In nineteen sixty eight, a man by the name of George “Buzzard” Massie started the Gold Prospectors Association of America. It was his dream and his vision that brought the GPAA and the Outdoor Channel where they are today. George spent many years developing a club where members could get access to claims all.

Over the United States to go prospecting. It was only a matter of time before he realized he should share his expertise in mining with the nation via television. so one day George and his son Tom (host of Gold Fever) went out with a camera and began documenting the “Buzzard's” prospecting adventures. After years of buying airtime on other networks, George Massie and his family decided to take the next step, and in nineteen ninety three, they started the Outdoor Channel. Later that year, George “Buzzard” Massie passed away leaving both the Gold Prospectors Association of America and the Outdoor Channel to his sons, Tom and Perry Massie. Tom is currently the president of the Gold Prospectors Association of America and sits on the board of the Outdoor Channel as Vice Chairman. Perry sits on the board of the Outdoor Channel as Chairman.

In the early years of the Outdoor Channel, the Massie brothers produced several shows about Gold Prospecting including: Buzzardite Classics, Prospecting America, LDMA Specials, and Alaska Expedition specials. In nineteen ninety six, Gold Fever was created and quickly established as the head stone of both the GPAA and the Outdoor Channel. today Gold Fever sits in its thirteenth year with one hundred and twenty nine complete episodes and another forty episodes under contract. With such an established history, the name Gold Fever and Tom Massie stand as an icon for the Outdoor Channel and Prospectors alike.