When he returned home to Springfield, Missouri, Johnny started in the fishing business with eight feet of space in his dad’s liquor store which became a popular stopping-off place for local and out-of-state fishermen on the way to the Ozark’s famous bass lakes.

A number of these anglers started calling when they got back home wanting Johnny to send them some of his specialized Bass Pro Shops tackle. In 1974, in response to this demand, he printed and mailed his first Bass Pro Shops catalog. Today, outdoor enthusiasts around the world look forward to opening the mail and getting their favorite Bass Pro Shops catalog, while many enjoy visiting and shopping basspro.com.

In 1978, Johnny introduced the first professionally rigged boat, motor and trailer fish-ready package. The Bass Tracker boat “package” revolutionized the marine industry. Huge boat showrooms are featured in every Bass Pro Shops store.

Bass Pro Shops today isn’t just fishing. It is an outdoor retail leader in hunting, camping, nature gifts, outdoor cooking, and much more.

From that simple beginning, Bass Pro Shops has become one of America’s premier outdoor retailers with destination outdoor retail stores across America and Canada, serving over 75 million sportsmen a year. Each store is unique and offers a truly unforgettable shopping experience – as close to the Great Outdoors as you can get indoors!