Today’s Friday Finale is an historic photo of Jerry McKinnis and Billy Westmorland from the 1973 Indianapolis Sport Show, used to promote the following years upcoming show. Westmorland and McKinnis were close friends and fished together often throughout their early careers. Westmorland was one of the first to use what would be considered finesse techniques on the tournament trails of the days. His legacy of catching smallmouth on his home lake, Dale Hollow, in Tennessee prompted the book, Them Ol’ Brown Fish,” a classic that should be read by anyone who follows the sport.
McKinnis was also an early tournament angler and the host of Jerry McKinnis’ The Fishin’ Hole. McKinnis would be involved with competitive bass fishing throughout his entire career, producing FLW’s TV footage and eventually becoming one of the owners of B.A.S.S.
Back to the photo, two others that were being promoted for the upcoming 1974 show included Forrest Wood and Bobby Murray.
