The Lake of the Ozarks is home to more than 500 amateur and pro bass fishing tournaments every year. The Lake is a stop on several regional and national bass tournament circuits, plus it hosts numerous local and charity competitions.

In fact, two well known father-son duos, who are active on the professional bass tournament circuit, live in the Lake area: Guido and Dion Hibdon and Denny and Chad Brauer, all national title-holders who started as guides at the Lake and perfected their angling skills while competing on their home waters. Although they are intense competitors on the national tournament trail, the Brauer and Hibdon clans have a friendly rivalry, taking turns claiming world titles and numerous other bass-fishing honors.

The Hibdons are the only father-son pair to win BASSMasters Classic titles. Born and raised at the Lake of the Ozarks, Guido Hibdon became a guide as a teenager, like his own father, and turned pro in 1980; Dion Hibdon, who also was a teenage fishing guide, followed in 1985. Guido Hibdon has won the 1988 BASSMaster Classic, the world championship of professional fishing, as well as two consecutive B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year awards (1990, 1991) and he’s been inducted into the Professional Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. Dion Hibdon is still the youngest qualifier for the BASSMasters Classic. He competed in his first bass tournament at age 12 and joined the pro ranks at age 18. In 1997, he won the BASSMaster Classic—as a result, he and his father became the only father-son pair to win Classic titles. In 2000, Dion Hibdon won the Wal-Mart FLW Tour championship. In addition to fishing, he also is a successful bait and tackle designer (he came up with the famed Guido Bug). The third generation of Hibdons is now coming up: Dion's son, Payden Hibdon, won the 2006 Junior BASSMasters World Championship. About the Brauers: Denny Brauer, the first fisherman to appear on a Wheaties cereal box, won the BASSMasters Classic title in 1998 plus 15 other BASSMasters tournament victories. In addition, in 1998, he was named B.A.S.S. Angler of the year and
won the FLW Tour. He has been the host of the national TV show, "Bass Class."

Chad Brauer also has competed in numerous bass competitions and followed his dad on the national tournament trail. He has won a B.A.S.S. event and qualified for BASSMaster Classics.

Is there a future bass champion lurking inside you, just waiting for the right opportunity to drop a line? Find out at the home of the pros at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks.