Today in keeping with the run-up to the 53rd Bassmaster Classic we’re posting the photo gallery of the 1976 BASS Masters Classic Press Guide for you all to see. In this gallery, you can read every page of this rare document.
What makes this press guide rare is the fact that it was published in the days when the BASS Masters Classic was not announced until all the anglers were in an airplane on the way to the venue. Because of this, few people actually got to see the Classic and there was no need to print thousands of guides. The only people who received these guides were the Press Corps, the anglers, B.A.S.S. staff and anyone else who happened to be there.
This guide goes through the entire history of B.A.S.S. from the 1976 perspective. How did the organization start and what had it accomplished to date, who held the records, what boat was being used in the 1976 Classic, who were the anglers fishing the ’76 Classic, and so on. It also reveals that Classic VI was the first Classic to go Live, with up to the minute reports being sent into Classic Headquarters via CB radio.
For those of you really into the history, there’s a picture at the back of the Guide, page 108, showing a man and a woman. Tell me who the man is, and I’ll send you a copy of the 2006 Premier Collector’s Issue of BassFan Mag. This was the only issue ever printed and a cool magazine to have in your collection. I’ll send the copy to the first person who can answer the question.
I would like to thank Ken Duke for giving me these guides as well as B.A.S.S. for letting us record and publish them. Without them, these Press Guides would be lost to nearly all.
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Front Cover
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 1
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 2 & 3
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 4 & 5
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 6 & 7
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 8 & 9
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 10 & 11
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 12 & 13
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 14 & 15
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 16 & 17
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 18 & 19
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 20 & 21
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 22 & 23
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 24 & 25
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 26 & 27
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 28 & 29
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 30 & 31
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 32 & 33
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 34 & 35
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 36 & 37
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 38 & 39
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 40 & 41
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 42 & 43
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1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 46 & 47
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 48 & 49
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 50 & 51
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 52 & 53
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1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 56 & 57
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 58 & 59
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 60 & 61
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 62 & 63
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 64 & 65
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 66 & 67
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 68 & 69
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 70 & 71
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1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 74 & 75
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 76 & 77
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 78 & 79
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1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 88 & 89
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1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 92 & 93
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 94 & 95
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 96 & 97
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 98 & 99
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 100 & 101
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 102 & 103
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 104 & 105
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 106 & 107
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Page 108 & 109
1976 Bass Masters Classic Press Guide Back Cover
The man is Ricky Green. (That is a guess).
Well, I’ve given this 5 days and only one reply. So here’s the answer. That was a good guess Andy, but I’m afraid that isn’t the correct answer. The correct answer is Dee Thomas and his wife. The Fenwick patch should have given it away. Speaking of the patch, man that would be a nice one to own…….