Today’s Friday Finale post shares a photo published in the October 8, 2006 edition of the Mobile, Alabama, Press-Register newspaper. The story, written by Outdoors Editor David Rainer, talks about then-70-year-old Bill Goodwin, who was a man who worked in the fishing tackle industry for some 30-odd years back in the day. Goodwin knew and was friends with a lot of the name lure and gear makers of the era, including Lew Childre, Bill Norman, Cotton Cordell and others. Goodwin worked for Pflueger and said, “I bet I’ve repped 70 companies in my career. They come and go – bought out, sold out.” Starting out with Pflueger in 1960, Goodwin was there to witness a lot of changes and trends in the industry. He recounted the post-WWII spinning reel craze, how the Zebco spincast reel exploded the fishing market, the introduction of the Rapala and the Big O lures, Lew Childre’s innovations in rods and reels, and a whole lot more. Unfortunately, Bill Goodwin passed away just a few months ago, on June 13, 2025 at the age of 89. The photo above was, according to the caption, supposedly taken by Goodwin of a group of men he was friends with, a veritable bait makers who’s who of the tackle industry.
It shows, from left to right, Bill Nichols, Bobby Murray, Mike Cordell, Fred Young, Cotton Cordell.
Bill Nichols: Nichols was reportedly one of the best anglers in the country, particularly for smallmouth bass on Dale Hollow Lake (the lake where the World Record smallmouth was caught). He discovered Fred Young and provided the Big O lure maker with the circuit boards Young used for diving lips. He also says that he owns the very first Big O that Young made.
Bobby Murray: Bassmaster Classic winner and associate of Cotton Cordell. Murray was instrumental in helping to promote the Big O.
Mike Cordell: Cotton Cordell’s son and an important part of the Cordell family business.
Fred Young: The creator of the Big O, a crankbait that started a revolution. Read more about Fred Young and his Big O in the excellent Bass Fishing Archives story, “Fred C. Young’s Big O,” by Mike Orzell.
Cotton Cordell: The man behind the Cordell Tackle empire. Cordell made an agreement with Fred Young in 1973 to build and market Young’s Big O. For a great look at a pre-Big O Cordell line-up go to Terry Battisti’s article showing the company’s 1970 catalog.
Unfortunately, the Press-Register didn’t have any additional information on this particular photo. Nevertheless, it’s a great group shot of some of the important men behind the Big O and other iconic baits of the 20th century.
