Legends of the Outdoors
Honors Ray Scott, October 4th

Outdoor greats to be inducted
at annual Great Rivers Outdoors
Festival at Paris, Tennessee…

PARIS, Tennessee - Ray Scott, the Montgomery, Alabama angler, who changed bass fishing from a weekend recreational pastime to a professional sport, will be honored October 4th, along with other outdoor greats at the Legends of the Outdoors banquet at the Paris Landing State Park.

Scott of Pintlala, Alabama, started the bass fishing tournament craze in June 1967 with his first All-American Invitational Bass Tournament at Beaver Lake, Arkansas. From the 106 entries from 15 states, Scott organized the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) that grew into the world's largest fishing organization with 650,000 members.

Along the way, Scott created the popular Bassmaster Tournament Trail, a cast-for-cash pro circuit that evolved into today's big-money events seen on major outdoor TV networks, like ESPN. The Bassmaster Magazine, founded by Scott in 1968, is regarded as the "Bible of Bass Fishing" and the worldwide authority on bass fishing.

Scott recently was presented with the B.A.S.S. Outstanding Achievement Award for his lifetime contribution to the sport of bass fishing at the BASS Masters Classic world championship in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Classic, started by Scott in 1971, has become the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing as the world finals of professional bass fishing.

The second annual Legends of the Outdoors induction will highlight the Great Rivers Outdoors Festival, October 4-5, a celebration of outdoors sports.

The two-day program features exhibits on hunting, fishing, waterfowling and competition for duck and goose callers.

On Saturday (October 4th), duck callers will compete in the sanctioned Tennessee State and U. S. Open Regional Duck Calling. The winners qualify for the world championship in Stuttgart, Arkansas, the waterfowl capitol of the world.

Goose hunters and callers will match "honks" on Sunday (October 5th). This is a sanctioned Tennessee State Open goose calling contest and a tune-up for the Avery International World Championships in Marion, Illinois. Junior-age callers will compete in both divisions.

Three-time world duck calling champion Mike McLemore will serve as the special master of ceremonies for the calling contests. The events will take place at the Amphitheater overlooking Kentucky Lake.

McLemore, a champion of champions duck caller, will be inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors along with Ray Scott, outdoor writers Wade Bourne and Soc Clay, hunting's Brenda Valentine, and smallmouth fishing great and professional tournament pro Billy Westmorland. A legendary smallmouth angler on Dale Hollow Lake, Westmorland will be honored posthumously.

The first inductees, last year, included nine-time B.A.S.S. Angler-of-the-Year Roland Martin, Earl Bentz of Triton Boats, outdoor tv host Bill Dance, game call specialists and well-known hunters Harold Knight and David Hale, sportsman Eli Haydel, Nashville Tennessean outdoor writer Jimmy Holt and the late Charlie Brewer, the innovator the Slider fishing system, of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.

The Great Rivers Outdoors Festival is free to the public. Hunting and fishing gear will be featured and offered for sale. Duck hunting boats and fishing rigs setup for waterfowling will be on display. From decoys and duck calls, showgoers will find plenty to "quack" about, according to Garry Mason, festival director.

The second annual Legends of the Outdoors banquet will take place, beginning at 5 p.m., Saturday at the Paris Landing State Park's Convention Center. The ticket price for the banquet is $25.

The festival will open at 10 a.m., October 4-5. For more information, contact Garry Mason, Great Rivers Outdoors Festival, Ph (731) 593-5429.