FLW co-angler champion passes away
FLW Outdoors is sad to announce the loss of one its best-liked and most successful anglers. William D. “Hoot” Gibson of Bryant, Ark., passed away Thursday, July 3, at the age of 65.
Gibson, affectionately known by most as just “Hoot,” was one of the top co-anglers to compete in FLW Outdoors tournaments. A regular on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, EverStart Series Central Division and Wal-Mart BFL Arkie Division, he won two FLW tournaments and an EverStart event during his FLW Outdoors career.
His winning ways started in 1998 when he won an EverStart Central tourney at Table Rock Lake, Mo., and then in 2000 he finished second in back-to-back Central tournaments at Beaver Lake, Ark., and Kentucky Lake, Ky. In 1999, Gibson claimed the Co-angler of the Year title in the Central Division and nearly repeated the feat in 2000 when he finished second in the standings.
Gibson took the Wal-Mart FLW Tour by storm during the 2001-2002 seasons, maintaining a consistent level of excellence that few others have been able to achieve in the Co-angler Division. He amassed four top-10 finishes in those two seasons, including a stretch in 2001 where he made the final cut in three consecutive tournaments. Also during that 2001 stretch, Gibson won his first FLW tournament at the Wal-Mart Open on Beaver Lake, Ark. In 2002, he won his second FLW tournament at Old Hickory Lake, Tenn.
Unfortunately, Old Hickory was also the last FLW Outdoors tournament he would fish. Shortly after the tournament, Gibson suffered a heart attack. While he recuperated, he was forced to miss the final regular-season FLW tournament and consequently fell short of winning his second Co-angler of the Year title. However, his points lead was so strong heading into the final event that Gibson still finished the 2002 FLW season standings in 11th place.
Gibson, who started competing in FLW Outdoors events after a long career in law enforcement, was always modest about his fishing achievements. But there’s no doubt that his talent with a spinning rod and Zoom trick worm far outstretched his bravado. In the fraternity of finesse fishermen, Gibson wasn’t just one of the best there was, he was also its most humble member.
Hoot Gibson is survived by his wife, Mary, and three children – Donald, Cindy and Ben.
Archived features on Hoot Gibson:
`A Hoot from the holler’
`Master co-angler aims for 2003′
Tournament stories on Hoot Gibson: