By Chris Erwin
I would like to tell you about one of my dear friends. As we go through life, we meet a lot of people, and every now and then you meet someone who moves you to be better at what you do. Soc Clay is such a person. His achievements alone are too extensive to cover in this article, but I need at least to tell you of a few to let you know him a little better.
Clay is a South Shore native who began writing about the outdoors in 1961. A steel worker at the time, he struggled to break into the market. His first job was writing for the Portsmouth Times.
By the 70’s he had established himself in the outdoor world of writing as full-time freelance outdoor photojournalist. Clay’s byline and photo credits have appeared in every major publication in North America that covers outdoor recreation. Over the years, he has served as a masthead editor for a variety of publications, including Outdoor Life, Fins & Feathers, Bassin, Ohio Fisherman, Fishing Facts, Action Bass, Heartland USA Magazine, Bass, Ohio Sportsman, Cabela’s Outfitter Journal Magazine and many others.
Clay is considered a master of outdoor photography. His images appear in publications around the globe. He is recognized as one of the most talented freshwater fishing photographers in the world.
He has received dozens of prestigious national, regional and local awards for his work in outdoor photojournalism. Among his most treasured are the Lifetime Achievement Award and the heralded Tom Rollins Award presented by the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association. In 1983, Clay was named Kentucky Poet Laureate by the Kentucky General Assembly and Governor Martha Layne Collins; he is the first outdoor communicator ever to receive such distinction.
In 2003, Clay was inducted into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Communicator. He is the first photojournalist in history to receive this highly prestigious honor. In October 2003, he was inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame as a Legendary Photojournalist along with B.A.S.S. founder, Ray Scott and Bass Pro Shops founder, Johnny Morris.
As I said before I could go on and on talking about awards and achievements that most of us would be thrilled just to receive one of these awards let alone a list that could span pages.
At 75, Soc is strong and active. He has just finished a second edition of his famous sourdough cookbook that should be hitting the shelves by the time this article is published. Clay has kept alive a sourdough starter from the 1800’s that was passed down to him by Sam Roberson, an outdoor writer who spent most of his life covering the Alaskan outdoors.
Clay’s book published by Whitefish publishing will be offered not only in the US but in international markets, you will also be able to contact him by going to www.socclay.com.
It has been Clay and Homer Circle that fueled my quest to learn about the outdoors. Clay wrote about the streams and lakes of Kentucky like no other writer, his tales about fishing Kentucky waters were so clear and captivating I couldn’t wait to try to use my new-found knowledge on the very lakes he would write about.
His tales of the woods and streams would come alive in my imagination with words that were so clear I could feel the water rushing pass my legs as I stood in the streams projecting myself in his stories. He has honed his craft to a laser-like precision, taking the reader along, letting them feel the exhilaration of the hunt or the thumping rush of a big bass on the line.
These days Clay is still spinning great yarns about the outdoor. Every month or two he calls for a famous “barn party,” where a handful of handpicked writers along with old friends meet in Clay’s barn. There story tellers stand up in front of guests and tell a yarn, give a reading or recite poetry. This past week we got to hear some readings from Sam Piatt, a long time outdoor writer, along with poetry from a half a dozen other poets. The idea is to entertain, teach and learn from seasoned veterans that still have a thing or two to say to stimulate the thinking process.
It’s no secret that Clay has been both my friend and mentor. His quick wit and vast knowledge of the outdoors never fails to amaze me. On many of our long road trips to cover events, I find that the time on the road seems to fly by as Soc tells us about an adventure he experienced sometime in the past. In the past 10 years, I’ve heard tale after tale without him repeating a single one.
If you get a chance to read a few words from my good friend take the time to do it. While his articles are world renowned, I find that the stories he writes or recites to a gathering about his past adventures have become among my favorites.
Till Next Time,
May God bless you and Happy Holidays!
Editor’s Note: This story first appeared in the Greater Ashland Beacon.
I would like to buy a Sourdough starter with instructions on keeping it alive.
Hi Sharon, you need to contact Soc Clay you can email him at csocclay@windstream.net