It is with heavy hearts that the Bassmaster Tour pros are in Many, La., preparing for the competition at Toledo Bend Reservoir. Their zest for the sport's riches and fame has been forced to take a backseat to the reality of life and death.
While the pros strategize and plan for a way to catch enough bass to win the competition's $100,000 top prize, they are mourning the loss of a friend and colleague. Many have undoubtedly dedicated this tournament in his honor.
Carl Maxfield died unexpectedly at his South Carolina home last Friday, the day he was to head for Toledo Bend. He was 50 years old and leaves behind wife Toni, an infant son Adam Grayson who was born two days after the Bassmasters Classic last July and two adult children.
According to close friend and fellow Tour pro Ray Sedgwick, Maxfield died from an apparent heart attack and didn't respond to emergency efforts. Friends in Summerville, S.C., rallied around Toni.
Saying "I've done all I can for Toni," Sedgwick made the long drive to Toledo Bend Saturday and prepares for Thursday's Tour start with a livewell full of distractions. He has plenty of company. Maxfield was one of the most popular pros on the Tour, especially among his colleagues.
"He just had a heart of gold," Sedgwick said. "He was a help anybody, compassionate type of person. He thought of helping other people before he worried about himself. I'm sure any of the guys on the Tour would vouch for that. Just a great guy who got along with everybody and was fun to be around."
"We roomed together, traveled together. He was an outstanding fisherman and compassionate individual who would help everyone. It's a tragic loss for our sport. He was really an ambassador for fishing. Carl was there, good, bad or indifferent. He took everything in stride."
Sunday's Fellowship of Christian Anglers non-denominational worship service at Toledo Bend had a larger than normal turnout. All were grappling with Maxfield's passing.
We talked about Carl and spent some time praying for Toni and their kids," said reigning Bassmasters Classic Champion Jay Yelas, one of the leaders of the service. "We talked about how all of our days are numbered, and you never know when your time's going to be up. So try to make the most of life and enjoy it - like Carl did. Carl lived a good life, and we have a lot of fond memories of that fella. He was really one of the good guys in the sport.
"We talked about taking some comfort in the fact that there's life after death. Carl is up there in Heaven. He was a good Christian guy. There's a future beyond this life, and that's what we have to rest on - in that hope that he's up there in Glory right now and we'll see him again soon.
"But it's still hard and so unexpected. We have had very few deaths in our fishing families over the years. There's been Bryan Kerchal and Jimmy Atkinson was killed in a boating accident a few years back. And Mike Ballentine died from cancer at a young age. But for the most part, we've been a pretty healthy bunch. But it's a wake-up call just like Bryan's unexpected death was."
It had been a tough season for Maxfield, who had had been enduring a broken leg that occurred during an accident while deer hunting in Saskatchewan in November with fellow pro David Fritts. As a result, he fished the first three Tour events wearing a cast on his left leg.
Yet, Maxfield displayed his trademark smile as he maneuvered around the Lake Seminole weigh-in stage on crutches. Most of us will remember that ever-present smile the most.
A native of Virginia, Maxfield moved to South Carolina after being stationed at the Charleston Air Force base in 1971 and began guiding on Santee Cooper Reservoir after resigning in 1980. He had fished the Bassmaster Tournament Trail fulltime since 1991.
Maxfield enjoyed good success, qualifying for two Classics, winning one tournament and losing another in a sudden-death fish-off. He earned more than $300,000 in his BASS career.
Sedgwick said a memorial is planned for Maxfield next month when the Tour stops on his home lake, Santee Cooper Reservoir. It will give his fellow pros a chance to celebrate his life with his family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to a scholarship fund for Maxfield's infant son. Checks should be sent to Carl Maxfield Memorial Scholarship Fund, 305 Squirrel Hollow Court, Summerville, S.C. 29483
SKEET'S KEEPER
Red-hot California pro Skeet Reese had another exciting moment recently with the birth of daughter Leah Marie weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces.
It is the first baby for Skeet and Kim Reese. Kim timed the birth between Tour events and Skeet was there for the occasion. "It was the coolest thing I've ever been involved with," said Reese, the curator of cool on the Tour.
Leah Marie? How about Skeeter, Skeetie or Skeetette?br>
DID YOU KNOW?
Veteran Texas pro Zell Rowland was the youngest angler to ever fish a BASS tournament. He was 13 at the time, and his participation led to the creation of a minimum-age of 16. Rowland has gone on to win three BASS tournaments.
PRO BIRTHDAYS
Missouri's Stacey King will be 54 years young on Feb. 21, while Indiana's Chip Harrison turns 41 on Feb. 23. Charlie Youngers of Florida becomes 51 on Feb. 25th.
IF I HADN'T BECOME A BASS PRO...
Georgia's Tom Mann Jr. would likely be a club pro in the Atlanta area. He is nearly a scratch golfer who has dominated his local course's championship in recent years.
THEY SAID IT
"You get to do what you love to do and be outside. You get to fish. I think every fisherman loves to fish, but they also love to be outside, and they love God's creation and being out in nature seeing beautiful sunrises and sunsets. We're all naturalists at heart, I think, too." Texas pro and two-time Bassmaster winner Kelly Jordon on the most rewarding part of his job as a professional angler.