Angling For Bass and Bucks

An Alabama firm builds an empire on a presidential pastime

Fishing in rural lakes is usually a contemplative pastime, but the black-bass tournament on Alabama's Lake Guntersville earlier this month seemed more like the Indy 500. Some 320 anglers set out in their boats at 5 a.m., battling the morning chill and 3-ft. waves in pursuit of fish and fortunes. The competitors were equipped with the latest in sonar and trolling motors, the better to pursue their wily prey. When the anglers returned to shore, crowds gasped in excitement as judges weighed the catch and flashed the results on a digital screen. The winner, Robert Byrd of Zwolle, La., brought in...

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