Gainesville, Fla. – Shaw Grigsby, a member of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame and a professional angler for more than 40 years announces his retirement from professional bass fishing. The Gainesville, Fla. Pro is competing in the final Major League Fishing Tackle Warehouse Invitational event of the 2025 season at the St Lawrence River in Massena, N.Y. this week, his final as a full-time touring professional.
Following the conclusion of that event, Grigsby will return home to Gainesville, Fla. Where he has begun working with Florida Wildlife Officials capturing and rehoming nuisance alligators with his grandson Bryce and spending time with his wife Polly, their children Amy and Shaw and their grandchildren. Grigsby has not ruled out competing in one-off professional events near home.
In a career that began in earnest on the Bassmaster Tour in 1984 following a few entries in previous years, Grigsby competed in more than 420 professional events on the Bassmaster, FLW and Major League Fishing tours. Along the way, he grabbed nine tournament victories, placed in the top 10 64 times, qualified for 16 trips to the Bassmaster Classic and two Forrest Wood Cups and earned nearly $2.4 million in competition along the way.
Along with his competitive record, Grigsby was the host of the One More Cast with Shaw Grigsby television show for 20 years, was the co-author of the book Bassmaster Shaw Grigsby, Notes on Fishing and Life, a biography and fishing manual. In 2017, his career accomplishments earned him induction into the National Bass Fishing Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mo. Along with his 2017 induction into the Bass fishing hall of Fame, He was also inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame in 2004.
Grigsby will forever be known as the best sight fisherman on the professional tours; a skill he learned fishing the shallow clear water lakes around Florida. He was responsible for the introduction of many products to the fishing industry that helped his sponsors, one that had significant impact was his HP Hook which incorporated a clip designed to securely hold a tube lure on the hook enabling an angler to make repeated presentations to fish without fear of slipping and blocking the hookset.
With all of his career accolades, Grigsby will be most remembered for being a man of true faith, exhibiting his love of the Lord to competitors, friends, fans and the industry alike, and for always being a true light to the word who exuded his joy for life with a beaming smile and infectious laugh.
Of the announcement, Grigsby said that he is honored. “I have been so blessed to be able to make professional fishing my career for more than 40 years,” he said. “I have worked with so many people and companies that I am proud to have represented.”
He also said that he is looking forward to experiencing what is ahead. “This has been an amazing ride, and I have been supported by a family who loves me and has been in my corner the whole way,” he said. “I’m looking forward to having the time to do whatever we wish with Polly, Amy, Shaw and my grandkids more than ever.
“I have been in this career for so long and to have been a part of the greatest industry has been a true joy. I am proud to have been able to do it for so long – thank you to all of you who made it possible.”
Follow Shaw Grigsby on his social media pages – https://www.facebook.com/ShawGrigsbyFanPage and https://www.instagram.com/shawgrigsby/
