Betty Deford

Betty DeFord, Bath, IL 

Betty DeFord, on an Illinois River boat ride, saw a major problem for the waterway up close when dozens of invasive silver carp

 flew out of the water and into the boat. Nominators noted that when Betty saw  the problems being caused by the spread of

 invasive silver and bighead carp, she went on the offensive,  founding the now-famous Redneck Fishing Tournament on the

 Illinois River near Bath, Illinois in 2006.  DeFord’s goal was to encourage netting and removing the dangerous fish – and raising

 funds to help  homeless veterans. One nominator wrote: “With every tournament…and every media interview, Betty  capitalizes

 on her moment in the spotlight to deliver a message about the vital importance of  conservation efforts. Betty DeFord turned an

 ecological nightmare into a community rally that has drawn people from around the world to this tiny river town, all the while

 raising awareness of the dangers of  invasive species and collecting thousands of dollars to benefit veterans’ assistance

 organizations.” I’ve  included a few links so you can see just how amazing this event has become. 

I’ve included a few links so you can see just how amazing this event has become. 

https://ilconservation.org/News/illinois-outdoor-hall-of-fame-to-welcome-john-burke-jr-betty-deford-and-brian-drendel 

https://www.pjstar.com/story/entertainment/2021/07/12/redneck-fishing-tournament-return-central-illinois-aug-2021/7935665002/ 

https://www.pbs.org/video/redneck-fishing-hnjnwk/