Fishing — like life — is a learning process. And much of what we learn is through the guidance of others; people who impact our lives by giving us a more positive direction, or helping us to see things differently.
One such individual in my life was Fred Snellgrove — a longtime friend who recently passed.
Although Fred was many years my senior, we were close despite our age difference.
Early in my career, he was my partner in team tournaments. We won or placed high in a number of those events, most of which were held on area lakes in North-Central Florida — lakes Orange and Lochloosa, Santa Fe and Rodman Reservoir. Places where I learned the finer points of fishing submerged grass, much of which I gained through Fred’s tutelage.
Fred had a great sense of humor, oftentimes poking fun at himself.
He used to call himself “The Old Goat,” and it stuck. We also referred to him as “Fredgrove” — a shortened, combined version of his first and last names.
Regardless of how he was addressed, Fred always responded with a smile, in the most positive, cheerful way.
Fred on the road
When I decided to go solo and compete in the Gator Division of the Red Man Tournament Trail, Fred would sometimes accompany me on scouting trips, helping me explore bigger bodies of water — like the Harris Chain, Kissimmee Chain and Lake Okeechobee.
I realized a lot of success in my first couple of seasons on the Red Man Trail, and so I decided to enter some regional B.A.S.S. events. That brought more success, and with it, a number of sponsor deals. Before I knew it, I was competing full-time in the Bassmaster Invitationals — the sport’s highest level of competition at that time.
Meanwhile, Operation Bass introduced its Golden Blend Series, which became the precursor to the FLW Tour. Being young and single, I committed to both B.A.S.S. and FLW, which meant considerably more travel. By then, Fred had retired from his job at BellSouth (now AT&T) and was accompanying me to some of the more distant events.
Back then, we were allowed to have friends and family in our boats while scouting tournament waters ahead of competition. And Fred was always an asset on big bodies of water. His relaxed, laidback approach made those waters less intimidating. And because of his help and support, I quickly gained some traction … qualifying for several Bassmaster Classics and FLW Championships.
Fred and family
Fred was always steadfast and reliable. As a young man, he enlisted in the military and served three years in Korea. Afterward, he dedicated 30 years of his life to BellSouth, in which time he and his wife Sonja raised a family of four.
Fred was a dedicated husband and father, selfless in every aspect of the role.
Fred also considered his closest friends as part of the family. He often hosted cookouts and pool parties to bring us all together. I remember his smoker running nonstop for days in preparation for those events, and the countless bushels of oysters we ate on the half shell. Fred called them “sters,” and he knew where to find the freshest and tastiest available.
About that time, I married my wife, Kim, and started a family. And Fred was always around, finding ways to help us out. He was like a surrogate grandfather to our two sons, Daniel and Trevor — neither of whom got to know their true grandfathers.
In fact, that’s Fred on the cover of the 1995 Hildebrandt catalog, holding our oldest boy, Daniel, when he was three.
Fred staying busy
Fred made many friends through fishing. He served as president of the Bassmasters of Gator Country — our B.A.S.S. affiliated club that won two Bassmaster Top-6 Team titles in the State of Florida. Among those team members were Hall of Famer Shaw Grigsby, Gerry Bevis, Gary Simpson, Tom Burke, Doug Stringfellow, Greg Fricke and Mike Gough — all of whom had a deep respect and admiration for Fred.
After his retirement from the phone company, Fred took a position as a reel repairman at The Tackle Box — our local pro shop. Fred didn’t need the money. He just needed something to stay busy. He was an overachiever that way … always working on something, usually to the benefit of others.
Fred later moved to Panama City and became the tackle department manager for 77 Hardware. There he established relationships with other notable anglers, including Elite Series pro Drew Benton.
Fred loved to tinker with tackle. I still carry some crankbaits he modified with red, bleeding accents and feathered tail hooks. His topwaters, too, received those treatments. Fred was a strong proponent of red highlights, believing it signaled vulnerability and could trigger the predatory instincts of a bass. And on more than one occasion, he proved it to me on the water — beating me decisively, as I threw the same lures without those accents.
Fred accomplished many things in life. But what may be the most notable were the values he passed on to others — among them loyalty, a strong work ethic and how to treat people with kindness. Values that made the lives of those closest to him fuller and much more meaningful.
For those of us who knew him best, Fred Snellgrove will always be The Old Goat … The Greatest of All Time.