George H. W. Bush
The 41st President of the United States of America, George H. W. Bush was an avid outdoorsman who loved to fish. Born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts, Bush will be forever known for his long and distinguished service to the United States of America and as a true fishing President.
Bush enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 18th birthday and flew torpedo bombers in the Pacific theater of World War II. He was shot down while completing a mission in 1944 and by the time he was honorably discharged in 1945, Bush had logged 1,228 hours of flight time, 126 carrier landings and 58 combat missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the U.S. Navy Air Medal with two stars. Bush later attended Yale University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in economics.
George Bush’s career in political service was impressive, to say the least. He was elected in 1966 to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served two terms. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in China and Director of Central Intelligence. Bush later served as the 43rd Vice President under President Ronald Reagan where he managed negotiations with key NATO allies during the Cold War. His political career culminated in his election as the 41st President of the United States in 1988.
Bush’s passion for the outdoors was reflected in his policy. During his presidency, he established 56 wildlife refuges in the U.S. and signed the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, which guided the country’s environmental policy for more than two decades. He also passed amendments to the Sportfish Restoration Act that ensured that funding distributed from the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund be used only for legislatively-mandated purposes. Even after leaving office, Bush continued to be heavily involved in environmental issues, including relief efforts for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the South Asian Earthquake Disaster and several major hurricanes.
Bush has often been quoted as saying he loved nothing more than fishing and spending time with his family. With the exception of serving in World War II, he spent part of every summer at his family home in Kennebunkport, Maine, where he passionately pursued striped bass and bluefish. He began fishing at the age of five and would fish for mackerel using a silver jig tipped with a piece of shirttail. Later in life, he fished these waters out a sleek center console boat powered by large, twin outboards. Piloting his own boat to and from the fishing grounds at speeds exceeding 50 miles per hour, Bush often outpaced his accompanying boats, much to the consternation of his security detail.
Though he kept a punishing schedule during his career and beyond, Bush was able to fish locations ranging from Alaska to Argentina. Over the course of his angling career, he became proficient with fly, spin and plug tackle, which he used to target a variety of game fish in both fresh and saltwater. Bush was particularly fond of fishing the Florida Keys for tarpon and bonefish and competed in the venerable Cheeca Lodge Bonefish Tournament named in his honor. Though he never won the tournament, he did have the distinction of catching bonefish over 13-pounds two years in a row.
Bush fished regularly with his wife Barbara, his sons and grandsons. When asked about the connection of fishing to family prior to his passing on November 30, 2018, Bush said, “The tranquility and fellowship experienced while fishing transcends generations. There is nothing like a grandfather experiencing the wonders of nature through the eyes of youngster. I guess you could say that more than ever, fishing has become a passion for me.”
For a lifetime of service to the United States and a passion for recreational angling, the IGFA proudly welcomes President George H. W. Bush to the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame.
