Easily my dad Terry Dixon Palmer. He took me fishing from the time I was old enough to pick up rocks and start throwing them when I got bored of fishing! I picked up the fishing stuff pretty quick when I landed the biggest bass I've caught til this day (a 5.5 lber) when I was 5 years old in the summer before kindergarten.

My dad kept taking me out even with his really busy schedule and even took me hunting all the time. He bought me my own tackle box when I was 7 and gave me $20 to fill it up. I remember loading it up with cheap things like split shots and cheap bobbers and hooks and crappie jigs so I could fill it up and make it look like I had a lot. I'll never forget that ever.

He wouldn't let me get down when I couldn't figure out how to tie a knot either. I griped and cried and complained and threw things down but dad still had patience with me and worked me thru it. And now I'm the guy showing him how to do the catching!

We don't have much time to fish together any more but I really cherish him. He truly is my mentor and hero.