With a frequency seldom found in other professional sports, tournament bass fishing has long seen sons following in the footsteps of their more famous fathers.
Father-and-son combinations have included Denny and Chad Brauer; Guido and Dion Hibdon; Guy Eaker Sr. and Jr.; Ricky and Keith Green; and Woo and Chris Daves.
Ron Shuffield says there will soon be another successful father-son combination on the Bassmaster Tour - Ron and Spencer Shuffield.
"I'm going to warn you ahead of time, he's going to take my place on the tournament trail," Shuffield said of his 14-year-old son. "He's been fishing with me since he was 18 months old. He progressed to a baitcasting reel and was flipping by the age of 4. And right now I do well to hold my own with him in the back of the boat.
"He says he's going to be a pro, and I wish him the best. I'm going to do my best to support him, and all parents and grandparents that have children that are involved in the sport, I hope you support them. Get behind them because they are the future of this sport."
Spencer joined his father on the victory stand at the recent Tour event on Arkansas' Lake Hamilton near their Bismarck home.
"He asked me yesterday, 'Mom, when I'm fishing with dad on the trail, who are you going to root for?'" Debbie Shuffield said. "I didn't answer him."
Thanks to a bit of much-needed career revival this season, Ron is likely to be around long enough for his son to join him.
"I said this year was going to be a gauge as to whether I continued to be a competitive bass fisherman," said Shuffield, who is completing his 17th BASS season. "I really was. I was kind of getting burned out - not necessarily with the sport, but with my performance so far.
"This is such an up and down sport. You're up one minute and then you have a bad tournament and kind of get down. Two or three of those in a row makes you question your fishing ability. But I've kind of come to realize that it's not my fishing ability as much as the ability of the competitors coming on this trail. I've always judged my performances on the Rick Clunns, Larry Nixons, Denny Brauers - the ones that have been here forever. Well, I realize now we're not really any worse; it's just that these young guys coming on are great. These young kids are really tremendous fishermen.
"I'm just so thankful that this has turned around. And it gives me that fire again."
With the victory, Shuffield's 13th appearance in the Bassmaster Classic is virtually assured after a two-year absence.
"I needed a tournament like this to turn my career around and give me the fire again and the desire to stay out here and be competitive," he said. "The only goal that I have left is winning the Classic. I want to win a Classic. That's all that's missing in my career."
TALKING TURKEY
In the past month, the thoughts of many of the nation's best bass pros have turned to spring - turkey hunting, that is. Those who took time off to try to call in a lovesick gobbler include Roland Martin and Tim Horton.
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite turning out several big-time bass pros, Arkansas has only produced one angler who won the BASS Angler of the Year award - three-time winner Mark Davis. (Arkansas native Larry Nixon was a resident of Texas during the two years that he won the title).
PRO BIRTHDAYS
Reigning BASS Angler of the Year Davy Hite will be 38 on May 18. Three pros will blow out candles on May 19: Robert Lee (35), Paul Elias (52) and Jeff Kriet (34).
IF I HADN'T BECOME A BASS PRO...
Oklahoma's Tommy Biffle might today be a professional archer. He has won two state titles in 3D archery and competes in tournaments each summer.
THEY SAID IT
"I've been at this for 21 years, and I've never won a Bassmaster tournament. I've had seconds and thirds, and I've been close. I've stayed out here. I've had some good years, and I've had some bad years and some close calls. It's been a pretty good run. I've had three or four really good tournaments lately. It feels good to catch them again." Ohio pro Joe Thomas, the runner-up in the recent Lake Hamilton Tour stop and a finalist in California.