Greatest Angler Debate - #10: Mark Davis

The debate rages on! Who is the greatest angler of all-time? The subject of thousands of dockside conversations is now being fought out on the Internet and played out on television.

The Greatest Angler Debate presented by John Deere started with a list of 35 top anglers from the world of competitive bass fishing. That list was pared down to the sport’s 10 best in January. Fan voting began in January and ended on March 20. The process ranked the pros third through tenth. The top two candidates will face-off in a second round of voting that begins June 15.

This Saturday, April 9, at 9:00 a.m. ET on ESPN2, the countdown begins with a profile of the tenth-ranked angler, Mark Davis.

There’s virtually nothing in the world of competitive bass fishing that Mark Davis hasn’t accomplished. The affable Mount Ida, Ark., pro is a three-time CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year (1995, 1998 and 2001), a CITGO Bassmaster Classic champion and a four-time winner on the BASS tournament trail.

He’s won more than $1 million with BASS and over $100,000 on other tours. Davis is also the only angler to capture the Bassmaster Angler of the Year title and the Classic crown in the same year (1995).

Davis has qualified for an impressive 13 Bassmaster Classics and two FLW Tour Championships in 19 years as a full-time pro. In 2004, he won consecutive Bassmaster Elite 50 events in Mississippi and Alabama

Nevertheless, it was in 1995 that Davis earned status as a legend.

"In 1995, I was Bassmaster Angler of the Year and won the Classic,” Davis said. “I was on the ultimate roll. That was my biggest accomplishment."

But things weren’t always so easy for the Arkansas angler. In the early days of his career he battled obesity and the problems that accompany it. Davis often found himself doing well after a day or two in an event but too ill or fatigued to stay on top of his game as the tournament wore on.

With the aid of surgery, Davis lost a great deal of weight and hit the tournament trail with a vengeance. Once his health and stamina improved, he quickly moved into the upper echelon of the sport, taking Bassmaster Angler of the Year honors and the Bassmaster Classic title in 1995.

Between March and June of 2004, Davis was “in the zone,” winning three of six BASS events, including the Missouri CITGO Bassmaster Tour event on Table Rock Lake, the Mississippi Elite 50 event on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and the Alabama Elite 50 event on the Alabama River. They were Davis’ first victories since the 1995 Classic.

Davis is widely regarded as one of the most complete anglers on the tournament trail, being equally adept at power techniques and large reaction lures as he is with light line and a finesse approach.

Recently, an operation nearly sidelined Davis. He underwent major shoulder surgery last fall and is still not in peak fishing shape.

As a result of his condition, he’s endured a bigger physical hurdle and a longer slump than he expected.

“I'm out of synch and not fishing well,” Davis said. “A lot of it is mental, and it's just going to take some time.”

At just 41 years of age, Davis has time. He’s still in his prime as a tournament fisherman and will certainly win more accolades in the coming years.

With characteristic humility, Davis is proud just to be included in the discussion of the sport’s greatest.

"It’s something just to be in the Top 35 debate,” he said. “It’s an elite group we’re talking about, and it’s a huge honor."

On Saturday, April 9, at 9:00 a.m. ET on ESPN2, BASS Saturday will profile Mark Davis. Fans will find stats and stories on the Greatest Angler Debate in the pages of Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times, Bassmaster.com and on the weekly ESPN Outdoors radio show. On June 15, the debate heats up again as the fans choose between the top two anglers during a second round of voting on Bassmaster.com.

The debate will conclude in Pittsburgh — at the 2005 Classic — when two champions are crowned. One will be given the Classic trophy and the other will be hailed as the greatest angler of all time.
 

From BASS