Johnny
Morris
Founder & CEO, Bass Pro Shops · Fished the Trinity River with Garzilla
Book a Trinity River Alligator Gar Fishing Trip
The same water. The same guide team. The same fish that maxed out a 250-lb scale. Now open to you — April through September out of Palestine, TX.
Book Your Trip NowOr Call Bubba: (903) 724-6888
The Story Behind the Trip
The Day I Guided the Guide
It started with a phone call from a local guide. He'd booked a Trinity River bowfishing trip with a high-profile client and reached out to Bubba — knowing Garzilla's reputation on the water — to ask if he knew where a big fish was holding.
Bubba said yes. Then asked who the client was.
Johnny Morris. Founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops. The man who built the world's largest outdoor retailer from a tackle shop in the back of his father's liquor store in Springfield, Missouri — and who, over 50+ years, turned a personal passion for fishing into an $8.4 billion empire.
Bubba didn't hesitate. "Heck yeah — bring him down to my dad's ranch on the Trinity." And just like that, the guide who booked Johnny brought him straight to Garzilla's home water in Palestine, TX.
That's the Garzilla difference. Not just a guide service — the Trinity River guide other guides call when it has to be right.
"I happened to be looking down, and I saw this shadow coming up — and this giant alligator gar rolled right in front of me." — John Paul Morris, Hook & Barrel Magazine
The Catch — John Paul Morris · Trinity River, TX
The Man Behind the Legend
Who Is Johnny Morris?
America's most influential outdoorsman — and a Trinity River gar fisherman
Born in 1948 in Springfield, Missouri, John L. "Johnny" Morris is the founder, majority owner, and CEO of Bass Pro Shops — one of the most recognized outdoor brands on earth. What started in 1972 as a fishing tackle counter in the back of his father's liquor store has grown into a retail, conservation, and hospitality empire with more than 180 locations, 40,000 employees, and an estimated net worth of $8.4 billion.
Morris is widely regarded as "a modern-day Theodore Roosevelt" for his personal commitment to conservation — partnering with more than 250 organizations and co-owning the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, the Bass Tracker boat brand (No. 1 selling fishing boat in America for 40+ consecutive years), and Big Cedar Lodge.
He also revolutionized accessible fishing in 1978 when he introduced the Bass Tracker — the world's first nationally marketed, factory-direct boat, motor, and trailer package — putting families on the water who could never afford it before.
Johnny's son, John Paul Morris, is one of the country's leading bowfishing ambassadors and founder of the U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship. It was John Paul who pursued the Trinity River alligator gar — and who fought that 8'4" fish for 45 minutes before landing what he called "the coolest fish I ever caught."
Common Questions
Trinity River Gar Fishing FAQ
Your Turn
Fish Where
Legends Fish
From the founder of Bass Pro Shops to UFC Hall of Famers, BBC wildlife hosts, and NFL Pro Bowlers — the world's most accomplished adventurers come to the Trinity River with Garzilla. Now it's your turn.
Book Your Trip View All 28 Celebrity Clients →