Legendary boat designer Randy Hopper of Vexus Boats and longtime bass fishing journalist Craig Lamb were inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame on Thursday.
The honor was especially meaningful for the pair, who first met 43 years ago in Cotter, where Lamb recalled watching Hopper sketch boat designs on diner placemats during lunch breaks near the Flippin boat plant.
Hopper, a co-founder and leader at Vexus, has been credited with innovations that reshaped modern fishing boats, including aerated livewells, reinforced fiberglass transoms, and infused composite construction techniques. His work has influenced nearly every facet of boat design used in today’s bass fishing industry.
Lamb’s career in the sport has spanned four decades, beginning with his time in Flippin in the mid-1980s. He went on to serve as Forrest Wood’s tournament boat caddie, ghostwriter for B.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott, assistant tournament director at B.A.S.S., and a producer for The Nashville Network, home to The Bassmasters and Bill Dance Outdoors.
Thursday’s Hall of Fame banquet in Springfield was a celebration of Hopper’s 56 years in boat building. Five banquet tables were filled with friends, colleagues, and fans from Flippin. Attendees mingled with Hopper, who delivered a speech described as organized, spiritually grounded, funny, humble, and heartfelt.
Keith Daffron, co-founder of Vexus, said the evening highlighted Hopper’s guiding philosophy: asking, “What would Randy do?” when seeking guidance on how to live life well. Hopper himself previously remarked, “In 56 years of boat building, there haven’t been 10 days that I wasn’t excited about going to work.”
The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame induction ceremony marked a rare and celebrated culmination of Hopper’s decades-long career.
The two men share a long friendship built on mutual respect and a passion for innovation. “Randy’s passion and fascination with boat building is the same in 2025 as it was in 1982,” Lamb said. “The goal is to constantly improve by working beside people who feed off your energy.”
More information about Vexus Boats is available at vexusboats.com.
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