The Sage of Seminole

Wednesday, July 25, 2007
by Ray Scott

I especially enjoyed talking to my old buddy Carl Dyess, a rough, dyed-in-the-wool bassmaster from Memphis who would walk off with the 1st-place winnings at the very first official BASS tournament less than nine months later – the Seminole Lunker Tournament at Bainbridge, Ga. And that recollection prompted a call to the man who is virtually synonymous with that great bass impoundment – Jack Wingate.

“Mr. Jack,” as he is respectfully called by many, played a critical role in that first tournament and became an invaluable friend not only to the bass fishing industry, but to me personally. I admit our initial encounter is one of my favorite stories because it reveals a remarkable and colorful individual – a true American “original” you meet only a few times in your life, if you’re lucky.

In addition the story also reveals a generous spirit rarely encountered in professional life, where we’re encouraged to “swim with the sharks.” But then, bass fishing was never business to Jack Wingate. Let me explain:

Photo: Ray Scott Outdoors Ray Scott and Jack Wingate display the front page of the Bainbridge (Ga.) Post-Searchlight from 1968 that announced the first official BASS tournament on Lake Seminole. Tournament headquarters was at Wingate's Lunker Lodge.

Seemingly situated at the end of the world, you reach the lodge along a narrow, winding road covered by a canopy of moss-covered live oaks. A rough, hand-painted sign at the entrance to the lodge reads, “Cuz, they bit yesterday.” As you drive away, you see the opposite side proclaiming “Cuz, they’ll tear it up tomorrow.”

Lunker Lodge was a combination of motel, country store, tackle shop, marina and restaurant famous for its hearty breakfasts and country cooking, as well as displays of treasured Indian artifacts Jack found while prowling around the historic area for well over 60 years. I imagine his Creek blood contributes not only to his fascination with Indian lore, but his amazing affinity for the woods and waters of his youth.

Actually, his prowess as a guide and gut knowledge of the largemouth and its environment attracted anglers from far and wide. His love of the outdoors also inspired his famous Fishing Camp for Boys, where he taught kids not just the hows and whys of angling, but of the environment, instilling a respect for the outdoors and the fishing resource.

I still run across grown anglers who got their start with Jack. They remember he spoke to their hearts as well as their minds (he never made a nickel on the camps).

It is easy to be lulled by Jack’s homespun persona. But those who have enjoyed “settin’ awhile” with him on the porch of the lodge know he is a genuine backwoods philosopher who can engage intelligently with virtually anyone on most any topic, from history to current affairs.

In l967, Jack and I were traveling on parallel tracks in our passion for bass fishing. By sheer happy coincidence, an insurance client of mine (who didn’t even fish) had passed along to me a simple brochure about Jack Wingate’s relatively new Lunker Lodge. I was in the middle of putting together the first All-American Tournament at Beaver Lake and desperately needed names of potential competitors. The thought flashed through my mind when I read the folksy copy: this guy’s reservation log would surely yield some prime tournament candidates.

Photo: Ray Scott Outdoors In October 1967, Jack Wingate placed third in Scott's second national tournament (before BASS), the Dixie Invitational at Smith Lake, Ala. He received his trophy from Scott at the awards banquet following the tournament.

I’ll never forget the reply that changed my life, spoken in a friendly, Georgia drawl. “Well, I’ve got a right many of them.” And while he spoke, I could hear him flip the pages of his client book as he reeled off names that are legendary today in bass fishing. Included was Stan Sloan of Tennessee, who would go on to win the All-American.

After making follow-up calls to Jack’s prospects, I had 20 solid entries and I easily spun more off of those names. Jack, too, would be one of the l06 contestants at Beaver Lake, and he finished in the Top 10.

But the story doesn’t end there. While Jack was at Beaver Lake he was, in his words, “stunned” by the quality of fishermen he saw running all over the Holiday Inn. When he got back to Bainbridge, he called ex-Gov. Marvin Griffin, publisher of the Bainbridge Post-Searchlight, and told him about it. They wanted a Ray Scott tournament.

Jack and the Governor put the wheels in motion. They consulted with the Corps of Engineers and they got the $2,500 the Chamber of Commerce needed to sponsor the tournament.

On Oct. l9, l967, Griffin put out a special fishing edition of his newspaper with a banner headline: Next: Seminole Lunker Bass Tourney, Says Scott.

The tournament was held in February l968 with headquarters at Wingate’s Lunker Lodge. It would be the very first official tournament of my brand-new BASS organization – a great success that paved the way for a new American competitive sport.

Since that time, Jack has been a close personal friend, a great advocate of BASS in its critical early years and a helpful confidant in whatever enterprise or crusade I was engaged in. He is one of those rich figures in the history of modern bass fishing who made a difference in our sport. I will always be in his debt.

Note: To read more about the inspiring story of Ray Scott and the multi-billion-dollar sportfishing industry he created, order Robert Boyle's biography, Bass Boss, at www.RayScott.net, or call (800) 518-7222.