Today’s Throwback Thursday historical photo is of one of the infamous Hemphill Gang and Team Skeeter pros, John Torian, and dates back to 1989. The article in which he was featured was focused on the changes and health of Toledo Bend Reservoir at the time. On one side you had the panfish anglers that were lamenting the decline in the once great fishery. A local expert was quoted in the story saying, “The great bull bream runs that this lake was once famous for are few and far between at present…What hurt the lake most was the grass (hydrilla). The grass did eliminate a lot of the productive fishing areas because 90% of the people used to fish the banks.”
On the other hand, you had professional bass anglers praising the vegetation, stating, “The hydrilla has been the salvation of this lake’s bass fisheries. As a lake gets older, it loses its fertility. The presence of hydrilla has delayed and/or reversed that process.”
Back on John, Bassmaster lists him as having fished 83 events over a span of time of some twelve years. His first event listed was the 1980 Texas Invitational/West, and his last the 1992 Bassmaster Megabucks. Torian cashed checks in both, finishing in the twenties. Over the course of those dozen years, he scored ten Top-10 finishes, but had no wins. A second place finish in the 1986 Florida Invitational, along with a third place finish in the 1987 Texas Invitational topped his career, with total winnings listed of just over $76,000.
