Twin Cities businessman and financier Irwin Jacobs purchased Operation BASS and renamed it FLW Outdoors in 1996. A year later, his Walmart FLW Tour Forrest Wood Open was held on Lake Minnetonka, with $1 million awarded to anglers, including a $200,000 first prize.

In the years since, Jacobs has attempted to elevate competitive fishing to the levels of sports such as tennis and golf. One goal has been to use television and other media to reach a significant share of the more than 50 million Americans who fish.

Earlier this year, Jacobs announced the founding of FLW Fantasy Fishing, which concluded its first season Thursday by awarding $1 million to Michael Thompson of St. Michael -- the leading player in the seven-month-long season.

In the interview below, Jacobs discusses his latest venture and answers critics who say fishing shouldn't be competitive.

Q: FLW Fantasy Fishing seems a bit afield from your fishing tournament and boat businesses.

A: I started FLW fishing tournaments with six tournaments and a championship. Now we have over 240 tournaments and give away $40 million in cash.

When I started the tournaments, I wanted to promote fishing. But my ulterior motive, of course, was to grow our boat business. We've done that. The next step is to reach people who don't necessarily follow fishing closely. We researched it and decided on fantasy fishing. I had never played fantasy sports myself. But they are hugely popular.

Q: Fantasy Fishing players attempt to determine through your website (www.fantasyfishing.com) the top finishers at various fishing tournaments by creating fantasy teams of anglers.

A: Yes. We have players in 122 countries around the world. In our first seven months, we've broken all barriers in fantasy sports, in terms of money awarded. Going into it, we guaranteed we'd give away $2.3 million in cash and prizes. The $1 million given away Thursday, as well as a new boat and pickup, among other prizes, was part of that.

Q: How big can fantasy fishing become, in your view?

A: I want to see this thing grow around the globe. That's my dream. My belief is that we can get between 10 and 15 million people playing. The idea is to build a business while also promoting fishing. Unlike the tournaments, the goal isn't to grow our boat business.

Q: When you began promoting fishing tournaments, some people complained, saying the resource was being hurt, and/or that fishing shouldn't be competitive.

A: We don't harm fish. We take better care of them than most heart hospitals take care of hearts. More to the point, this country needs more recreational fishing opportunities, not less. Fishing participation is dropping off in many states.

There's no better way for families to spend time together than in a boat, or in a boat fishing. That's what we promote.

Q: FLW has offered saltwater fishing tournaments, for kingfish and redfish, in addition to bass and walleye tournaments. But you're shutting the saltwater contests down.

A: The saltwater tournaments have proven too hard to grow. We're keeping walleye and bass, which have been very successful. The winner of our bass championship last weekend won $1 million.

Q: The tournaments themselves are broadcast at later dates on your TV shows.

A: Viewers at home get to see the tournaments that way, and sponsors reach a broad audience. We're fully vertically integrated, with TV, a magazine (FLW Outdoors) and on the Internet.

Q: You've said fantasy fishing and college fishing tournaments can be developed together.

A: About 185 colleges and universities already have bass fishing clubs. Another 125 or so have told us they want to start them.

Q: But winning money from fishing tournaments would make the students professionals.

A: Winnings would go into scholarships, or back to the club. We plan to promote college bass fishing by helping clubs buy boats and providing other equipment.

Dennis Anderson • danderson@startribune.com