The Greatest Fishing Story Ever Told

By now, you’ve obviously realized Bassfan.com is in the process of being migrated to In-Fisherman.com. I’m told it was a switch out of necessity. Nerdy terms like “backlink”, “JavaScript” and “usability” enter discussions on these types of things. I stay out of it. 

Instead, I relish the switch. For over a decade now, I’ve tried to add a component to BassFan that celebrates the brands individuality, separate from the politics of organized bass fishing and continuing a tradition of independence. It’s only there that you can find true reporting and authentic discussion on the sport. 

Since its inception, I believe In-Fisherman has operated on the same principles. My personal involvement with In-Fish started when I was a kid and an early subscriber to the magazine. Truthfully, the subject matter was often over the head of a youngster more interested in photos of shiny bass boats. In-Fisherman has always been very science-focused, a characteristic I’d come to appreciate later.

A television component existed then and still does today, though networks and cast members have evolved. I’ll never forget an early episode featuring Al Lindner fishing in flooded bulrushes. I spent my entire allowance that summer on spinnerbaits, tweaking my retrieve to match his. I swear I can still feel those bass hit that spinnerbait. 

My childhood idol, Doug Hannon, appeared on the show numerous times. Always demonstrating an obscure technique backed by scholarly observation, Hannon was portrayed as a Florida cracker turned scientist, hunting the world’s largest bass in remote central Florida. I’d later move to the region, fishing many of Hannon’s once-secret honey holes, still reliving those TV shows. 

In-Fisherman is a multi-species organization and it wasn’t all bass that piqued my interest, either. There were incredible accounts with muskies that fueled my fire at New York’s Chautauqua Lake. Flathead catfish, brought to the attention of the world single-handedly by editor Doug Stange, became a legendary big game opponent. Buddies and I would make late night pilgrimages to Ohio’s Piedmont Lake in search of the mythical monsters, dreaming of a screaming clicker. 

Sometime in the early 2000s, I penned a few articles for In-Fisherman, officially entering the first phase of our professional relationship. Smallmouth fishing over shipwrecks was the subject, a novel idea at the time. I’m not sure that more than handful of us Great Lakes gurus focused on ships as “structure”, but it fit in with the alternative viewpoint often presented by the magazine. For years afterward, I received emails praising the articles.

As my place in the fishing world expanded, my input was included in dozens, maybe hundreds, of In-Fisherman articles. I frequently worked with writers like Steve Quinn, Matt Straw, Cory Schmidt and others whose literary talents far exceeded my own. Those guys made me look good and greatly furthered my career. Sponsor plugs were occasionally included, but the magazine’s goal to never sell out has always been upheld. When multiple approaches or lures fit the bill, the readers knew it. 

Today, much of the In-Fisherman team has changed, but Stange still steers the ship, resulting in the brand’s continued dedication to advanced angling know-how. In a time when fishing is evolving so much – competitive leagues change formats annually, magazines go out of business daily and fishing television declines into obscurity, In-Fisherman represents the last of its kind. A win for the old school. 

Personally, I wouldn’t want this column broadcast anywhere else.

For me, the appeal of fishing lies as much in tricking the fish as it does learning how to do it more effectively. Information on the subject can only be trusted to sources who, like me, lie awake at night focused on solving the equation. Instructors face monumental scrutiny. Fakes are immediately cast out.

You won’t find any fakes at In-Fisherman, nor are you likely to find flashy jerseys, “best ever” days or fist-bump celebrations. 

Instead, you’ll join a crew of educated, obsessed anglers focused on a simple goal: to understand and appreciate fish and help you do the same. That, in turn, leads to infinitely more enjoyment in the outdoors. 

Welcome home. 

Joe Balog is the Executive Director of Mighty River Recovery, a nonprofit organization working to restore Florida’s St. Johns River. A former national tournament angler, product designer, seminar speaker and guide, Balog has worn just about every hat available to a professional angler. Today, he enjoys rehashing his experiences and adding veteran insight through his weekly Bass Wars column.

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