People travel from all over Alabama to see the Manny the Bass Statue. (Audrey Kent / The Bama Buzz)

Eufaula is known to many as the “Bass Fishing Capital of the World.”

If you travel downtown, you can find Manny, a 12-foot bass statue whose construction was inspired by an incredible true story. This isn’t a story you want to miss, so keep reading to learn all about Eufaula’s famous fish!

The fish who started it all

The Leroy Brown Statue in Eufaula is a tender tribute to the bass fish. (Audrey Kent / The Bama Buzz)

Before there was Manny, there was Leroy Brown.

Also located in Downtown Eufaula, there is a 4-foot-tall, white marble memorial statue that stands at 113-117 E. Broad St. The first thing you’ll notice is the stone bass fish on the statue with the words “Leroy Brown” carved under it. Secondly, you’ll see the epitaph that reads in capitalized letters, “MOST BASS ARE JUST FISH. LEROY BROWN WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL.”

The lake-loving town of Eufaula has long told the true story of Leroy Brown, the legendary fish who eventually inspired the construction of the Manny the Bass Statue.

Fishermen of every skill level have a high chance of catching an impressive bass in Eufaula, but Tom Mann, despite being an expert and renowned fisherman, caught one using a strawberry jelly worm fishing lure in 1973. Instead of eating the bass, he decided to keep it as a pet, instantly gaining a fondness for it despite its average size and appearance.

“Leroy was a big deal. He still is, but I think that today, a lot of people don’t realize he was real.”
– Phillip Clayton, Director of Economic Development at Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce

According to the accounts by Mann, the bass was aggressive. He was large and in charge. This earned him his name, “Leroy Brown”, inspired by Jim Croce’s “Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown,” a hit song at the time.

Mann’s popularity grew along with his bait company, and so did Leroy Brown’s, thanks to Mann’s fondness for him. Around this time, Eufaula was becoming recognized as The Big Bass Capital of the World.

The spunk and intelligence of Leroy Brown spread like wildfire, and he gained many loyal fans. He could jump through a hoop above his aquarium, and even made the front page of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

This Image Has An Empty Alt Attribute; Its File Name Is Image_50459137-1024X636.Jpg — Leroy Brown was loved by everyone in Eufaula. (Audrey Kent / The Bama Buzz)

Leroy Brown’s story continued after his passing

After seven years of living in the aquarium, Leroy Brown passed away Aug. 20, 1980. He was the most famous fish in America by the time of his passing. It is estimated that 800 people attended Leroy Brown’s funeral.

Strawberry jelly worm fishing lures were dropped in his casket, which was a satin-lined tackle box. The Eufaula High School Band played, “Bad Bad Leroy Brown.” His pallbearers were celebrities of the bass fishing world, and Alabama’s governor declared it an official day of mourning.

It rained heavily on the day of Leroy Brown’s funeral, matching the gloomy cloud of grief covering Eufaula. Due to the wet earth, Leroy Brown was temporarily kept in Mann’s freezer. The same night, someone broke into Mann’s house and stole Leroy Brown.

The uproar was immediate and countless people, including those in the bass-fishing world, looked everywhere for Leroy Brown.

“Someone actually stole that fish. It was a prank, but it was taken incredibly seriously by those in town. Even those outside of town, actually. Apparently, whoever stole him left a note demanding strawberry worms for Leroy to be returned.”
– Stephanie Wilson, Eufaula local

Three weeks later, he was found at an airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the baggage department. The authorities were notified, but there was not much left of Leroy Brown, so he was thrown away.

Mann loved Leroy Brown until he died in 2005. He had spent $4,000 on the statue of Leroy Brown that he displayed at Mann’s Fish World. On Oct. 13, 2016, the Leroy Brown statue and memorial was placed in downtown Eufaula.

Manny the Bass Statue

Despite Eufaula’s love for Leroy Brown, the town decided the statue wasn’t enough to intrigue visitors. So, in January 2018, “Manny,” a 12-foot-tall fiberglass leaping largemouth bass was unveiled across the street from Leroy Brown.

The statue was named to honor Mann, Leroy Brown’s biggest fan, all while keeping the spirit and story of Leroy Brown alive and fresh.