Winter 2026
®
with that distinction. With boat prices rising, from around $9,700 for a new 20-foot Bass Pro–style rig in 1980 to $125,000 for a loaded version with modern electronics.
BASS-A-THON, NEW TECHNIQUES, AND THE TOURNAMENT ERA
Beyond sales and service, Anglers Marine has played a role in West Coast bass culture. Grover says they have hosted 30 Bass-A-thons over the years, starting with the first one in 1984 at their 4,500-square-foot Santa Ana store. The original speaker lineup included Greg Hines – fresh off winning the first U.S. Open, Gary Klein, Rick Clunn, and Ricky Green, who he describes as “Bassmaster kingpin” at the time.
According to Grover, many important techniques and brands found traction at Bass-A-thon. He mentions the Senko, Huddleston, Roboworm and Lucky Craft getting their start there. Because West Coast shops are the first stop for many Japanese innovations entering the U.S., Anglers Marine often saw new ideas before the rest of the country.
Over time, the environment changed. The Bass-A-thon model depended on small, garage-style manufacturers using a retail outlet to reach customers. As more of those builders moved to direct-to-consumer via websites, there was less incentive to attend events where they had to “share the wealth” with retailers.
COVID was the final push. Packing crowds into the store during a pandemic wasn’t feasible. Grover’s goal had been to hit 30 Bass-A-thons, and with 46 years in business, they reached that target. At that point, they shifted their promotional energy from the Bass-A-thon to running tournaments.
The Anglers Marine team tournament circuit grew out of local anglers’ frustration with existing team trails. Grover heard complaints that “nobody pays us,” that trails were
going downhill, and that anglers wanted 100% payback, decent food, and not to get crushed every time by “the good guys.”
In response, Anglers Marine built a circuit that, by his description, pays back 125% once you factor in that they “supply all the food for everybody.” One unique feature is on-the-water hot dog delivery, because Southern California lakes are small enough that they can run around and serve hot lunches to every team.
THE BEYOND: COMPETING IN A NEW ERA
Today, Grover describes Anglers Marine as being “surrounded by Bass Pro Shops,” which has made things more of a challenge. He acknowledges the strength of the marketing, promotions, and programs that come with being a White River–aligned dealer.
He points out how much boat prices have climbed, tying them to petroleum costs from resin and acetone to fiberglass and clearcoat. He also emphasizes how strong California’s fisheries are, Clear Lake, the California Delta, Berryessa, Shasta, Trinity, the Colorado River chain, Havasu, Mead, and credits the big bass craze and even quagga mussels for helping drive the bass boat business by improving fishing in many waters.
He calls the business cyclical, citing 2007–2008 as the worst period and noting that COVID ironically boosted boat sales across the board.
Looking ahead, he doesn’t predict a radical reinvention so much as continuation – more years of serving customers, leaning on strong service, trusted brands, and a family-and- staff core that’s been built over decades.
Anglers Marine is “still waiting, still kicking” and aiming for “40, 45 more” years. •
page 66