Member for
11 years 11 monthsHome: Collierville, Tennessee
Family: (wife) Dianne, (children) Bill Jr., Paul, Patrick & Pamela
Tournament Information: 23 National Bass Titles; Bassmaster Classic Qualifier 8 out of 9 years and finished 2nd in 1973. Three time B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year – 1970, 1974 & 1977. Of 78 total B.A.S.S. entries, finished 64 times in the money. 7 wins, 8 times runner up, 6 third place, 40 top ten finishes (51% of tournaments entered) and 51 top 20 finishes (65%). In first 11 tournaments, was only out of the top 7 once. Won 7 of the first 17 events entered (41%).
• Retired from competition in 1980 at the age of 39.
• Credited with catching the first bass in B.A.S.S. history.
• Credited with popularizing the “Carolina Rig”.
Other Awards: 1978 Congressional National Water Safety Award (Past Recipients: Lloyd Bridges and Jacques Cousteau); US Army Corps of Engineers Commander's Achievement Award for Water Safety, 1999. Inductee: National Freshwater Hall of Fame, 1986, Professional Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, 2001, and International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame, 2006. National Water Safety Spokesman for the US Coast Guard, 2005. Male Professional Athlete of the Year, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, 2006. President’s Award, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA).
Favorite Lake: Pickwick Lake, TN – Biggest Fish: (Bass) 14 lbs. 1 oz
Books: Bill has written seven books; Practical Black Bass Fishing; There He Is (The Art of Plastic Worm Fishing); Techniques on Bass Fishing; and Bass N’ Objects, Bill Dance on Crappie, Bill Dance on Largemouth Bass and most recently, IGFA's 101 Freshwater Fishing Tips & Tricks. His articles have been published in most major outdoor magazines including Sports Afield, Field & Stream, Bassmasters, Outdoor Life, etc.
Newspapers: Over many years, Bill’s accomplishments, techniques and uncommon fishing savvy have been regularly publicized by the outdoor editors of most metropolitan daily newspapers across North America. It still happens today and Bill is a monthly columnist for Mid-South Hunting and Fishing News.
Television Career: "Bill Dance Outdoors" has aired since 1968 with over 2000 shows in its history. Bill has produced over 36 educational videos and 12 audio educational tapes on a variety of subjects. His 4 hilarious out-take shows or "Bloopers" have been aired all over the world. Bill Dance Outdoors and Bill Dance Saltwater air on NBC Sports Network as follows: Bill Dance Outdoors Saturday at 9:30 a.m., Sunday at 12:30 p.m., Monday at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. and Friday at 11:00 a.m. Bill Dance Saltwater Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and Thursday at 1:00 p.m. All times are Eastern.
