Nixon and Reese partner with Ranger Boats
Category: press release
Jan 7th, 2014 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jan 7th, 2014 at 12:00 AM
After a long circuitous tournament career fished out of various bass boats,Arkansas superstar Larry Nixon is back in a Ranger. The veteran pro and thelegendary boat company reached an agreement for Nixon to join Ranger’sextensive pro staff beginning this year.
“I’m really happy to be with the Ranger family,” Nixon said Friday. “Rangerhas always been a bedrock company in the tournament world. They alwayssupported me and I always supported them. I’m finally back where I belong, inthe best bass boat that there is.”
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Larry “The General” Nixon switches to Ranger Boats (Brett Carlson flwoutdoors.
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Ranger President Randy Hopper reflected Nixon’s sentiments, noting that hisstar never lost its luster in the eyes of fellow competitors or fans over acareer that has spanned more than 35 years.
“Larry is one of the most highly respected names in pro bass fishing,” notedHopper. “One reason for that has been his consistency. He’s always a favoritein whatever tournament he fishes because he has the skills and knows how towin. He’s also a crowd favorite. Although he’s enjoyed a huge amount ofsuccess, he’s never outgrown his roots and still identifies with lots of folks.We’ve known him forever and have been great admirers of what he’s been able toaccomplish both on and off the water.”
Nixon, a memberof the Walmart FLW Tour’s Chevy team, will fish out of a wrapped Z521C. It’s afar cry from his first Ranger, which his father Lester purchased from ForrestWood soon after Ranger was founded in 1968.
“Dad bought one of the first Rangers. I think it was the 26th boat that cameout of the plant,” recalled Nixon, of Bee Branch, Ark. “I used that boat when Istarted guiding on Greers Ferry Lake when I was 16. I liked it so much thatafter a while I paid dad for it and he had to go buy another one.”
In the fledgling days of professional bass tournaments, few anglers wereable to garner sponsorship deals with boat companies. Nixon was one of thefirst, though it wasn’t with Ranger. When Ranger’s current owner, PlatinumEquity, acquired the company in February 2010, it also purchased Stratos, whichwas Nixon’s boat sponsor at the time. Last summer, Nixon attended the Rangerdealers’ meeting and made up his mind. An agreement with Ranger wassubsequently reached, and Nixon had a Ranger parked in his garage just beforeChristmas.
“I ran one (Z521C) quite a bit last summer. I knew where things were headedby then,” said Nixon. “I wanted a big boat that I knew I wouldn’t get beat upin no matter what the conditions were. There’s nothing better than a Ranger inrough water.”
Nixon has enjoyed a longstanding friendship with Forrest Wood and his wife,Ranger co-founder Nina Wood. In 2001, Nixon and Forrest Wood were among thefirst inductees in the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
Nixon is the second former Stratos pro to join the Ranger team in 2014.California pro Skeet Reese’s name was recently added to the roster as well.