Outfishing Hall of Famer Homer Circle
Published 7:52 am Tuesday, September 5, 2006
By Staff
I was recently surprised when I was given a look at an article and picture from an undated Ocala, Fla., newspaper.
It was about Homer Circle, an old Dowagiac man I knew years ago.
When I worked in the Heddon factory in 1947-51 in the shipping room, Homer worked in the office.
He and I were members of the Dowagiac Casting Club that included Trig Lund, Walt Taggart, Clare Lee, several other Heddon employees and local Gamble store owner Nibs Black.
Homer was not only a good fisherman, but after quite a few years at Heddon's, he left to become the angling editor of Sports Afield magazine.
He also hosted three television shows: "The Outdoorsman," "Sports Afield" and "The Fisherman."
He wrote under the name of "Uncle Homer."
Later, Homer wrote for Outdoorsman magazine.
This nice write-up said he was recently honored by being inducted into the Pro Bass Fishing Hall of Fame in Hot Springs, Ark., along with Bill Dance and six other well-known fishermen.
The article said Homer held several world angling records – northern pike, lake white fish, lake trout – and also told he had hooked all of the 26 recognized sports species in North America.
I remember Homer as a real friendly guy who had a pretty wife, Gayle, and the article said she and Homer, 86, had been married for 63 years.
Gosh, Peg and I have only been together 43 years.
Twenty more years? I don't think so.
With the article was a nice colored picture of Homer sitting in a room with an enormous black bass picture imposed to make it look like he was holding it on his lap.
I guess old Homer was just as friendly with those Floridians as he was with us Michiganders because when he returned from Hot Springs next to his front door was a great big poster made by his neighbors for him saying, Congratulations Uncle Homer/Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
I feel real proud to think I outscored this famous man a couple of times in our tournament casting in the old Dowagiac High School gym.
P.S. I think Uncle Homer is now 90 years old, so he has been married 68 years.