Ray Scott was an American outdoorsman who founded the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) in 1967.

Ray Scott founded B.A.S.S after a vision of “building the sport of bass fishing to its rightful place in the first rank of American sports.”

As the “godfather” of modern bass fishing, Ray Scott created the first national bass tournament trail (the Bassmaster Tournament Trail), Bassmaster Magazine, The Bassmasters television show and the BASS Federation.

The idea for a bass fishing tour came to Ray Scott who at the time when he was an insurance salesman, rain cut short a fishing outing with his friend in Jackson in 1967.

Whiles stuck in his room watching sports on television, Ray Scott thought to himself; Why not begin the equivalent of the PGA Tour for bass fishing?

Ray Scott held his first tournament at Beaver Lake in Arkansas where 106 anglers paid $100 to compete over three days for $5000 in prizes.

A second tournament followed in the same year and in 1968, he formed the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society.

Ray Scott was also well known for his contributions to conservation and boating safety.

Ray Scott died on May 8, 2022 aged 88.

According to FreshersLive, at the time of death, Ray Scott had an estimated net worth of $60 million.