Doug Hannon

AKA “The Bass Professor” did things his own way and was a big bass trophy hunter.


He never seemed to catch the heat and the hate some of today's big bass trophy hunters are catching these days.



Wonder what could have changed?

Social Media

Where are all these heat and hate posts? I’m seeing a lot of guys give props to JJ.

I spent a month in the Ocala National Forest because of Doug. The people living back in there were as interesting as the fishing. 1975. 5 1/2 pistol grip rod and red 5000.

+1000000000000000000

People are just so cynical nowadays and seems like in general prefer criticizing first before even considering giving any sort of credit. Plus with social media gathering of like minds....the social media pile on really becomes a thing that just snowballs in a bad way....and its a pretty punk [censored] move in my book when people do that 🤷‍♂️

When they do what?

Doug Hannon never made videos with the sole intention of said video being “look how awesome I am”. He created educational videos and in many cases explained the science behind his theories. If you ever had the pleasure to speak with the man you’ll know what I mean when I say he genuinely cared about trying to make others better fishermen.

Aren’t Jones and Hannon kind of both doing the same things? Using their abilities to catch fish and then monetizing it to the fullest.

As they should, that’s what capitalism is all about.

Youre gonna drive yourself crazy trying to explain any similarities. With the "anti youtuber" crew you are likely to have a more fruitful discussion about politics or religion than you will be to try and tell them why maybe youtube isnt too bad of an idea.

When you have people think that these guys are making the videos "with the sole intention of said video being 'look how awesome I am'" they either cant understand or refuse to understand that they arent making videos for attentions sake.....they are making videos because making videos is their profession and way that they provide for their family (same goes for the "why livewell 40 pounds of fish" argument). Then when you read something about youtubers not having "class or integrity" the same way Jimmy Houston and Bill Dance do...that tells you a lot about the type of assumptions that are being made, and also how the anti crew ignores the facts of the matter (a common theme among the anti crew) like Jimmy Houston not being the best outdoorsmen doing a high fence hunt for his TV show....or bill dance being the OG clickbait before there was clickbait with his funny out takes/blooper reel stuff! LOL

Be careful before the cool kids start calling you a nut hugger

Social media/technology does not mesh well will most old school bass fisherman, we had to learn things by fishing, hours and hours on different lakes and different styles. Its been handed down to us by family and friends that broke the code the hard way. Now you can see why so many people are haters. It's a painful yet humbling sport we all enjoy.

Agree with that! The best tips and lessons are those that are thankfully passed on from the old school guys. Nowadays the solution is just to throw money at things....where the old school guys had to figure it out and make it work! Cant beat experience.

I never said anything about Josh Jones… I think the guy is awesome, maybe one of the most revolutionary anglers of our time. Also not a YouTube hater, but there are a bunch of fishermen on there that fit exactly what I said previously. They are not there to teach you what they do, that’s the difference in Hannon and the others. Two totally different breeds of human, both accomplishing the same thing which is making a living in the fishing biz. One genuinely cared if you learned the others could care less as long as you click and talk about them. Doesn’t mean I’m anti YouTube or hate them, but to me that’s the obvious difference which is what the topic of the thread was… or I thought that’s what it was.

Some of y’all sitting cocked with the safety off…. Chill out, not everyone that gets on this forum is a hater, and old, or just generally stupid.

I have to agree with Matt here. I met Doug Hannon on more than one occasion. Sat across the table from him in 1990 and talked one on one with him for over an hour. He had a genuine desire to teach.

I consider myself to be Old School but I am not so proud or stupid that I don't feel I can learn something from the new kids. I embrace technology. Josh Jones has landed not one but TWO fish of SIX lifetimes at OH Ivie plus a whole string of other DD fish. I applaud him for his feat. He obviously has a supernatural ability to utilize the new live-scope technology that few possess. Am I jealous, you danged right! Am I a hater, Heck No!

Some of you feel like he is getting rich charging $1K a day to teach people how to do what he does. I have news for you. There are guys running around in gym shorts playing a little boys game throwing a ball at a metal hoop making 100X what JJ makes. My guess is that many of you criticizing JJ for making $1K a day have your DVR's set to record every NBA or NFL game.

While I do not care for the Look-At-Me-Larry's of the fishing industry, I can learn something from every single one of them because I am open minded.

I am old, learned the old school way yet I can still appreciate others abilities.

The true problem is there are many people on here that comment and try and burn others down on here, that cannot and have never caught sh**. So many here that are so jealous because they never got to smash 30+ pounds or even 25+ pounds in a tourney. The true test is catching them is when someone else says it's time to fish and you can only fish during this time period on said date. You don't get to cherry pick hours or perfect days. Just fish the conditions.

The problem really isn't the "look at me youtubers", it could be the TFF people who want to tear everyone down because they have never been able to "catch em".

Some of the social media is over the top, but the best is the TFFers who constantly attack in their little hater wolfpacks. The same guys who can't catch em ever.

At last count, Hannon told me he had caught over 1000 10+ bass. I got to spend quite a bit of time with Doug at ICAST and other events. He was good friends with Tony Gergely and we all hung out together. Besides being a big bass guru, he was an inventor. That weedless prop on your trolling motor is Doug's invention.

As far as all the other stuff goes, focus on positive posts here on the TFF and breeze over the negative. Overall, there is way more positive than negative.

If Doug Hannon AKA “The Bass Professor” wasn’t good at what “social media” WAS several decades ago I wouldn’t even know who y’all were talking about.

the good old days.....I had a couple of that same setup....with Speed sticks

and I don't care what people do to earn their living.....I am generally sad about what the constant pressure caused by social media does to our lakes though

Love going back and watching this guy. He was before my time, but still has a lot of knowledge to learn from. As someone else has stated, it's all about social media giving such negative connotations to certain people, if not their own over the top and sometimes annoying personalities. Doug just spit facts like a normal human and that was it.

Glad you all said it cuz it definitely hits different coming from members like you...versus the "high post count" guy like me!

I used to love watching Doug Hannon on TV when I was a kid. Weedless trolling motor prop, sluggo, fin S, the foam headed floating snake lure and many other lures and accomplishments.

As far as the youtubers the good thing is there are so many you can always pick the one you like and watch them. If you dont like them then you dont have to watch.

Alot of inshore saltwater guides have been charging rates near Josh Jones rate for years.

Is it really any different than people who go and follow fishing guides or pro fishermen out and mark and fish the spots that they catch fish on?

I have never even watched a video of Josh Jones, but what I can tell by reading through TFF is the guy is really good at catching big fish. 2nd make money off of everyone watching his videos. 3rd charges whatever people are willing to pay for a guide trip. 4th Boosts the local economy of what ever lake he shows up at by increasing tackle and fuel sales, as well as rentals/lodging and likely even real estate values when everyone wants to buy land in the area of big fish. Sounds like a standup kind of guy to me.

Last I heard wasnt one of the pro circuits charging people to be observers?

I love the old school videos like the ones Doug Hannon created. I also love the old school fishing shows like, Bill Dance and Orlando Wilson, Babe Winkelman, Roland, Jimmy, Hank, old Honey Hole, I love the Old Bassmaster Magazines as well.

The thing I don't care for now days is over crowding/heavily pressured fish on the lakes today which lead me to not be able to catch the quantity and quality I consistently used to catch. Yes I blame the rise in popularity on Social media like this site, you tube, and other social platforms. Having said that I willingly participate here and I watch a lot of fishing and hunting shows when I have a chance. Crowding is here to stay especially with the HS fishing clubs so we better figure out how to catch pressured fish. I love the past but am open and eager to learn the new ways...

BTW the challenge of fishing for anything is still what keeps me chasing them. This fishermans version of purgatory would be a 10 pounder on every cast, where the challenge and learning were no longer needed.

Doug Hannon was a puriest to say the least. He loved to teach people how to catch big bass.
Josh is the same type of guy.

Bob Garcia was another guy that caught huge bass in his time ans would talk to anyone about it.
The one thing all of the guys that catch big bass consistantly have that very few angler have is the patience to fish for just big bass. Bob would fish for hours or days even with a 12' worm in January and Febuary at night for one big bite. Doug would ease around the glades for hours stalking big fish only. Josh will look at his depthfinder for hours without a cast until he finds a giant bass.
99.9% of all bass anglers are going to give up on these methods in favor of catching fish, or at least casting at a target.

Giant bass fisherman don't waste time fishig where they don't think giant bass live.
It takes a lot to do what these guys do.

Ginger or Mary Ann... Wilma or Betty... Janet or Chrissy... some debates will never be settled... I'm just glad Doug, and all the bass'n pioneers did what they wanted, and left a record for future generations to enjoy...

Bob Garcia the fireman that fished Monticello?

Yes sir. Great guy

A legend among legends!

I apologize in advance for not jumping into the briar patch, but would like to offer something that I think we ALL can agree on. Go to YouTube, search for Gary Klein - Seasonal Patterns deep water winter bass fishing 1987. You will swear you are watching Owen WIlson!!

Another gentleman that comes to mind whenever Doug Hannon is mentioned is Dr. Loren Hill. He was a fisheries biologist and professor; Director of the Zoology, and Director of the Biological Research Center, at the University of Oklahoma and developed the Color-C-Lector System. He'd fish with Jimmy Houston and share his vast knowledge on largemouth behavior and I watched him every chance I'd get. He also wrote countless articles for popular outdoor publications when I was young and I read all those I could get my hands on. Like Doug Hannon; we have lost Dr. Hill as well. I wish he and Doug were still around they'd be amazed and maybe a little disappointed as to how this sport has changed since their passing, especially the social media thing.

I spent a month in the Ocala National Forest in 1975 because of Doug Hannon. Met him twice while I was there. Very informative. He marked some lakes on my map. I was living in Indiana at the time and it was my 1st trip to Florida. He was fishing alone in a jon boat as was I. I caught many in the 5 to 8 lbs and of course lost some bigger ones. 5 1/2 pistol grip and a red 5000. Okie bug spinnerbaits, Snagless Sallys, Johnson spoon and pork and he gave me some snake baits. The explosions were huge on that snake bait.It was a great adventure for a 24 year old.

good morning,

if you ever seen a 6 lb'er blow up on the snake, you would start digging up the old video's. I still use 'em.....just saying,

gray tin boat with camo clothing.....................

good luck,
PURA VIDA,
bluebonnet2

I was reading up on Dr. Loren Hill yesterday and his accomplishments after I read this post and he had worked with Bill Norman Lure Company to develop a soft plastic lure called Snatrix. apparently through his work he had seen a lot of large LMB's attacking small snakes and the Snatrix lure was supposed to imitate a live real snake. I don't know what became of the lure but I do remember when they came to market.

Good story! Thanks