A man who once owned part of the Minnesota Vikings and earned the Wall Street nickname “Irv the Liquidator” for his ruthless corporate tactics now occupies a unique place in the outdoors world.

Irwin Jacobs is the most powerful man in fishing.

The Minneapolis dealmaker and multimillionaire has risen to that spot because, quite simply, the role never existed.

No single individual ever has controlled such a large and varied chunk of the fishing industry, from the boats that anglers use, to the television shows they watch, to the pro anglers they admire.

Not only is Jacobs chairman of Genmar, the largest recreational boat company in the world, but he’s also head of FLW Outdoors, the parent company of five professional fishing circuits that have big-name sponsors such as Wal-Mart, Chevy Trucks, Kellogg’s Co., Land O’ Lakes and Energizer Holdings Inc.

As an example of his leverage, Jacobs convinced Kellogg’s to put a professional angler on its cereal box.

Meanwhile, it has been Jacobs’ involvement in — read: domination of — professional fishing that has landed him in the pages of USA Today, the New York Times, Time, the Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal, all pretty nice fish wraps.

Jacobs has accomplished all this while residing in a state that generally ignores professional bass fishing and glorifies the almighty walleye.

Not deterred, Jacobs started the RCL Walleye Tour and made folk heroes out a few good ol’ Minnesota boys.

Jacobs said his vision for professional fishing was to elevate it to the level of NASCAR racing, a dream held by a lot of start-up sports companies.

Cash helps the excitement factor, too. Jacobs will pay out $20 million in cash prizes to anglers this year.

Jacobs would love to bring one of his big-money bass tournaments to Minnesota, but state law prohibits fish from being transported from lakes to tournament weigh-in sites.

The DNR’s off-site weigh-in law vexes Jacobs to no end because it limits the audience that can watch the crowning moment of the tournament. Jacobs blames politicians and inflexible DNR managers for his problem, but he still loves Minnesota and the bass fishing opportunities here.

“World-class,” he says of the fishing right outside his door on Lake Minnetonka.