To make this list, you must have been doing something right.
The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame is considered by many to be the pinnacle achievement one can reach in fishing. Bill Dance, Al Linder, Spence Petros, and Jimmy Houston are just a few of the household names already enshrined inside the halls of the museum located in Hayward, Wisconsin. Now, 12 more members are about to be immortalized in the 2018 class. Just like every year, a few notables always stand out. However, every single one of these 12 icons of fishing are more than worthy to have their place in history.
Jim Grandt
If you have been to a fishing show at any point across the United States in recent memory, odds are good you may have seen Jim Grandt. He is the president of Grandt Industries, an Illinois-based outdoors equipment manufacturing, engineering and marketing firm, for the past 34 years. His sport show spreads featuring Grandt Rods are a thing to behold. Often times, they are the most visited booth by all guests at the show.
To top it all off, this is actually the second hall of fame for Grandt. Back in 2016, he was added to the Illinois Conservation Hall of Fame. Then, if that wasn't enough, for 2015 he was given the Illinois Conservation Foundation Youth Conservation Award. This award was presented in honor of everything Grandt does for kids by helping getting them involved in the outdoors.
Tony Burmek
Do you love fishing for muskies? If so, then you know the name Burmek. The Burmek B-1 just might be one lure that every muskie fisherman has owned at one point or another. Before today's lures, the Burmek B-1 was one of the most sought-after baits on the market.
Starting back in 1952, Tony and his brother began making lures. It was shortly after that they made national news. According to the stats, their achievement of catching 42 muskies in 12 days on their "secret lure," later to be the B-1, is unbelievable to this day. Burmek was a regular at sports shows all over the country promoting the incredible muskie fishery that the Hayward area of Wisconsin offers.
Besides Burmek and Grandt, Dr. George Becker, Bill Cooper, Arne Juul, Pat Neu, Annie Orth, Dave Precht, Jerry Ross, Mike Schoonveld, Gord Ellis, and Jim Thomas are all being recognized for their outstanding achievements in the fishing industry. Also, the National Fishing Lure Collector's Club organization is being added to the hall as well.
NEXT: LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY CATCH A GOLIATH GROUPER ON THE FLY
