Grigsby announces retirement from pro fishing
By Bryan Brasher
Shaw Grigsby has spent the bulk of his professional fishing career teaching us all that it’s OK to smile and have fun while competing at the highest level.
For those of us who appreciate the technical side of the sport, the Florida native also taught lessons about sight fishing for bedding bass that blew us all away.
And while he may not be done imparting wisdom, he’s officially done applying that wisdom to professional competition.
Grigsby announced last week that he’s retiring from the sport after a career that began way back in 1977 with the Bassmaster Florida Invitational on the St. Johns River. He finishes with nine top-level wins and nearly $2.5 million in career earnings.
“I have been so blessed to be able to make professional fishing my career for more than 40 years,” said Grigsby, who most recently fished with Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour after previous stints with B.A.S.S. and FLW. “I have worked with so many people and companies that I am proud to have represented.”
Grigsby’s many aliases include the “sight master” and the “sight-fishing king” in reference to his unmatched ability to spy and catch bedding bass — a skill he first developed on the clear-water fisheries of his home state.
In addition to his nine victories, Grigsby qualified 16 times for the Bassmaster Classic and twice for FLW’s Forrest Wood Cup. He finished 64 times in the Top 10 of tournaments at the highest level of the sport.
His trademark mustache, ear-to-ear smile and downhome personality made him a fan favorite and helped him establish a major following for his own television show, One More Cast with Shaw Grigsby — a program that aired for the first time back in 1997.
In competition, Grigsby’s first win came in 1988 at the Bassmaster Invitational on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Texas. His final win came in the 2011 Bassmaster Elite Series event on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Florida, but Grigsby was constantly in the thick of things, finishing in the Top 20 more than 100 times and earning a check in more than 200 high-end events.
His accomplishments were enough to hold the respect of his competitors for his entire career.
“Shaw and I have been friends for as long as I can remember — and looking back, it’s not just the on-the-water lessons I gained from our friendship,” said fellow Florida pro Bernie Schultz. “It’s also his attitude and approach to the sport and the outdoors in general. He’s a true teacher with a driving passion to share his knowledge.”
Now that he’s done with pro fishing, Grigsby plans to focus on being a full-time husband, father and grandfather — and a part-time alligator hunter. He’s licensed by the State of Florida to trap and remove nuisance gators, and he and his grandson Bryce have caught and relocated several of the massive reptiles that measured more than 10 feet and weighed as much as 600 pounds.
Grigsby’s legacy was cemented long ago, and he was inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame back in 2017. Now he can look back on one of the finer careers in the history of the sport.
“I have been in this career for so long and to have been a part of the greatest industry has been a true joy,” Grigsby said. “I am proud to have been able to do it for so long. I’m thankful to all of the people who made it possible.”