Algona / Iowa / United States
Algona Marine & Sport, Inc, is a family owned and operated business founded in 1943 by Walter A. Hall. It was originally opened as Algona Implement, Inc, primarily an International Harvester equipment dealership. Walter laid the ground work for the transition into the marine business by carrying Blue Water Boats on a limited basis. In 1970 Bill Hall, son of Walt, came aboard after college. Bill had a passion for fishing and hunting. In 1979 Bill contacted Lund boats and Mercury Marine to become a boat dealer.In the early 1980s the farming economy became very distressed so Bill decided to exit the farm equipment business and pursue the marine business with his wife Sandy.Bill has always had a love for the water, spending most of his free time fishing and boating, and a real passion for fishing Walleye tournaments. 1982 was the same year professional walleye tournaments started and Bill started fishing in them. In 1985, Bill started fishing the pro walleye tournaments with his son Chad. They went on to compile several top-20 finishes in a couple of years. Chad joined Bill full-time at dealership in 1986. By 1987, the marine business was starting to really grow and Bill made the decision had to stay at the dealership to take care of the business.Chad went on to team up with Bob Propst, Jr., on the Manufacturers Walleye Circuit. Chad and Bob had great success in three years. They were the youngest team competing, at the ages of 18 and 19 years respectively, and one of the most competitive on the circuit. In 1999, the Professional Walleye Trail was started with one inaugural event at Mille Lacs Lake. Chad fished the entire PWT in 2000 and won the Midwest regional event, becoming the youngest winner on the PWT, a record that still stands today. In 2001, Chad won the Western Regional and became the first ever multiple winner on the PWT. At the end of the 2001 season, Chad was the highest all-time money winner. Chad had many top-ten finishes and hit the winners circle again in 1997 at the PWT Super Pro, becoming the second person ever to win three PWT Championship events.All of this success was brought home to Algona Marine & Sport, Inc, and shared with all of their customers. Every new Lund is professionally rigged for fishermen, by fishermen.The tide as changed again, and in 2005 Chad "retired" from fishing professionally and traded places with Bill. Now Bill is traveling all over, fishing competitively and having a great deal of success. Bill has also had a lot of success by winning the Wave Wacker Tournament in 1991 and qualifying for 7 championships all over the Midwest.
