What Makes a Bass Fishing Hall of Famer? Nominate Your Favorites Now!

Kurt Mazurek | 16 Hours Ago

Fans of bass fishing, this is your chance to shape history! Nominate your favorite anglers for the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame and honor those who’ve made a lasting impact on the sport. / Kurt Mazurek

What Is the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame? Celebrating the Sport’s Icons

For those who aren’t aware, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame (BFHOF) was founded in 1999. Located in the Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, adjacent to the Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, it is a nonprofit organization led by a volunteer board of directors and is dedicated to celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing. It is their mission to honor the men and women who have contributed significantly to the sport and industry and thereby increase future participation.

How You Can Help Nominate Bass Legends

In the 26 year history of the Hall, there have been 100 inductees. As with all things open to some level of interpretation, there will always be disagreements about which legends of bass fishing are worthy of Hall of Fame status. But the good news is, the process starts with you, the fans and supporters of the sport. And while nominating someone doesn’t guarantee their induction, the process starts with a nomination. If you believe you know who deserves to be a Bass Fishing Hall of Famer, now is the time to make your voice heard!

From now until January 15th, 2025, the BFHOF is accepting nominations for consideration for the 2025 induction class.

Who Can Be Nominated for the Hall of Fame? Eligibility Criteria

The criteria to be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame is open to outstanding individuals involved in the sport of bass fishing as professional anglers, tournament organization leaders, members of the media, leaders of marine or fishing tackle manufacturing companies, or conservation groups and agencies. Nominees should have made a major impact on the world of bass fishing and brought honor and credit to the sport of bass fishing.

The inaugural class of Hall of Famers at the first induction banquet in 2001, included the luminaries of professional bass fishing: B.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott, Ranger Boats founder Forrest Wood, legendary outdoor writer Homer Circle and five of the most successful professional anglers of all time — Rick Clunn, Bill Dance, Roland Martin, Bobby Murray and Larry Nixon. / Bass Fishing Hall of Fame

FAQs: Understanding the BFHOF Nomination and Selection Process

Q: Who can nominate someone for induction into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame?
A: Any interested person may nominate deserving individuals to be considered for induction into the HOF including Inductees of the Hall of Fame, selection panel members and board members.

Q: Who can be nominated for induction into the Hall of Fame?
A: Induction into the Hall of Fame is open to outstanding individuals involved in the sport of bass fishing who have made a major impact on the sport of bass fishing, and have brought honor and credit to the sport of bass fishing.

Q: What supporting materials must an individual provide in support of a nomination?
A: Nomination forms must be accompanied by a resume and other biographical information that establishes the potential nominee’s qualifications.

Q: How are nominations judged and ultimately voted upon?
A: All properly submitted nominations are forwarded to the Board’s Nominations Committee, which then forwards between 10 and 25 candidates to the entire HOF Board of Directors. The Board then sends a list to a Selection Committee of 30 individuals who are not members of the Board and who are knowledgeable about the sport of bass fishing. The same list is submitted to inductees of the Hall of Fame as well. The Selection Committee and the Hall of Famers review the list of nominees and votes on them, with each member of the committee submitting his or her ballot to the Hall of Fame home office, where votes are tabulated. The completed tabulation is presented to the Board at a meeting no later than six months prior to the induction ceremony, with the Board then making the final decisions.

Steps to Make a Successful Nomination for the Hall of Fame

For those interested in making a nomination, the BFHOF Board of Directors appreciates your effort to help celebrate, promote and preserve the sport of bass fishing. In order give the Selection Committee the best information possible to pick the best slate of inductees, and to make sure they understand your rationale for your nomination, provide a full accounting of each nominee's credentials and achievements. Short submissions, while well-intentioned, do not fully tell the story of your candidates accomplishments. Try to include a detailed resume, a comprehensive letter of recommendation, and links to any relevant online articles or other supporting documentation.

Remember, nominations for the 2025 class must be received by January 15, 2025. You can find a nomination form and additional information on the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame website.

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