
Morris announced during his remarks to start the night that work on new additions and features at the Wonders of Wildlife service that should increase visitor traffic through the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame space would start after this fall. On a night when the Hall’s inductee roster grew to 95 and the fishing industry gathered to celebrate the sport and its icons.
According to Morris,” We will be rerouting the customers so that everyone who passes through Wonders of Wildlife and the ocean will have the opportunity of passing through the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.” ” As people leave the Hall, it’ll take them to some brand-new aquariums and really enjoy guitar as a fish types.”
Andrews, 93, spent the majority of the evening in a wheelchair but stood high at the podium during his acceptance speech. He was praised for his ground-breaking work in the 1960s when competition fishing was still in its infancy.
Andrews chuckled wryly,” This has got to be one heck of a big feast since it only comes around every 92 years.”
Andrews, from Lead Hill, Arkansas, is frequently referred to as the” best bass fishing to have ever lived” by Hall of Famers Bobby Murray and Bill Dance, who both looked up to him as a leader. In the 1960s, he won numerous state bass fishing tournaments. He also played a significant role in the development of rigging methods like the Andrews Slip Sinker Worm( now known as the Texas equipment ) and the set of guidelines that professional anglers still follow today.
” I would do anything to get up here and talk to you for the next 30 days while telling stories and exchanging falsehoods, but I can’t.” Some of my tales are true, even though I don’t know as many as Bill Dance, Andrews remarked. If you’ll pardon me for that, Bill, I’d like to express my gratitude for the 30 days you spent on a Zoom call to inform me that I would soon been inducted into the Hall of Fame. I appreciate each and every one of you coming, and I thank you. Godspeed to you.
Numerous home users, former coworkers, and business associates stood in for Holt, who passed away in 2021. Ryan, Bruce’s younger brother, accepted his brass and remarked to the crowd that his older brother would have been awestruck to be inducted.
” Bruce may be humbled, delighted, and primarily astonished to be given this honor.” He dedicated his entire career to fish and everything it entails, but Ryan Holt claimed that he would never in his wildest dreams have imagined being inducted here with all of his idols and admirers.
Holt worked for G. Loomis for more than 30 years in a variety of capacities and was instrumental in raising the brand’s account, particularly in the bass market.
Following Holt’s induction, it was revealed that Shimano( parent company of G. Loomis ) would make a$ 5, 000 donation to the Hall of Fame in his honor, with the money going to be set aside for the hall to support youth fishing initiatives, scholarship programs, and conservation grants.
Iaconelli, who is still a competitive Bassmaster Elite Series competition, wrapped up the evening by retracing his divine career both on and off the water.
The most amazing experience is this. Iaconelli, the single fish to get the B, said,” I can’t even put it into words.” The Bassmaster Classic, the bassmaster Angler of the Year award, and the A.S. S. Nation national title. ” It feels like my life has come full circle to look out at this sea of people who are my soldiers in the fishing industry, not just the fishing but also the artists, merchants, and friends.”
The training events were made possible thanks to B’s significant financial assistance. Major League Fishing, Phoenix Boats, Wired2fish, PRADCO, Daiwa, Rapala, Shimano, Costa, St. Croix, SIMMS, and Sunline are among the major league hunting companies in the United States.
To view the 2023 training understanding speeches, click here.
