Fishing in the Ozarks has always been a skill learned by young boys by their fathers who hand this down generation after generation. They learn at an early age that fishing is not only fun, but a source of food for their family’s dinner table. Guido Hibdon learned his trade deep in the heart of the Ozarks on the enormous Lake of the Ozarks.

Guido like his father before him became a guide. Guiding on the Lake of the Ozarks, Guido honed his fishing skills as a teenager. Guido then began competing in bass fishing tournaments against some of the best anglers in the Southeast. In 1980 Guido turned pro. His ability to catch more and bigger fish resulted in numerous tournament wins that climaxed with Guido winning the B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year title two consecutive years and the 1988 Bassmaster Classic Championship.

Later, Guido would become the first Hibdon to be voted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. “You know it’s pretty neat to be voted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. That really says a lot because you are voted in by a group of your peers for the award,” said Guido.

The fishing dynasty continued when Guido’s son Dion became a teenage fishing guide. In 1985 Dion turned pro. Dion was following in his father’s footsteps and just like Guido won a Bassmaster Classic Championship. The pair made history by being the only father-son duo to win a Bassmaster Classic Championship.

The fishing dynasty would continue to flourish as Dion fished both major fishing tournaments and qualify for both tournament championships. Dion would later go on to make history by being the first angler to every win both the Bassmaster Classic Championship and the FLW Forest Wood Cup Championship in the same year. Only one other angler would ever accomplish that feat again.

The successful father-son duo was joined by another Hibdon when Dion’s son Payden was born. Payden took to fishing like a duck to water.  Learning his skills from his grandfather and dad, Payden experienced success early in his fishing career by winning the 2006 Junior Bassmaster World Championship.

The Hibdon fishing dynasty continued to thrive as Payden turned pro in 2011 and began competing in the FLW Wal-Mart Tour circuit. The FLW Wal-Mart Tour is the world’s premier tournament fishing organization. The FLW Wal-Mart Tour circuit is loaded with seasoned professional anglers including his father and grandfather as Payden is learning after finishing his second season.

The Hibdon fishing dynasty began way before Guido. His grandfather, uncles and brothers all loved to fish and were fishing guides. “My Dad started out taking me fishing when I was really young. I was probably three or four years old,” said Guido. Some of his best memories come from getting to fish with the well-known TV fishing hosts Harold Ensley (The Sportsman’s Friend) and Virgil Ward.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Guido began taking Dion out fishing when he was around three. “He was old enough to hold a rod and by the age of six was a pretty good fisherman,” said Guido. Guido believes that the key to getting a child or young person involved in fishing comes from never forcing them into doing it. “It’s very important that we get kids and not just your own involved in fishing. If you don’t shame on you,” Guido said when explaining the importance of being involved with youth and outdoors.

Besides taking out Dion, Guido goes fishing with his grandchildren Payden, Lawson and Connor. It’s a family tradition; one that continues to produce fishing guides and successful tournament anglers.

Guido loves to teach people how to fish and improve their fishing skills. He believes that an angler can read lots of books or watch DVDs on fishing, but the best way to learn is by sitting down and talking along with seeing things done. That’s the foundation behind the Hibdon’s School of Fishing. Not only is Guido, Dion and Payden going to explain fishing techniques or building lures, the angler is going to be able to interact one-on-one with them.

Imagine sitting down and watching one of Guido, Dion or Payden build a skirt for a jig or spinnerbait then getting to build one and have one of the Hibdon’s help you. “I believe that you can learn a lot from a guide and we are all guides teaching the seminars. A guide will tell you what’s it all about and how to do it. That’s what we are going to do at the school,” explained Guido.

The Hibdon fishing trio of Guido, Dion and Payden, grandfather-father-son, is giving anglers a unique opportunity to learn how to become a better fisherman by attending the Hibdon’s School of Fishing. Students attending the Hibdon’s School of Fishing will enjoy the intimate class sizes as they cover basic fishing fundamental skills along with addressing advance techniques.

The Hibdon trio are also going to cover breaking down fishing a lake or tidal river, map study, selecting rods, reels, and fishing line, patterning a lake, lure selection, when to change lures, basic lure building, skirt making, jig fishing, boat docks, fishing plastic worms, fishing aquatic vegetation, winning tournament techniques, how to fish cold fronts, the business side of fishing and sponsorship in the initial course.

The two day school class schedule is Saturday, October 20, 9:00 am-5:00 pm and Sunday, October 21, 9:00 am-2:00 pm.

Tuition for Hibdon’s School of Fishing-Hibdon Fishing 101 is $500. Students are required to place a non-refundable deposit of $200 and pay the remanding balance in full by October 1, 2012. Special rates are available for families attending together.

The Hibdon’s School of Fishing will be held in Laurie, Missouri. For driving direction go to www.hibdonsschooloffishing.com. Lodging is available at The Lake House Inn in Laurie, Missouri. To make reservations call (573)374-7744.

For more information on enrolling in the Hibdon’s School of Fishing-Hibdon Fishing 101 go to www.hibdonsschooloffishing.com, Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Phone: 813-4Hibdon.

Fishing Dynasty Started with Guido Hibdon article provided by Brad Wiegmann Outdoors for www.bradwiegmann.com.