James A. (James Alexander) Henshall

Born in Baltimore on February 29, 1836, James Alexander Henshall trained as a physician and later built a second reputation as one of the best-known fishing writers of his era. He became especially famous as the "apostle of the black bass," a nickname that reflects how strongly he championed bass fishing in the United States.

Henshall wrote influential works including Book of the Black Bass and Bass, Pike, Perch and Other Game Fishes of America. His writing stood out for combining careful natural history with hands-on guidance for anglers, helping shape both sporting literature and popular understanding of freshwater game fish.

His career reached beyond authorship alone. He also served as mayor of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, from 1868 to 1870, and remained active in public life as well as outdoor and scientific circles. He died on April 4, 1925, leaving behind a body of work that still interests readers drawn to the history of fishing, conservation, and American sporting culture.