Legend Biography

On a farm along White River, where the Bull Shoals Dam now stands, Nina Mae
Wood was born August 9, 1932 to Floyd and Myrtle Kirkland, the second of eight
children. She grew up fishing with a cane pole, farming with mules and rode
horseback, always looking for a race. After attending a one-room schoolhouse
through 8 th grade, Nina graduated from Flippin High School in 1950 and was
captain of the basketball team, making all state in 1949 and 1950.
On April 21, 1951, Nina married her high school sweetheart, Forrest L. Wood and
thus began a full life of farming, raising cattle and hogs, and working a float trip
and construction business. Forrest and Nina were blessed with four beautiful
daughters and it was all hands on deck working to keep boats clean, cooking
lunches for customers, and keeping vehicles where they needed to be. Nina was
also the bookkeeper for all of their business endeavors, but her passion was the
outdoors and she found time to enjoy the farming way of life and encouraged her
girls to ride and show quarter horses, winning numerous awards. Nina and her
family have always been involved in school activities and her support of local
schools and programs is beyond generous.
Widely known and respected as the First Lady of Ranger Boats, Nina has always
represented the sport of fishing in a positive and supportive manner. For nearly
50 years she has encouraged many young fishermen and women and followed
through with sponsorship, mentorship, and friendship. From the onset, Nina was
an integral part of the business, handling promotions, advertising, and
bookkeeping, all the while successfully taking care of a home and family, a
farming operation, and float trip and construction businesses.
Nina has always fostered positive attitudes and has had positive effects on many
lives, our times, and our economy. She has been honored in Las Vegas for The
Life and Times of Forrest and Nina Wood, inducted into the Professional Bass
Fishing Hall of Fame, and she and Forrest were enshrined as a couple in the
National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame. She was the very first lifetime

member of the Bass ‘N Gal Tournament Organization and was featured in “Rare
Breed – The Entrepreneur, An American Culture”. She and Forrest were featured
on Outdoor Life Network’s, Circle of Honor Program as Americans who have made
great contributions to protection of the environment and promotion of the great
outdoors. Nina was also honored by The Bass Fishing Federation with
presentation of customized bowling balls, bag, and shoes at the Forrest Wood
Cup High School fishing event for her contributions to the promotion of fishing for
young people. Locally Forrest and Nina were inducted into the Flippin High
School Hall of Fame and were honored by the naming of the Forrest and Nina
Wood Preschool on the Flippin Public School campus.
Nina continues to ride herd over the family’s extensive cattle ranch, and often
enjoys the company of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren with
a history of fishing and camping as a family. For 40 years, she has enjoyed and
excelled at bowling with a team of dear family and friends. She and Forrest
continue to support Ranger Boats and promote fishing at every opportunity,
traveling as needed to boat shows and fishing events all over the country.