Ray Scott, Creator of ‘Bassmaster’ TV Franchise, Dies at 88

Martin Holmes May 11, 2022, 7:56 am

Legendary fisherman Ray Scott, regarded as the “Father of Modern Bass Fishing” for turning a regional leisure sport into a multi-billion-dollar industry, has died. He was 88.

Scott passed away in his sleep Sunday night at his home in Alabama, according to an announcement on Bassmaster.com. “He died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes,” read the statement, which also revealed there will be a celebration of life service at some time in the future.

After working for a decade as an insurance salesman, Scott one day got the idea that would change his life forever. A keen fisher, Scott wondered, “Why doesn’t someone cover fishing on TV?” This random thought would kick-start a multi-media fishing franchise, including magazines, websites, and an iconic television show.

In 1967, Scott founded the first national professional bass fishing circuit, the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, and the following year founded the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), which would eventually become the world’s largest fishing organization.

To promote the tournament, Scott launched Bassmaster Magazine, and, in 1984, Scott and then-Bassmaster editor Rob Cobb created The Bassmasters TV show. The show attracted over 1 million viewers weekly on The Nashville Network, and today airs on Fox Sports. It is one of the longest-running and most-watched fishing shows in history.

“Our entire organization was saddened to hear about the passing of our founder, Ray Scott,” said Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Ray’s passion and vision for bass fishing birthed our entire industry more than 50 years ago when he founded B.A.S.S. and started the first professional fishing tournament series. His legacy is felt to this day and continues to influence B.A.S.S., the world’s largest fishing membership organization.”