statistics began with his first Bassmaster entry in a Federation Chapter Championship on lake eufaula, ala. in 1978. That entry would spawn his full time venture into Bassmaster competition in 1980 and the rest as they say, would become history. Brauer steps down from tour level competition after a career that includes 317 Bassmaster entries. Those many events have produced 17 wins, 79 top- 10 finishes and 197 finishes in the money. He has competed in 21 Bassmaster Classics, winning the 1998 event on High rock lake in n.C. He was also the 1987 Bassmaster angler of the Year and retires as one of only 12 anglers to have won both the Bassmaster angler of the Year and Bassmaster Classic titles. He retires having earned $2,579,394 in Bassmaster competition; a total that ranks him third amongst all competitors in the history of B.a.S.S.
He also found success on the FLW Tour. in 38 FlW outdoors entries, Brauer recorded nine top-10 finishes, four appearances in the Forrest Wood Cup, collected $132,350 and earned the 1998 FlW angler of the Year title. His 1998 year still ranks as the most impressive single year a professional angler has ever recorded. in 1998, Brauer won four B.a.S.S. events including the Bassmaster Classic, and placed in the top-10 five out of seven times on the FlW tour. His Bassmaster earnings of $406,000 still ranks in the top- 10 of all time highest single season earnings. He earned an additional
$52,500 in FlW competition that year en route to winning the FlW tour angler of the Year award. But, he was so much more to so many.
I don’t know where this road is going to lead All I know is where we’ve been, And what we’ve been through. If we get to see tomorrow, I hope it’s worth all the wait It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.
While one of the fiercest competitors to ever stand on a trolling motor pedal, Brauer was always one of the biggest hearts as well. He and Shirley have been the stabilizing force to several of the pros and their families who make professional bass fishing and the periphery occupations their home. They have served as surrogate parents, uncles or brothers and sisters to many. in fact, several of the top anglers in the business today could easily call the Brauer’s mentors; and in some cases, i’m sure, guardians. denny has always been one of the game’s biggest pranksters, there are many folks who have been able to experience his desire to share a laugh at somebody else’s expense, or even his for that manner. Many of us have our stories, and while i choose to keep some of them to myself, i will share one with you from a day in 2009 at a washout near reelfoot lake in tenn.
Tales of Brauer’s accuracy as a flipper are the stuff of modern record. His biography includes being an out of work winter
Issue 5
October 2012
31