Hi Folks!
I was born in Gatlinburg, Tn. I am 45 year old. I have been together with my wife Teresa for 25 years, have a married daughter and two grandkids. I have been fishing since I was six years old and have been hooked every since. I have been fortunate to make a living working in the fishing business. First my brother in-law owns and runs a guide business
. I have helped him in different aspects of his business, from guiding, to helping him with retail sales and helping him with sponsorship of Smoky Mountain trout tournaments. I have also been involved with him teaching fly fishing over the years at wilderness wild life week in Pigeon Forge, TN. I also worked for Zebco-Quantum as a manager in their retail division from 1996-2001, when they sold it to W.C. Bradley Co. Then my wife and I started a small business, Anglers Outlet, where we worked fishing shows selling fishing related items. Then we found out Bass Pro Shops was coming into our back yard. Also from 2001-2004, I was on Mepps-Mister Twister pro staff. After going through two regional managers, which I had a great working relationship with, and was treated very well, the new regional manager never got in touch with me so I opted out. I helped them on some of their trout baits. I fished a lot of jackpot tourneys from mid 80's until 2000. I started out in 99 to go pro. I fished the red man tourney in 99 as a non boater for the first tournament. Then March 20th was fishing a club tournament, and was involved in a boating accident, which left me a little hobbled and it knocked me out of going pro. I have fished some of the bait and bite tourneys around east TN. but really have not fished a big tourney in a couple of years. I am currently retired, disabled, but fish every chance I get, and guide sometimes for my brother-in-law. I own a 1998 nitro savage with 2000 mercury efi 200. I have always owned some kind of fishing boat for the last twenty years. I currently sit on two boards. One is my church, and the other is a non-profit business. My goals are to fish the FLW. I also want to start a non profit business which will teach kids and single parents the art of fishing, to keep our sport alive for future generations. Dennis Ogle
