This fall, Albert Gagliarducci, known to most as Al Gag, will be inducted into the International Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. Inductees must receive a unanimous vote from the committee whose criteria weighs heavily on what the individual has done for the sport, including how they have worked to pass the sport of fishing on to future generations.
In a career spanning more than four decades, Al has hosted his own fishing show “Gone Fishing” from 1990 to 2004, which included many collaborations with anglers from all over the country. He has appeared on countless other fishing programs on ESPN, Boston Network, including New England Rod & Reel, Fishing with Joey Leggio, Fishing with Roland Martin, and many others, as well as dozens of radio appearances. Al is a well-known and sought after public speaker who has delivered well over 1,000 seminars throughout his career—and he continues to share his love of fishing and knowledge in speaking engagements to this day.
His passion for fishing, gregarious personality and outward enthusiasm for the sport has earned a devoted following that has been growing since 1978. His lure designs have become favorites in both fresh and saltwater, Al continues to develop new designs to this day. In 2007 he started his third lure company, Al Gags Lures, which launched his ever-popular Whip-It Eel and Whip-It Fish along with his patented dual action jighead. And in the 15 years since, he has grown the company into a large production mill and studio located in western Massachusetts; all of his products proudly sport a “Made In America” tag. Al works every day on new ideas and creating new products because his two greatest passions are fishing and making people happy.
He has also built a reputation as someone who will always step up to support a good cause, his charitable donations are too numerous to list. You’ll have a hard time finding anyone in the industry that has anything but great things to say about him. When not working on lures, Al spends his free time on the Connecticut River and several other inland waterways around New England. Al is also a great conservationist who was quoted, “It’s the only outdoors we have, so let’s protect it.”
A total of 670 people were nominated this year, and that encompasses all of the United States, Canada and Europe. Al joins the likes of Earnest Hemingway, Teddy Roosevelt, Ted Williams, Curt Gowdy, Jimmy Grant, Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston and Babe Winkelman with his induction. And all of us here at The Fisherman Magazine would like to extend our sincerest congratulations to a great guy and a juggernaut in the Northeast fishing scene for this well-deserved and prestigious honor.
