PROFILE :
SHAW
GRIGSBY
GAINESVILLE , FLORIDA
Heading into his 40th year as a full-time tournament pro , Florida veteran Shaw Grigsby is one of the most recognizable ( and beloved ) personalities in bass fishing . One of the pioneers of sight fishing and the owner of one of the most ferocious mustaches in the game , Grigsby ’ s notoriety has been built on a foundation of tournament success ( he ’ s a Bass Fishing Hall of Famer and nine-time tour-level winner ) and media dexterity ( his TV show One More Cast with Shaw Grisgby has been viewed by millions ).
The 2023 season marks a departure for Grigsby , though . After fishing the highest-level circuits in the world since the early 1990s , he ’ ll be competing in the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals , fighting for the opportunity to requalify for the Bass Pro Tour . After more than 400 tour-level tournaments and a slew of injuries and surgeries , the competitive fire still burns strong for the 66-year-old Grigsby .
QA &
Your first full season of full-time tour-level competition was in 1984 , so that makes the 2023 Invitationals your 40th year as a bass pro . What does that mean to you and how have you changed as an angler in that time ?
Back in the ’ 80s and all , you didn ’ t have near the knowledge and techniques and electronics that we have today . Just the amount of “ stuff ” you have now is amazing , so you just grow every year as an angler . It ’ s been great and I ’ ve loved every minute of it .
By Matt Naber
PHOTO BY MLF
When the 2022 Bass Pro Tour season kicked off , you were fresh off a pair of surgeries for your wrists and elbows , and you ’ ve had some other health and injury limitations the last few seasons as well . What was it like competing with those hurdles and how did you overcome them ?
You don ’ t really overcome them ; they ’ re there every day and you live with them . It influences you , but you don ’ t let it stop you . I can tell myself that if I don ’ t keep going then I would allow other things to influence what I do – pain and physical things . You just keep going and try not to think about it much . I don ’ t think there ’ ll be a day in my life where I won ’ t be dealing with aging stuff .
80 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | FEBRUARY-MARCH 2023