Toronto Sportsmen's Show
Features the "Bass Boss"

Ray Scott, founder of B.A.S.S.,
Headlines March 10th Opening

TORONTO, Ontario Canada - Ray Scott, the Alabama bass angler, who changed fishing for black bass from a weekend past time to a big time cast-for-cash tournament sport, will be on hand for the opening of the 53rd annual Toronto Sportsmen's Show, March 10, at the National Trade Centre.

Scott of Pintlala, Alabama, known as the "Bass Boss," is the founder of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) and the innovator of play-of-pay bass fishing competition.

The sport of bass fishing changed forever in June 1967 when Scott, an avid bass fisherman and insurance salesman, channeled his fishing interest into hosting the All-American Invitational Bass Tournament at Beaver Lake, Arkansas.

From that initial launch with 106 fishermen from 13 states, paying a $100 entry fee, Scott developed a professional Bassmaster Tournament Trail that has reached payouts of mega-bucks for anglers.

Scott is appearing, for the first time, at the Sportsmen's Show as a guest of the Chevy/Mercury Bass Tour of Canada and on behalf of TRITON Boats of Ashland City, Tennessee, a tournament trail sponsor.

"During Saturday's opening day, Ray will be available to sign autographs, talk bass fishing and answer questions about Triton's high-performance bass rigs in our Chevy/Mercury Bass Tour booth," according to Michelle Kilburn, head of Canada's largest fishing circuit. The tour booth, located in the Classic Sportsworld hall, is near the 16,000-litre fishing simulator in Booth #1327.

Scott will also be on stage during seminar appearances on Saturday discussing his tackle and tactics for "Light Line Bass Fishing," and why the need to "put Sport back into Sportfishing."

"A bass fisherman goes through a series of mood swings," points out Scott. "First, the goal is to catch a bass. Then, put a limit in the boat. The next level is targeting trophy-size bass. But, finally the test-of-the-best is to fish with light-line, four-pound test.

"With this light-tackle approach to bass fishing, it's like picking up a bow and arrow to go deer hunting and leaving your rifle and scope in the truck. It's the thrill of fishing you're after not the fish."

Scott says "light tackle" isn't to be confused with so-called ultra-light rods. "We're designing a special light-tackle line of bass rods with special guides and action for fishing with the 4-pound test monofilament. I'm going to call it 'Sportackle' for bass."

The lure of fishing for big smallmouth in the Quetico Wilderness area of Ontario has changed Scott's approach from the "crank 'em in the boat" in tournament fishing situations to the skill of light-line bassin'.

"Hooking a four-pound smallmouth, on four-pound test line, and winning the battle is a spine-tingling thrill," admits Scott, who for several seasons has fished the Lac La Croix area out of Campbell's Cabins and Resort.

Scott will detail his tactics for fishing the do-nothing looking Slider worm, a short, four-inch soft plastic made by the Slider Lure Company of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.

"The lure's designer, Charlie Brewer, put on a clinic on smallmouth fishing several years ago on a trip to Lac La Croix. I've been a convert, every since, and I'm confident it's the most deadly, sure-fire method of getting smallmouth to strike. The odd thing, with the Slider, is you try not to put too much action on the bait. Just reel," says Scott.

Scott, also, is not above doing a little heavy preaching about the importance of "catch and release" bass fishing. He introduced the concept to keep bass alive and release them in B.A.S.S. tournaments.

"With all the increased pressure and interest in bass fishing," says Scott, "the future of the sport is promoting catch-and-release to protect the resource. Here in Canada it's more of an issue. The growing season is much shorter and a prime smallmouth fishery can be seriously impacted by over-harvest of the bass."

The story of Ray Scott's forming of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society and the Bassmaster Tournament Trail is recounted in Bass Boss, a 336-page biography written by Robert H. Boyle, a Sports Illustrated writer. Copies of the Bass Boss book will be available at the Chevy/Mercury Tournament Tour booth, and will be autographed by Scott. For information, on how-to order by mail, telephone 1-800-518-7222 at Ray Scott Outdoors, Inc., in Pintlala, Alabama.

Show hours, Saturday, March 10th are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Exhibition Place in the National Trade Centre. The show runs March 10 - 18. More than 450 exhibitors cover some 12-acres offering everything the fisherman, hunter or traveler can imagine.

For show information, contact: Harley Austin, show manager, telephone (416) 695-0311. For information on the Chevy/Mercury Bass Tour telephone Michelle Kilburn at (905) 642-2277 in Stouffville, Ontario.