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SPRINGFIELD, MO – A group of six individuals that includes those who excelled in tournament bass fishing and whose work in tournament operations helped popularize the sport, plus a noted journalist who promoted conservation in his writing efforts, have been voted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame (BFHOF) as part of the class of 2022. They will be honored when the bass fishing world comes together on October 6 at the Hall’s annual induction ceremonies at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife (WOW) Museum & Aquarium in Springfield.
Based on voting by the Hall’s 30-member selection panel and current inductees, the ’22 class includes pro angler Tommy Biffle, Major League Fishing executive Kathy Fennel, past B.A.S.S. tournament director Dewey Kendrick, the late pro angler Aaron Martens, journalist Steve Quinn, and the late pro angler and lure designer Lonnie Stanley.
“We saw an overwhelming amount of interest in the nomination and voting processes for being inducted into the Hall,” said Todd Hammill, CEO of Wired2fish.com and chair of the Board’s nominations committee. “Having the venue where we celebrate our inductees within WOW, and the support we’ve received from the fishing and marine industries, past inductees, and bass anglers nationwide over the past few years, has enabled the Board to raise the awareness of the BFHOF and our mission of celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing.”
Tommy Biffle has exceeded $3 million in earnings fishing both B.A.S.S., FLW, and MLF events and is credited with bringing the pitching technique to bass fishing. He is known as one of the best of all-time at flipping and pitching a jig in shallow cover. Biffle currently competes on the MLF Bass Pro Tour and devotes his available free time volunteering at kids fishing derbies and mentoring high school and college anglers.
Instrumental since 1982 with popularizing tournament bass fishing across the U.S. and Canada through her efforts at FLW – and now MLF, Kathy Fennel’s influence in bass fishing is known throughout the industry. Her fingerprints are everywhere in tournament fishing operations – including internationally, where over the years she has played a pivotal role in numerous innovations involving live-release techniques, and automated weigh-in procedures. Fennel gives back to the sport by being involved with the BFHOF and the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation.
Dewey Kendrick served as the tournament director for B.A.S.S. from 1986 until 2002, implementing evolutionary changes within the professional bass fishing scene. From adding pro-am formats and pushing for unconventional and urban locations to bringing tournament bass fishing beyond its southern roots, Kendrick advocated for conservation-minded tournament changes including a five-bass limit and the rule that all sight fish must be hooked in the mouth. Kendrick was known as a strict rule enforcer with a tremendous work ethic.
For nearly anyone interested in professional bass fishing, the accomplishments of Aaron Martens are well-known. While taken too early in his career – Martens passed in 2021 after a battle with cancer, Aaron’s storied career includes fishing various iterations of B.A.S.S. circuits starting with the Bassmaster Western Opens and including 20 Bassmaster Classics. While fishing on the FLW Tour, he won events at Wheeler Lake and Lake Champlain, and also qualified for three FLW Cup championships. He later joined MLF, competing in numerous Cup events and the Bass Pro Tour. Aaron’s most meaningful innovations came using light line techniques, and he is noted for finesse and big bait techniques – and his tackle-tinkering and perfectionism. He was one of the first American pro bass anglers to reach out to Japan-based tackle companies and assisted many, including Megabass, Duo Realis, and Sunline, when they introduced their rods, lures, and line into the U.S. bass fishing market.
For more than 30 years, if you read an article about largemouth bass and bass conservation in In-Fisherman magazine, odds are it was penned by Steve Quinn. His first scientific paper in 1989 (he has authored more than 50 articles for scientific publications) added to the proof that voluntary releasing of caught largemouth bass leads to improved fishing quality. Steve’s credentials – he holds a Master of Science degree in fisheries biology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst – led to his serving on committees for the prestigious American Fisheries Society (AFS) where he’s the recipient of its ‘Award of Excellence’ from AFS’s Fisheries Management section. While covering tournament fishing around the country for years, Quinn has combined science and his media outlets to promote bass fishing and conservation in both the U.S. and Canada.
A Texas bass fishing legend, Lonnie Stanley was not only the man behind a successful lure company but also found success in professional bass fishing. His jigs and spinnerbaits were the go-to baits for many pro anglers, including BFHOF inductees Rick Clunn who used a Stanley Vibra Shaft spinnerbait to win the 1986 U.S. Open on Lake Meade and Guido Hibdon casting Lonnie’s creations to win his 2002 Classic title. Stanley held his own while fishing 124 B.A.S.S. events including five Bassmaster Classic appearances. His lure business can be credited with playing a part in the creation of Texas’ LoneStar Lunker program when the then 17.67-pound state record caught on a Stanley jig became the first fish in the program. That bass – named ‘Ethel’ – found a new home at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield where millions of visitors saw her.
“On behalf of the BFHOF Board and bass anglers worldwide, we offer our congratulations to the 2022 inductees, and will look forward to celebrating all they have done for the sport of bass fishing at our Oct. 6 induction dinner,” said BFHOF Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “This year’s class has the special honor of being the first inducted where all living BFHOF inductees had the privilege to vote on who would be joining them. We were extremely pleased that 28 of the 43 eligible inductees took an active role in the process.”
For more information on the accomplishments of the BFHOF 2022 inductee, visit the biography page on all Hall inductees at https://www.bassfishinghof.com/alphabetical-list-of-inductees.
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About the BFHOF -- The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization led by a volunteer board of directors and is dedicated to celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing. Since 2017, the Hall’s inductees and memorabilia representing the history of bass fishing is showcased in Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri, where it has rapidly become a popular destination.
For more information about the Hall, its mission, and to become a supporting member,
visit www.BassFishingHOF.com,
or contact BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at bbowman@bassfishinghof.com.
BFHOF 2022 Inductees – Biography Info
Tommy Biffle — In his 34-year career as a professional angler, Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla., has become one of the leading money winners in professional fishing, amassing more than $3 million, including almost $2.3 million with B.A.S.S. Biffle is considered one of the best on any tour at flipping and pitching a jig into shallow cover, and he is credited with introducing the pitching technique to the sport. In 2010 he developed a technique known as “bottom buggin’,” which employs his signature Biffle Bug creature bait paired with a Biffle Hardhead hinged jighead. He won eight Bassmaster tournaments and qualified for 19 Bassmaster Classics and eight FLW Cups, finishing runner-up in two Classics and three Cups. He currently competes in MLF events, and he also stays active in promoting tournament fishing, children’s derbies, water safety, fish care and high school and college fishing.
Kathy Fennel – Kathy Fennel has been a key figure on the tournament bass fishing scene since joining Operation Bass in 1982, steadily rising through the ranks to become one of the most influential people in the fishing industry. Her strength and experience were recognized by Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) in 1996 when she was promoted to operations manager. The following year she was appointed vice president of operations, and in 2004 she was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer. Fennel then became president of operations in 2010, a position she held until MLF acquired FLW in the fall of 2019.
As an executive vice president & general manager for MLF, Fennel oversees day-to-day operations for the world’s largest lineup of bass tournaments, making sure the organization continues to provide prestigious, well-organized events of which participants, fans, hosts and sponsors are proud to be a part of.
Fennel is a 2015 inductee into the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and a member of the USAngling board of directors and the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) board of directors. She also serves on the Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors and Kentucky Lake Economic Development board of directors as vice-chairman. Fennel grew up fishing on Kentucky Lake and attended Murray State University. She enjoys spending time in the outdoors with her son Daniel, his wife Amanda, and her grandchildren, Jake and Jude.
Dewey Kendrick – Dewey Kendrick served as the Tournament Director of the Bass Anglers Sportsmen Society from 1986 until 2002, and during that time spearheaded and implemented many critical changes in the evolution of professional tournament fishing. Those included: the addition of the Pro-Am format (angler/co-angler) at the highest level of the sport; the conservation-minded change to a five-bass limit; the rule that all sight fish must be hooked in the mouth; the increased horsepower limit from 150 to 250; and perhaps most notably, taking the circuit outside of its previous range, to unconventional and urban locations not previously known for bass fishing, such as Hartford, Connecticut, and Detroit, Michigan.
Kendrick’s tenure also saw the maturation of the Bassmaster Classic with the addition of the outdoor expo, indoor weigh-ins, and fan-friendly take-offs. He worked closely with Bob Cobb to elevate the profile of “The Bassmasters” television program on TNN. During his time as TD, Kendrick was known as a strict rule enforcer with a great tremendous work ethic. His leadership positioned BASS to become an acquisition target for sports behemoth ESPN.
Aaron Martens – After a storied career on numerous Western circuits, Aaron Martens qualified for the Bassmaster Top 150 tour through the Bassmaster Western Opens, and subsequently fished on various iterations of that tour, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, from 1999 through 2018. Along the way he qualified for and competed in 20 Bassmaster Classics, finishing in the top 10 on nine occasions, including four runner-up finishes. He won three AOY titles and nine Bassmaster tournaments.
During his more than two decades at B.A.S.S. he won more than $3 million. In addition to competing with B.A.S.S., Martens also fished the FLW Tour from 2001 through 2006 and qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup three times. In 2003 he won a tour event on Wheeler Lake, and the following year he won at Champlain. He later fished the Major League Fishing events, and left B.A.S.S. to compete on the Bass Pro Tour circuit in 2019. Many of Martens’ most meaningful innovations came using light line techniques. At the 2004 Classic on Lake Wylie, in which he finished second to Takahiro Omori’s last-minute charge, he brought several obscure lures from the 1970s back to life , including Scroungers and “horsey heads.”. He is perhaps best known for his prowess with and reliance upon the drop-shot technique. He tirelessly worked to refine both finesse and big bait techniques and was noted for his tackle-tinkering and perfectionism. He was also a conduit between Japanese innovators and the U.S. bass scene, and at times was sponsored by various Japanese companies including Megabass, Duo Realis, Sunline and Shimano.
Steve Quinn — Steve Quinn has been involved in the fishing industry and outdoor writing for 35 years, including 30 years as an editor at In-Fisherman Magazine. He combined science, media and communication to promote bass fishing and conservation across the continent. In 1989 he published the first scientific paper to demonstrate that voluntarily releasing largemouth bass clearly led to improvements in the quality of fishing. He has been on numerous committees of the prestigious American Fisheries Society (AFS). Quinn authored hundreds of popular articles and over 50 scientific publications. He has given countless seminars across the country and been active in tournaments for decades. Quinn is the only author to receive writing awards from both Outdoor Writer’s Association of America and AFS as well as receiving the Award of Excellence from the Fisheries Management section of AFS.
Lonnie Stanley — Texas legend Lonnie Stanley is the owner and creator of Stanley Lures, one of the most popular lure companies of the 1980s and beyond. His jigs and spinnerbaits became the must-have lures of that period, largely because of his success with them on the Bassmaster Tournament Trail and his passion for teaching others how to fish jigs and spinnerbaits properly. He fished 124 B.A.S.S. events, made five Bassmaster Classic appearances, won one tournament and finished in the Top 10 a total of 13 times. Stanley co-hosted ESPN’s “Sportsmen’s Challenge” show for 18 years and was inducted into the Texas Freshwater Hall of Fame in 2012.
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Barbara Bowman
Executive Director
bbowman@bassfishinghof.com
P.O. Box 26584
Little Rock, AR 72221
501-541-6660
We are dedicated to celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing
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