[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 160 (Thursday, September 27, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF GUIDO HIBDON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILLY LONG

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 27, 2018

  Mr. LONG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the magnificent life of 
Guido Hibdon, who was a resident of Sunrise Beach, Missouri, legendary 
fisherman and a great friend to many.
  Guido was born a third-generation angler on July 10, 1946. He loved 
fishing so much that at the age of 13 he began guiding on the Lake of 
the Ozarks in Missouri. His storied career began when a Bassmasters 
tournament was scheduled to be held on the Lake of the Ozarks in 1980. 
His family and friends convinced Guido to take a shot at testing his 
skills against the tournament professionals, including legends Roland 
Martin, Jimmy Houston and Rick Clunn. This led to the start of 
friendships with all these men, and a career of tournament fishing that 
lasted over three decades, which included winning numerous 
championships.
  Guido valued his family above all else. His wife Stella, daughter 
Dotty and two sons, Chuck and Dion, along with the whole extended 
family, were always his most faithful cheerleaders. Guido's example 
inspired many to take up the sport of fishing, including his son Dion, 
who won the Bassmasters Classic in 1997. This made the pair the only 
father and son to win this tournament and earned them the title, ``The 
First Family of Bass Fishing.''
  In 2001, Guido was inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, a 
fitting honor to a tremendous man. His passion for fishing and being on 
the water never faded, even after an illness forced him into retirement 
in 2015.
  Guido exemplified the finest qualities that a person could possess. 
His hard work and dedication to everything he held dear, and his 
treatment of others was indeed commendable. His daughter Dotty said it 
best, ``To say that he was a kind and generous man would be an 
understatement. He was humble and gentle with all, but still very stern 
and deep in treating people with dignity and respect. No matter who you 
were or where you came from, he gave you his time and attention.''
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have known Guido as a friend and fellow 
angler. I join his family, friends and the entire bass fishing 
community in grieving his loss and honoring his lifetime of 
accomplishments and service to bass fishermen everywhere.

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