July 16, 2007 is a date no one in bass fishing will soon forget. When news spread that Tim Tucker's life was cut short in a tragic car accident, a collective sense of shock, disbelief, then grief swelled through the sport to which Tucker had dedicated so much of his life.
While BassFans may have known Tucker simply through a byline in their favorite magazines, books, newspapers and websites, those closer to the sport recognized that his passing marked the end of an era, and left a large hole that'll likely never be filled.
That's because Tucker, who made his home in Cross Creek, Fla., was much more than a bass-fishing writer. Much more than an icon too. His influence permeated every corner of bass fishing. With just a phone call, he could launch a sponsor deal for a young pro, trigger a communication between parties in disagreement, or help a peer find a publisher or freelance gig.
In some ways, he was a kingmaker.
The BassFan staff is left with its final image of Tucker, from the 2007 Bassmaster Classic. There, in the media room, he held court surrounded by people in awe of the man who'd seen it all, and written about it.
The tight-knit bass fishing community is left with the loss of a friend – someone who was a husband and father first, a writer second – and also the grievous realization that so little of what Tucker witnessed actually made it to paper.
Gone is most of the seen-but-never-written history of 27 Bassmaster Classics, countless Tour and Invitational stops in dusty places, gutsy backroom deals and negotiations. Vanished are the inside stories behind memorable finishes, and less-memorable controversies. Remember it was Tucker who watched as Jim Bitter measured a small keeper at the 1989 James River Classic – the same fish that quickly jumped out of Bitter's boat and cost him the Classic.
What we are left with, though, is his memory, and a body of written work unmatched in bass fishing. His production and productivity were staggering. Highlights include the following:
- He was a longtime senior writer for Bassmaster magazine and BASS Times.
- His work also appeared in these publications: Southern Outdoors, Bassmaster Tour, Bassmaster Destinations, Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, American Angler, Fishing Tackle Retailer, Southern Saltwater, Fishing Facts, Florida Sportsman, Bassin', Florida Wildlife, Bass Fishing, Petersen's Fishing, Texas Game and Fish, Advanced Bass Fishing, Bass Pro Shops' Outdoor World, Crappie, The In-Fisherman, North American Fisherman, Bass and Walleye Boats, Remington Country, Tournament Angler News, Aqua-Field Publications and others. His newspaper credits included the Palm Beach Post, Gainesville Sun, Orlando Sentinel, Ocala Star Banner, Lakeland Ledger and Greensboro News & Record.
- He'd served as the outdoor writer for the Palm Beach Post and Gainesville Sun newspapers. At the time of his death, he was the pro fishing writer for the Universal Press Syndicate's outdoor page, which is distributed to 33 newspapers.
- He authored Tim Tucker's Pro Angling Insider – a bi-monthly, eight-page newsletter that broke new ground in its coverage of the business side of pro fishing.
- He authored eight books: Roland Martin's 101 Bass-Catching Secrets (1988), Advanced Shiner Fishing Techniques (1989), Secrets of America's Best Bass Pros (1990), More! Secrets of America's Best Bass Pros (1991), Doug Hannon's Fisherman's Logbook (1992), Diary of a Bass Pro (1992), Bill Dance on Crappie (1995), and Bill Dance on Largemouth Bass (1996). His Tim Tucker Outdoor Productions Corp. published seven books. All are still available through TimTuckerOutdoors.com.
- He conceived and produced the award-winning Bass Sessions series of instructional audio cassettes featuring the top names in pro fishing.
- Along with outdoors public-relations leader Mike Walker, he conducted two successful workshops for aspiring and professional fishermen titled How To Promote Yourself and Attract Sponsors. The booklet/audio cassette presentation of this seminar, titled The Bass Pro Workshop, was later honored as the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association's Best Outdoor Entrepreneurial Project - as judged by the editor of Inc. magazine.
Photo: Tim Tucker Outdoors
Diary of a Bass Pro – just one of the many books Tucker authored.
- In the years prior to his death, he was the only writer selected as an instructor in the popular BASS Fishing Techniques national seminar series.
- He'd been the featured guest on The Bassmasters, Classic Yearbook, Anglers In Action, Prime Time Outdoors and Outdoor Trails with Barry Stokes television shows.
- In 1991 he promoted the highly successful Bass Sessions '91 – a 1-day consumer show that featured America's top names in bass fishing and fishing-industry exhibits.
- Since 1982, he received more than 100 awards for his writing and photography.
Tucker is survived by his wife Darlene and twin children Rachel and Kyle.
He's also survived by his bass-fishing family at large – the fans and readers of his writing, and those throughout the sport and industry who'd known him, and worked alongside him, those many long years. Their brief remembrances of him appear below.
Bill Dance
Dance is one of the sport's true legends and was one of the pros most closely associated with Tucker. Their credits together include numerous books and countless magazine articles.
"He was one of my favorite outdoor writers and Timmy and I did a lot of things together. We co-authored two books – one on bass, one on crappie – and we were working on an in-depth article on dissolved oxygen when he passed.
"I remember when the twins were born, my wife Diane sent them two little strollers. I remember how excited he and Darlene were. He was a family man from the get-go. He was just a class-act guy who had an uncanny ability to write to where you felt like you were right there on that scene when you read his articles. He made it sound exciting, even if it wasn't.
"He was just family, that's all I can say. I've said this a lot of times: I wouldn't be doing what I am today if not for people like Tim Tucker. But there will never be another Tim Tucker. I for one am going to miss him.
"In fact, I'm doing a show right now that involves Tim. It starts out with a picture of Timmy and these words: 'As my dear friend and noted outdoor writer – the late, great Tim Tucker once said, 'When we die, those fortunate enough to travel skyward will undoubtedly find that all the bass fishing in Heaven is topwater fishing. There'll be no flipping or pitching fish. No arm-wearing deep-cranking fish. No finicky finesse fish. Just great topwater action.''
"The camera then cuts to me and I say, 'Well Timmy, ol' buddy, I hope you limited this morning and the strikes are just as explosive as they were for you when you fished with us here on Earth. No doubt, someday we'll all know.'"
Tim Horton credits Tucker with launching his career.
Tim Horton
Horton is a Bassmaster Elite Series pro and former BASS Angler of the Year (AOY). He was also a close friend of Tucker's.
"Tim always took time for the new guys. One thing he always said intrigued him was new guys coming into the sport. And in fact, Tim really launched my career when he took a photo of two smallmouths that graced the cover of Bassmaster magazine. That was really the first thing that happened to me in the sport of bass fishing.
"Also, one of the things about Tim was that he knew the anglers and how the business worked with the anglers – inside and out. He knew more about it than any journalist in the sport. That was really intriguing to him, and he knew us guys on a personal level.
"The year I won Angler of the Year was another time that Tim took a photo of me for a cover. To get that kind of coverage – two cover shots in the span of about 3 years – was just really incredible. And I remember so many good times because a lot of things Tim and I did together were completely unrelated to business. He always vacationed at Guntersville, and I remember one Christmas he and Darlene and Kyle and Rachel – we just spent all day talking about family and lots of different things.
"When I got the phone call with the news, I'd just gotten on the water at Lake Erie. It was 2:00. Because of the media stuff the day before, I was late getting to Erie from Champlain. When I heard it, I just took the boat out. I didn't even feel like fishing the rest of the day.
"I think in terms of Tim's perspective on things – where he was for the past 20-plus years in this sport, and how much he knew and cared about the business and inner workings of pro bass fishing. I don't know if there's anyone out there who'll ever take his place.
"He really had a niche. He was an arbitrator without being an arbitrator. He really had a talent of getting in the middle without sticking his nose in it. He could hear what the pros were saying, what the industry leaders were saying, and he'd help both sides work things out. He was just different. It went so much deeper with Tim."
Dave Precht
Precht is currently senior director of BASS publications, and was editor of Bassmaster Magazine from 1984–2003. He first met Tucker in 1980, and considered him one of his closest friends.
"Political operatives relish their roles as kingmakers. Tim Tucker was a kingmaker in the realm of bass fishing. However, it wasn't the role he relished, but the power he had to help people. He loved 'discovering' up-and-coming pros and giving them the exposure that would help launch their careers.
"I learned early on to trust his judgment. If he said someone had a future in this game, he was generally right. But he didn't confine his generosity to the pros.
"When I attended his funeral service in Gainesville, Fla., I came to realize how many people from so many facets of his life he'd helped and influenced. Especially children. As I listened to the eulogies from the fellow parents and coaches of the little-league baseball team he coached, I realized that Tim may have had a higher calling – coaching children.
"He was devoted to his own twins, Kyle and Rachel, but with a heart proportionate to his frame, he had plenty of love to share with other kids as well. Scores of children in Gainesville will grow up to be better people because Tim invested a part of his life in them.
"Tim had a positive impact on practically everyone else he touched, whether through his writing, his generosity or his friendship. I can't imagine a better legacy."
Gary Giudice
Giudice, a 20-year friend and colleague of Tucker's, is the founder and president of Blue Heron Communications. The two were on the phone together nearly every day.
"Twenty years ago my business was new. Startups are tough and I had one client – a fishing line company. At a writers conference, we where hosting a hospitality with the client, and it happened to be his birthday. Knowing my client's personality, I thought it would be a cool idea to hire a young lady to sing him happy birthday in front of his friends. A very scantily clad young lady.
"My thinking was that, as the song progressed, the young lady would become even more scantily clad. But I was concerned that if this thing headed south, I might be in jeopardy with my one and only client. I didn't know Tim well at the time, but my client did. My plan was to bring Tim in on the deal, and if it went wrong, I could at least share the blame. Tim loved the idea.
"I remember that Tim and I met at a Benihana's restaurant to plan this deal. A waiter asked Tim if he wanted chopsticks. Tim looked at him kind of funny and said, 'I didn't get this big eatin' with these little ol' sticks. Bring me a regular American fork!'
"Well, the young lady did a wonderful job. She sang, sans clothing, and it was a big hit. My client did get in trouble back at the office and, yes, I did blame Tim. Even though it wasn't his fault, he didn't say a word about it. He knew he was helping me out. That was just typical Tim. A huge gravel-voiced man with an attitude to match. But he was all about helping people in the fishing industry.
"We would later become best of friends."
Mike Walker
Walker is a longtime industry vet and public-relations specialist who founded The Walker Agency. He worked closely with Tucker on many projects and was a personal friend.
"That Tim was a legend in bass fishing and outdoor journalism is to state the obvious. Over the years he touched millions, and many of today's pros owe him a debt as he would often help them with a favorable word to a potential sponsor as they struggled to get their careers off the ground. He gave much and asked for little. He was fearless – a thorn in the sides of the high and mighty when he thought that what they were doing was hurting the sport.
"There are others who are considered legends in bass fishing, from Ray Scott who founded BASS, to Forest L. Wood of Ranger Boats, to Johnny Morris who gave sportsmen their own store with Outdoor World and Bass Pro Shops. Tim belongs right up there with these legends, for it was Tim who turned a love of bass fishing into a career communicating the sport to millions of anglers through his writing and broadcasting.
"He was a devoted husband and father who doted over his children and was a friend to all he met. I met Tim more than 25 years ago when he roped me into volunteering for the board of the Southeastern Outdoor Writers Association. He was a member of many such groups, and rose to leadership in nearly all of them. We both enjoyed bass fishing and boating, but most of all, we enjoyed the entrepreneurial spirit we shared."
Alan Clemons
Clemons is a prolific outdoor writer and news journalist who is currently the outdoors columnist for The Huntsville Times.
"It's impossible to tell the fullest measure of a man or woman until they're gone and you can see the impact. But at that time, it's hard to see as well because of the sadness.
"There was no question about Tim's contributions to his family, friends and the outdoors community based on the deep outpouring of support to his family, the memories related about him, the tears shed for him and the laughter he would have enjoyed.
"The heartbreak at losing a good friend, husband, father or son doesn't heal easily or quickly. I still have much sadness knowing I'll never be able to ask for his advice or share a cold Coke with him again. But the memorial service and the good memories I do have, have helped and will continue to do so."
Mark Davis
Davis is one of the most decorated pros in the history of the sport. His credits include a Bassmaster Classic victory, two BASS AOY titles and seven career wins. He currently fishes the FLW Tour.
"The first time I met Tim that I can remember was the 1987 Classic in Louisville, Ky. Fish Fishburne and I were both rookies. Tim was a guy that was just 100% devoted to the sport of bass fishing in everything he did. It was his life. And that's reflected in his writing, and his tremendous contribution over the years to our sport. It's a great loss.
"People who don't follow our sport as closely may not realize that we're a different kind of athlete. But Tim knew that. He wasn't necessarily comparing us to a marathon runner, but was saying, 'Hey, it takes a lot of athletic ability to compete at this high level.'
"We didn't always agree with everything Tim said, but you know, that's good in a way. He had a different perspective and a different opinion, and oftentimes we'd vary on different things, but at the same time, you always knew right where he stood, and I always had a great deal of respect for him."
Michael Jones
In his more than two decades as a bass-fishing journalist, Mike Jones has always been at the evolutionary forefront of the sport. He currently authors the Big Bass Zone column on BassFan. In addition to his remarks below, his recent BBZ column was dedicated to Tucker. To read that piece, click here.
"Guys like Tucker generally have a bigger impact on the sport than some of the biggest-name pros. The average guy on the street has no clue about the effect that Tucker had. And even someone like me, who was in there for 20 years with Tucker – I don't understand and I can't grasp all of the things he did.
"He was so well-connected. I'm a 'connected senior writer,' but I make one call to Tucker and he tells me the one guy to call for my book, and it just happens. But a lot of that happened over the 25 years that Tucker did his thing.
According to Ray Scott, 'There are a lot of guys who helped us, but nobody more than Tim Tucker.'
"In the modern age of bass fishing, he was a conduit from all sides of the industry. I doubt anybody in the industry agreed with Tucker all the time, but that was Tucker. He connected people, and he helped people, and he took care of himself as far as making a buck, and that's all good.
"I think it's the people like Tucker in this industry who are going to be forgotten. He's just a byline on a page to some people. But he should be remembered as being a driving force in the fishing industry when things were really happening. That '80s and '90s period in bass fishing was embryonic, and Tucker was right in the middle of it."
Ray Scott
Ray Scott, a monumental figure in the history of the sport, is the founder of BASS.
"There are a lot of guys who helped us, but nobody more than Tim Tucker. He never received a thing from BASS except his fee for writing, but he loved BASS. When I first met him, close to 30 years ago, he was already in love with BASS. He saw that what I dreamed of doing was happening, and he was a cheerleader.
"He'd call me with something on his mind, and say, 'Maybe you should consider this or that.' He'd keep building the spirit of BASS – the fellowship and all the elements that kept us bound together, like conservation and kids. There was nothing I ever did where Tim wasn't there to support it and help me. Bob Cobb might tell you that he equally shares these same feelings.
"Tim was a very thoughtful man, and of course I learned to love him. I always used to tell him, 'Tim, you're bigger than life.' He'd pat his belly and say, 'I sure am.'
"You're never ready to lose a friend, but I was hurt very deeply.
"He was always a gifted trickster, and we'd occasionally pull a trick on him. He went through one period as an outdoor writer when he made it the habit of having a canoe on top of his car. We'd tease him about it. One night at a tournament, we were coming back from dinner and everything was real quiet and there was Tim's truck with his canoe packed on top, upside down.
"Bob Cobb and I quietly took it off, walked it across the parking lot, and dumped it in the swimming pool behind the fence. The next morning, Tim was wondering where it was. There was a lot of the good-natured stuff.
"I'll put it this way, I don't think we'll ever have a more prominent loss than losing Tim. It's too early for him. He was a big old boy, but was losing a ton of weight. He had two beautiful kids, and Darlene's just a sweet girl. But God's got a better place for him, and will put him to work."
Larry Nixon
Nixon is another legendary angler whose credits include a Classic victory, two BASS AOY titles, and 17 career wins.
"Tim was one of the great writers who helped this sport grow. He contributed so many things to my career – in fact he wrote about me almost exclusively in the old days when I was fishing BASS. Tim was a great writer who got all of us through the early stages in our careers. Everybody's going to miss him."
Shaw Grigsby, Jr.
Grigsby, a veteran Florida pro, worked as closely with Tucker as any other pro. He was also a close friend of the Tucker family.
"There's so much to say about Tim, and there's a lot of things that stand out. He broke a lot of stories. His background was as a reporter, and that investigative passion was always a part of him.
"The other major thing about Tim is he was never scared to say what he felt was right. If somebody was off-base, he was never afraid to attack them or stand up to them and tell it like it is. I respected him greatly for that, and what he's done for the sport, and the anglers, is just amazing.
"When breaking stories, he'd dig in-depth, like when Zell Rowland was using an old Pop-R. That was a dead bait, and he broke the story and resurrected a bait that's now mainstream everywhere. There are all kinds of things like that Tim did for the sport, and the sport's definitely going to miss him.
"If you were a young angler and needed help, he was going to help you – that's why he started his newsletter. So many people come in and think, 'Well, I fish, therefore I should get this, or I should get that.' Tim was the one who put down what sponsors were looking for, what to say when talking to somebody – and he was always giving free advice for the young anglers. That's Tim Tucker."
Matt Vincent
Vincent, currently editor of BASS Times, wrote a piece about Tucker shortly after the accident. The following is an excerpt from that piece, which was published on Bassmaster.com.
"We mourn for someone who made us better, who allowed us to question the status quo, who showed us a new way to look at the sport of fishing, and who proved that loyalty and honor are not simply matters of convenience. True friendship doesn't work that way."
Jay Kumar
Kumar is a former BASS senior writer and is the founder of BassFan. Tucker was first a hero to Kumar, then a mentor and at times sort of a rival, but every part a friend.
"I guess I sort of knew it all along, or should have, but in Tim's death it's become apparent to me that he was like a craftsman working on a structure important to a lot of people – maybe a bridge, with bass fishing being the bridge. He was always patching, fixing, helping, pushing for changes, doing all these things – sometimes in the foreground, sometimes in the background.
"That's how I'm going to remember him, along with being an inspiration. The quality and quantity of his work were tremendous, just unparalleled, and his ability to do all of that and still be this behind-the-scenes craftsman and amazing father is great. Very inspirational.
"Thank you again, Tim, for being such an inspiration to me."
Kurt Beckstrom
Beckstrom is the editor of North American Fisherman. He edited many of Tucker's stories, and shared many a trip with him.
"Nobody loved the sport of fishing more than Tim, and it showed in his writing. He had the rare ability to connect with all types of anglers – from the beginner to elite pros – and help all of them become more successful fishermen. He was one of the most talented fishing authors in the country, and his death is an enormous loss to the sport. We're going to miss him greatly, as a colleague and a friend."
Steve Price
Price has been writing for Bassmaster magazine since 1974, and worked alongside Tucker since 1980.
"I met Tim at his first Bassmaster Classic in 1980 at the Thousand Islands in New York. We were roommates. It was very easy to see at that time, from the questions Tim continued to ask me for 3 or 4 days – about writing about the bass market, about freelancing and those types of things – that he was very serious. I was happy to answer him as best I could.
"And over the years, of course, Tim became not only a very good friend of mine and a very respected colleague, but a very influential voice in the sport. A voice that I feel was necessary. Because it was thought-provoking, and Tim wasn't afraid to speak his mind. He had I don't know how many millions of readers, and his loss is going to be felt. It's already being felt. We miss him terribly.
"You know, I kept warning him to be careful and not oversaturate himself in bass fishing because I thought he'd burn out. I warned him to give himself some variety in his writing. He really didn't, and he didn't burn himself out either. He just continued to work, with his same dedication to the sport. And that dedication to not only informing his readership, but also improving the sport, was quite remarkable."
Notable
> Several folks left their remembrances of Tucker on his website. To read them, click here.
> The Tucker family has requested that friends honor Tim's memory through the Kyle and Rachel Tucker Trust Fund. Gifts can be made to: The Kyle and Rachel Tucker Trust Fund, P.O. Box 140607, Gainesville, FL 32614.
