Ray Scott was the “father of modern bass fishing” who created the first national professional bass fishing circuit.
- Died: Sunday, May 8, 2022. (Who else died on May 8?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 88 in Alabama.
- We invite you to share condolences for Ray Scott in our Guest Book.
Bass fishing legend
Ray Scott created the first professional bass fishing tournament and the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society in the late 1960s. He was a masterful promoter and showman who is credited with the national popularity of the sport today. The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society is the world’s largest fishing organization, and the Bassmaster Classic World Championship draws upwards of 100,000 spectators. He started the Bassmaster Magazine and “The Bassmasters” TV show which is still popular today. He was a noted conservationist who popularized the catch and release standard in bass tournaments where a fish is released back into the water after being caught. He was also an advocate for clean water who was instrumental in the passing of the Clean Water Act of 1972. Former President George H.W. Bush was a close friend and fishing buddy.
Notable Quote
“I didn’t invent catch and release, but we did make it popular in bass fishing, and that changed the sport in so many ways. We preached that a bass is too valuable to be caught only once. We helped fishermen learn how great it felt to catch a 5- or 6-pound bass and then lean over and let it go and watch it swim away, hopefully to be caught again.” – bassmaster.com
Tributes to Ray Scott
Full Obituary: bassmaster.com
