For 16 years, Marshall has been a plumber for the Garland Independent School District. These days, he's the plumbing supervisor, but he's never been known as Mr. Plumber. The new Bass Pro Shop catalog includes 75 items marketed under the Mr. Crappie label. Yeah, you can sing, but don't quit your day job. I ain't quittin' my day job.
Professional fishing is dominated by high-profile bass pros.
For 15 years, Marshall has worked to elevate his personal status and the status of the unsung fish species he loves to catch. Explaining why they would not pay him for an endorsement, a major tackle company as recently as 1996 told Marshall he wasn't exactly Bill Dance. Fishing promotion is a classic game of economics. Crappie fishermen are more apt to fish from a flat-bottom aluminum boat with a cane pole for tackle and a bucket of minnows for bait. An expensive crappie lure is a 50-cent jig.