Article by Peyton McKinnie Tiger Bend Outdoors
From West Tennessee guide waters to national championships, Mason built a movement that changed the sport forever
Long before collegiate bass fishing became one of the fastest-growing sports in America, Garry Mason was already building the foundation.
A respected West Tennessee fishing guide, Mason spent decades learning the waters of Kentucky Lake, Reelfoot, and the surrounding region, earning a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable outdoorsmen in the state. His passion for teaching and mentoring naturally led him into a role that would forever change competitive fishing.
When Mason launched Bethel University’s bass fishing team, he introduced the nation’s first scholarship-based collegiate bass fishing program. What began as a groundbreaking idea soon became a championship dynasty, with Bethel earning national titles and producing some of the most successful young anglers in the country.
His influence on the sport was so significant that many now refer to him as the “John Wooden of college bass fishing,” a title earned through years of leadership, discipline, and success on the national level.
But Mason’s contributions reach far beyond trophies and weigh-ins.
Together with his wife Cindy, he founded the Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame, preserving the stories and achievements of the icons who shaped America’s hunting and fishing traditions. Through that work, Mason became not only a coach and guide, but also a historian and storyteller of the outdoor lifestyle.
His later work in outdoor television further cemented that role, bringing the lives of legendary sportsmen and women to audiences across the country through “Legends of the Outdoors TV.”
Those closest to Mason say his greatest impact has always been the people he helped along the way — young anglers, guides, sportsmen, and future leaders who learned from his example that the outdoors is about much more than competition.
It is about respect, conservation, tradition, and legacy.
Today, Garry Mason remains one of the most influential figures in the history of bass fishing, with roots firmly planted in Paris, Tennessee, and a legacy that continues to inspire the next generation every time they launch a boat.
In conclusion Garry Mason, longtime fishing guide, Hall of Fame founder, and pioneering Bethel University bass coach, helped transform collegiate fishing into a national sport.