It Began In Oklahoma And With The Federation

Monday, May 17, 2004
by Ray Scott

Some things never change. The oil well pumps still click and clack, pulling the black gold out of the ground. T-Town in its history was known as the "Oil Capital of the World." Maybe, but not so today, with OPEC's sheiks controlling the world's oil spigot.

But as the engineer of a work-in-progress called the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), I hit a blow-out gusher in Tulsa in 1968. In oil-field terms, I was a wildcatter drilling in uncharted territory hoping to strike oil in a risky business.

The Beginning

The Tulsa Bass Club, born out of my first All-American Invitational Bass Tournament in June 1967 at Beaver Lake, Ark., had assembled to hear a hair-brained idea to organize the bass anglers of America.

A tough jury to try to case. But an ally inside the room at the Trade Winds East motel – Don T. Butler – had displayed confidence that the B.A.S.S. idea would work.

Listening to my thoughts early that afternoon, Butler had stopped me in mid-sentence to ask: "Hoss, I think it will work. How much you figure to charge for a B.A.S.S. membership?" Caught flat-footed I said: "Ten dollars – for a year's membership."

Butler nodded, reached for his billfold and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill. "How about 100 dollars to join for a lifetime?"

In a matter of minutes, it was a done deal. The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society of America had its first member, and Ray Scott was in business as founder of the world's first bass fishing organization.

The Tulsa Bass Club members listened courteously, then asked for open discussion and requested I step outside. As an Alabama resident, I was dressed in a seersucker cotton suit hardly fit for Oklahoma's cold winter winds. Nearly frozen after a half-hour wait, I pressed my ear to the sliding-door glass to see if I could make an entrance.

A voice asked, "This all sounds pretty good, but how do we know we can trust him? How do we know Ray Scott will do what he says he 's going to do?"

Above the room's chatter a louder voice commanded attention. "Because Ray Scott says he will," said Don Butler calmly. "Let me see a hand of everyone who wants to support him.

"Good, the Tulsa Bass Club is behind Scott's new organization," said Butler in viewing the hand count. Get Scott in here before he's an ice cube."

Like skating on thin ice, if the Tulsa Bass Club had rejected and not supported the founding ideas for B.A.S.S., the Society could well have failed to gain traction and survive.

Now

Like the early-day Tulsa Bass Club, today the 3,000 BASS chapters and over 50,000 members of the BASS Federation are the strong legs the sport of bass fishing stands on. The grassroots effort carried out by dedicated bass clubbers is the underlying reason that the future of the sport of bass fishing has never been brighter.

Talking with the state Federation presidents and tournament qualifiers at Lake Keystone renewed my vigor in the spirit of the B.A.S.S. member. These amateur club fishermen are skilled anglers, and but for family responsibilities to make a living are capable of playing-for-pay on the Bassmaster Tournament Trail.

In fact, five anglers from the 2004 Federation finals will compete in the Bassmaster Classic, July 30-August 1, at Charlotte, N.C. The five anglers represent the BASS Federation's five geographic divisions. They will arrive at Lake Wylie following a 2-year chase after the "Holy Grail:" the Classic.

The Federation's path to the Classic is arguably the toughest uphill climb. Competitions in bass club events, then state, regional and divisional levels, and finally the Federation Championship define the challenge to make the Classic.

These anglers are the "dreamers" of the sport of bass fishing. They "live to fish," unlike the pros, who "fish to live." But make no mistake: Every Federation angler nurtures the dream to fish the Classic – to do their best in the test of the best.

As a cross-section, the 2004 qualifiers are somewhat typical Federation profiles. Thad Takes, 36, the Federation champion and a Northern Division qualifier, works as a project manager for an electrical contractor. Southern Division qualifier Russ Lane is the 31-year-old owner of a wholesale automotive business. William Pippen, 67 and a retired construction superintendent, will represent the Central Division. The Eastern Division's George Acord, 40, is a partner in a fishing tackle business. And Jeff Boyer, 54, will be competing in his third Classic as the Western Division qualifier. A business manager for a paving contractor, Boyer also operates a guide business company.

"They all share bass fishing as a common love," said Don Corkran, BASS's Federation director. "They are, however, amateurs in the sense that bass fishing is not their primary means of income."

But it well could be in the future. More than one proven pro – such as 2003 Bassmaster Classic champ Michael Iaconelli – used the Federation as the springboard into the professional ranks. "Other than the Classic, the Federation Championship is the greatest tournament to win," believes Iaconelli.

So from the Federation's grassroots grow the marquee names of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail. Future greats, like all-time money winner Denny Brauer with over $1.7 million in B.A.S.S. winnings, started his superstar rise as a bass club competitor in Nebraska, where he earned a living as a brick mason.

Building a solid foundation at the bass club level and learning tournament fishing through the Federation qualifying system is a proven path to the big time.

And one of the most-asked questions I get is: "How do I become a professional bass angler?" Start at the beginning. Join a bass club or form a new club. If you're interested in forming a BASS Federation-affiliated bass club, contact our BASS Federation Department. Be sure to tell them that Ray Scott sent you. You'll be on the road to taking the first step to catching more bass.

Drop us a note at:
BASS Federation Department,
PO Box 17219
Montgomery, AL 36141-0900

Request information on how to organize an affiliated BASS Chapter, and we'll take care of the details. To be an "official" club, you'll need six B.A.S.S. members to join and grow your club.