Fishers of Men Tournament
Catches Spirituality of Sport

Ray Scott To Be Weighmaster at
Lake Neeley Henry Event

GADSDEN, AL - October 1, 2000 - The legendary sportswriter Red Smith of the New York Times once chided Ray Scott, the founder of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society, for his unique style of addressing the Heavens. Before each B.A.S.S. tournament, Scott made it a practice to offer a prayer for safety, sportsmanship and "good fishing."

"Ray Scott's the first I've ever met to address the Lord through a bullhorn," penned Smith in his sports column in The Times.

"Today, if Red Smith were alive, I'd invite him to cover the national Fishers of Men bass tournament, and see what's taken place in the fishing and fellowship and changing of lives," Scott said.

Scott, who launched the sport of professional bass fishing tournaments in 1967 at Beaver Lake, Arkansas, will serve as the official weighmaster and master of ceremonies for the annual Fishers of Men championship finals at Lake Neeley Henry at Gadsden, Alabama on October 27 - 28, 2000, according to Al Odom, tournament director.

Odom and Scott share a kinship: passion for bass fishing and dedication to spirituality.

Scott's B.A.S.S. organization became the leader in bass fishing competitions - reaching the level of mega-size purses, a national cable-TV program, "The BASSMASTERS," covering the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, and the spawning of national fishing heroes and pro fishing celebrities. After building B.A.S.S. to a worldwide organization of over 600,000 members, Scott left in 1998 to form his own marketing-consulting group for the fishing-marine industry, Ray Scott Outdoors™.

Odom is the driving force behind the Fishers of Men Tournament Trail that has its roots buried in the Southeast, but continues to expand and thrives outside the traditional Bassin' Belt. Now, the group reaches from North Carolina west to Texas - Oklahoma and from Florida north to Indiana, Ohio and Iowa.

Fishers of Men tournaments feature one evening where anglers gather to trade fishing know-how and express "life-changing experiences."

The tournament trail's name comes from Matthew 4:19, where Jesus tells Peter and Andrew as they cast a net into the sea: "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men," explains Odom of Sumter, SC, who organized the group almost three years ago.

"My church pastor, Ron Richardson, handed me a pamphlet about a religious-themed fishing outing and planted the idea," says Odom, who began with a weekend gathering.

The event grew into the fellowship-fishing circuit where two-man teams compete and share the "outreach for some spiritual values," but, also, in earthly rewards. The winners in the national finals share in over $75,000 in awards.

State-sponsored Fishers of Men's tournaments will send their qualifying anglers to the national finals. A field of 300 two-man teams will compete at Lake Neeley Henry with 15 states and 21 Divisions represented. Weigh-ins, October 27 - 28, will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the Gadsden City Park Landing.

Support and interest in the Fishers of Men tournament concept is growing. In the beginning, mostly the two-man team entry fees of $110 per event carried the load with about 85 percent returned to the anglers.

"Earl Bentz and Triton Boats have been behind our efforts and a tremendous boost to building the trail nationally," says Odom, who landed Triton as the Fishers of Men official national boat sponsor.

Christian groups are strongly behind the Fishers of Men movement, "but we're nondenominational," says Odom. "We want Christians and non-Christians to feel good fishing here."

The Fishers of Men tournament trail emblem (logo) features a leaping bass flanked by crosses on either side.

Ray Scott's own B.A.S.S. Tournament Trail saw the need for bringing spirituality and fishing into focus. "Being on the road and fishing most weekends, there wasn't the opportunity for attending church services," explained Scott. "So, several pros - like Jimmy Houston and Woo Daves - formed a Wednesday evening fellowship meeting and the spirit of the Lord touched the sunburned souls. The Fellowship of Christian Anglers Society (FOCAS) was born.

"Their weekly meeting - during tournaments - are well attended," adds Scott, "particularly when the bass aren't biting. Faith works wonders."

Scott, himself, has used his fishing interest to further the religious theme. With the help of bass fishing friends, like Bill Schroeder of Paducah, KY, Scott organized an "Eagles of Angling" fishing tournament to raise funds to build a country crossroad Baptist church complex near his home at Pintlala, Alabama.

With a series of annual tournaments, Scott and friends, local supporters and sponsors raised over one million dollars to complete the church construction.

Well-known national fishing pros, like four-time world champion Rick Clunn, and President George Bush volunteered their fishing talents and entry fees to support the project. However, former BASS Masters Classic winner Paul Elias of Mississippi made a huge commitment. "I don't know if any good Catholic boy has ever paid a $5,000 entry fee to help build a Baptist church," said Elias about his contribution.

Inside the Pintlala Baptist Church is the inscription: "Dedicated to the Glory of God by the Bass Fishermen of America."

As national spokesman for the fishing-marine industry, Scott represents Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide trolling motors and SOSPENDERS, a Coast Guard-approved inflatable life vest by Sporting Lives.

As Red Smith might have observed, "He also speaks out loudly for the Lord…with a bullhorn."