Support the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame – And Catch Giant Fish While You’re at It

On Thursday, September 25, 2025 – of which I’ve been a board member for quite some time – will hold its annual induction ceremony. Craig Lamb, Randy Hopper and William Shakespeare Jr. will be inducted. I’ve been going to these annual events since before I was on the board, back when interested parties were chipping in $500 or $1,000 apiece just to keep the entity alive. 

Now it’s a different story – the annual event is held at the Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife Museum, is attended by hundreds of people and raises tens of thousands of dollars for youth and conservation programs. No one’s passing a hat around. That’s because the industry has bought into the plan, and big hitters show up and help make it run. 

At the same time, small donations help, as do winning bids on all sorts of auction items – from jerseys to trips to every piece of tackle you can imagine. I’ve purchased two trips to Grosse Savanne at past events, and it takes every bit of restraint I can muster not to break the bank. 

On the other side of the ledger, I’ve always felt like a bit of an impostor when it comes to rounding up auction items. Part of that is just situational – someone like Steve Bowman or Kathy Fennel can hit up BASS and BPT anglers, respectively, far more easily than I can. A Kevin VanDam or Brandon Palaniuk can call up their sponsors or just about anyone else and get a donation. Even when I’ve had an in, as with GSM or Bass Cat Boats, typically someone else on the board is even more closely aligned.

But this time, in addition to a number of tackle and clothing items, I’ve brought my two worlds together. Shane Jarvis, the owner of Sport Fishing Panama Island, has been my tuna and saltwater guru for five years now. He’s one of the fishiest people I’ve ever met, and his private island lodge is simply insane. Not only did he donate a trip for two, but he added an extra bonus – you’ll be fishing with 2024 Hall of Famer Skeet Reese.

It's not an inexpensive trip, but you’ll be surprised at how many items in the HOF auction end up going for a song. Even if you pay full price – how many chances will you get to chase giant topwater tuna with a Classic Champ and past AOY?

The auction opens next week. If that item doesn’t float your boat, there are plenty of things that will.

Click here to check out what’s being offered.