Sharing the outdoors
Honoring Ron Wong’s legacy
THE FIRST TIME I met the late Ron Wong, he was standing over a fryer, making his famous hush puppies. Ron was an outstanding example of an outdoor communicator—always doing his best to inspire people to engage with the outdoor lifestyle. Through the lens of his ever-present camera, he helped people see the outdoors the way he did. And of course, he also loved to feed people. That’s how I ended up with his hush puppy recipe, which I still use to this day.
That event was hosted by Brushpile Fishing, an educational crappie fishing show. In addition to its YouTube show, Brushpile now has an academy to teach and inspire people to enjoy the outdoors. Attendees learn so much from instructors, who are undeniably some of the world’s best crappie anglers and fishing educators.
Ron loved to fish, but even more than that, he loved getting other people started. He especially encouraged women and kids, because he said he felt that they should “get in on the fun.” After Ron passed away unexpectedly in April 2025, outdoors writer and educator Madalyn Roberts put into motion what is now the Ron Wong Legacy Foundation.
The foundation’s mission is “to support the fishing community by bringing together individuals interested in fishing—especially women and children—through education, skills training, resource access and leadership development.”
The foundation’s first event was hosted by the Brushpile Fishing Academy for Women and Youth at Green River Lake. It was a fitting tribute to Ron, and a heartwarming experience for outdoor educators and communicators who are working hard to share the outdoor lifestyle with others. I know that Ron would be happy to see the legacy he left behind.
If you would like more information about the Ron Wong Legacy Foundation, be sure to visit ronwonglegacyfoundation.org, where you can donate to the foundation and help bring more people together to learn and enjoy the great outdoors.
