Have you ever considered how different today's sport-fishing is compared with fishing in years past? Many significant changes have occurred during the past century, changes never envisioned by the anglers of yesteryear.

Would you believe this is the forerunner of today's modern bass boat, invented by Mr. Holmes Thurmond, the man at left. Photo courtesy of Skeeter Boats.

Some of the most significant developments relate to the equipment we use. Our boats have changed. Our rods and reels have changed. Our lures have changed. And we have many more accessories that give us distinct advantages when fishing.

I'm willing to bet, however, you have no idea who invented products you probably use quite often, things such as the bass boat, the foot-controlled trolling motor, the spin-casting reel and the plastic worm. Most of us never think about it. But had it not been for a small fraternity of industrious, forward-thinking men, we might not be able to enjoy fishing to its fullest, the way we do today.

Here are the stories of nine such men, anglers all, whose creativity and revolutionary thinking helped usher in new eras in sport-fishing.

HOLMES THURMOND
It began in a garage in Marshall, Texas, in 1948. A well-rounded fisherman named Holmes Thurmond decided to design a better boat, one that wouldn't be pushed around by the wind. Using pieces of marine plywood, he built a unique 13-footer with a low profile, wide bottom and inward-sloping sides. This inimitable little craft, dubbed the "Skeeter" by locals because of its long, needle-shaped bow, was the forerunner of today's modern bass boats.

Holmes' sleek, fast boat immediately caught the attention of Texas and Louisiana fishermen, and lots of them wanted one, too. Holmes built them one at a time in Marshall and sold them through Reeves Marine in Shreveport, Louisiana. Then in 1961, the Stemco Corporation purchased the design and moved the operation to Longview, Texas. Soon after, they made the first bass boat from fiberglass, a huge leap forward in performance and durability. And soon, Skeeter boats were buzzing around lakes and rivers nationwide.

During the 60-some years since Thurmond made that first Skeeter, the company he founded has introduced many other "firsts," including the first V-bottom bass boat and the first bass boat rated for 150 horsepower. And yet the man who started it all remains relatively unknown, despite the enormous way he changed fishing.

R.D. HULL
When R.D. Hull was a kid learning to fish in Snyder, Texas, he was continually picking out backlashes in the bait-casting reels of the time. He resolved the problem by having younger brother Ott walk around the pond they fished and drop his fishing plug in the water. He then could retrieve the lure without problems, but that only worked until Ott wised up.

Hull grew up to be a watchmaker and tinkerer, and decided he should invent a reel that wouldn't backlash. He solved the problem while watching a grocery clerk pull string from a large fixed spool to wrap a package. A reel with a fixed spool would be impossible to backlash, he thought, so he set out to make one.

In 1947, Hull showed his prototype to officials at Tulsa, Oklahoma's Zero Hour Bomb Company. The company produced explosive charges for oil drilling, not fishing tackle, but the men, intrigued by Hull's idea, sent the inventor home to make a working model. Hull returned with a handmade reel that was tested by company employees who were avid anglers. One tied his keys to the line and sent a cast flying high over the building. Everyone was impressed.