I’ve had the pleasure of meeting two of my fishing heroes in person — Al Lindner and Ray Scott — and I’m sad to report that Ray passed away on May 8, 2022. Through the last few years, and once less than a month ago, I talked to one of Ray’s sons, Steve, and he said Ray wasn’t doing well, so I wasn’t surprised to hear this news. But it still hit me hard.

As I told Steve several times, Ray is one of my fishing heroes. Meeting Ray in person a couple times in his hometown of Pintlala, Alabama, are fond memories. At least three times I was fortunate to visit Steve to learn more about the food plot products produced by the Whitetail Institute of North America (another tremendously successful company started by Ray), and pursue spring turkeys and fall whitetails. During my three-day visits, I stayed at a small rustic cabin back in the woods owned by Whitetail Institute, and it sat on the shore of the first bass pond constructed by Ray Scott. 

I was in heaven — chasing turkeys or deer in the morning (depending on time of the year), then returning to camp to fish for the afternoon, before leaving again to hunt in the afternoon. But the absolute highlight of my trips was when at the end of the day Steve invited his dad to join us around the campfire by the lake.

Steve and his brother, Wilson, had heard every one of Ray’s stories, yet I couldn’t get enough of them. I’d ask question after question, which would lead to another story, then another. Ray had accomplished so much: he literally created tournament bass fishing (and pioneered catch-and-release of bass), then created the food plot for whitetails industry. Accomplishing either one would be legendary — doing both is almost beyond belief.

Through it all, Ray was generous. Case in point:

Steve picked me up in his truck after a morning sit for whitetails, and after listening to my recap of deer sightings overlooking a food plot, Steve said in his strong southern drawl, “I don’t know your plans for this mid-afternoon, but I want to let you know that you must have made quite an impression on Ray last night during the campfire. He called me an hour ago and has invited you and me to fish Presidents Lake (Ray lived on the shore of this private lake, which was his pride and joy). Ray doesn’t let just anybody fish his lake. He said to grab a quick lunch and we should meet him on the dock at 1 p.m. He’ll have his boat ready to roll with all the rods and tackle we need.” 

Ray met us at the dock and handed me his favorite baitcasting rod and reel, then turned to point out several hotspots on his lake. By the way, the 55-acre body of water is called Presidents Lake because that’s where Ray would occasionally guide President George H. W. Bush and his son, President George W. Bush. Just like the small pond near the cabin, Ray constructed Presidents Lake with many angler-friendly structures, and it was loaded with largemouth bass.

Ray insisted that I run the bow-mount trolling motor on his bass boat so I’d have first water (he said it was too cold for him to join us), and Steve and I spent the next few hours casting for bass. When we glided back to the dock, Ray came down from his house to hear our stories. The fishing wasn’t fast and furious because it was basically winter in Alabama, and very cold, but we still caught close to 20 fish, with the biggest weighing about 5.5 pounds. I had a spectacular time!

I’ll never forget the look on Ray’s face as I explained setting the hook on the 5-pounder. He understood the passion of anglers — and hunters.

Thank you, Ray Scott, for all of your outdoor contributions. But personally, I want to say thanks for giving me — a kid who proudly put his B.A.S.S. member sticker on his tacklebox nearly 50 years ago — your time around a campfire.

P.S. Click here to read a wonderful tribute from B.A.S.S. staff writer Dave Precht about Ray Scott and his many contributions to fishing.