Portland, Ore. – Bob Toman died yesterday morning after a long illness. KXL’s Jacob Dean reports.


Toman spent half a century taking people out on the river and putting them on fish. People like rockstar Eric Clapton and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Toman invented new fishing gear like the Toman Thumper, that’s now the go-to spinner in places like Tillamook Bay. He even published his catching success rates on his website, a rarity in the guide business. Back when he started, he only charged $7.50 per person, now it would cost you several hundred bucks to go out with a top guide. Toman was the first employee of the landmark Larry’s Sporting Goods in Oregon City, who wasn’t an original founder of the store. Toman once went 596 trips in a row without getting skunked.

In one of his final interviews Toman said, “I don’t really have any regrets… I’ve been able to live my life fishing and hunting… What could be better than that?” Today he’s fishing on that big river in the sky. Rest in Peace Bob Toman.

Read more in this great article by Eric Chambers for Salmon Trout Steelheader magazine.

Watch more of Bob Toman’s videos on his Youtube Channel