HANCEVILLE, Ala. — If the latest fashion trend in fishing continues, Mike Macon's designs could be showing up on weigh-in stages throughout the country soon. Members from B.A.S.S. Federation Nation clubs are now wearing jerseys with logos designed by Macon, president of the Cullman Bassmasters as well as an advertising and visual designer. He is also the treasurer for the Alabama Federation Nation and the state chapter's District 2 director.
Macon made his first splash in the fishing fashion world when he designed the dye-sub jersey for his club in April 2008. Also, a logo he designed for the Bassmasters of North Alabama club now adorns the jerseys of that club and its junior chapter, the Junior Bassmasters of North Alabama.
His work caught the eye of Jann Swaim, one of the mentor coaches of the Auburn University Bass Sports Club, when Macon was helping the Alabama Federation Nation at the Junior Bassmaster state championship last fall. "I had on one of my jerseys and Jann and I got to talking," recalled Macon. "He asked me what it would take for me to design some shirts for them. I told him I would do it because I went to Auburn University and I would like to give back [to the school]."
Macon took on the jersey project for his alma mater and presented a series of designs for the students to make a final choice. Although Macon has been paid for his design work throughout the years by major fishing companies such as Humminbird, Mann's, Abu Garcia and Skeeter Boats, his jersey design for the Auburn team was a labor of love. When Swaim asked what he owed for the work, Macon replied that he wanted one shirt with all the team's signatures on one side. When he received it, he had it framed for his studio. "Some things are better than a check," Macon said.
