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One of the benefits of traveling a fishing circuit is the great friends and relationships you develop along the way.
My career started back in the 1980s when I decided to tackle the Bassmaster Invitationals, which, in those days, was the highest level of Bassmaster events.
I’ve made hundreds of friends over the years, but there are four that exemplify the kind of bond that makes traveling together so special.
I was working at a boat dealership in Branson, Mo., at the time and made friends with Howard McCallister. He worked construction and was a hot stick in team events around Missouri at that time.
Today, Howard owns a very successful Phoenix boat dealership in the Branson area.
When we hit the invitational trail, we hooked up with Charlie Campbell, Stacey King and Chet Douthit as travel partners. We roomed together for about four years.
Charlie was our mentor. We were all younger and looked up to him. He taught us how to walk, talk and act professional.
He also was a master with the Heddon Spook and other topwater lures. He actually brought topwater fishing into the spotlight through pro tournaments and his tips were often shared on the pages of Bassmaster Magazine.
I’ve often said he pioneered the way we fish walking baits today.
While he was best known for his topwater successes, he also loved fishing a big spinnerbait. In fact, Blakemore Lures created a single spin with a big Colorado blade it called the CC Spin, named after Charlie.
Charlie would cup the ends of Colorado blade to make it thump harder, and he would wake it over the top of cedar trees. When fish wouldn’t hit the topwater, they’d crush that spinnerbait.
Charlie competed in five Bassmasster Classics, was a consultant at Bass Pro Shops and had a hand in the development of the Bass Tracker Boat. Sadly, he passed away in 2020.
Chet was an ex-NFL player, having spent one season with the Miami Dolphins, the year they went undefeated. Chet played college ball at an Arkansas school and was drafted in 1972 as a wide receiver. I remember him telling me they made the team run the 40-yard dash in training camp and he beat everyone. However, star running back Mercury Morris, didn’t partake in the exercise that day. When he did run the dash later, he fell down and still beat Chet’s time.
Unfortunately, Chet blew out his knee the first year and his pro football career ended, but he did qualify for eight Bassmaster Classics.
Stacey King, who fished in 12 Bassmaster Classics, was a guide on Table Rock. He was always a guy you had to beat anytime you were fishing there.
Late one night Stacey, Howard and I decided to go climb a fence owned by someone Howard knew to get to access a pond and catch frogs. One guy held the light and Howard would grab frogs with his bare hands. When we were finished we climbed back over the fence and Stacey started hollering and ripped off his pants. He unknowingly had stepped in a ground hornet nest and they were stinging him all over his legs. He was in misery, but we still got a good laugh out of it.
We always had a good time even if we didn’t do well in a tournament. We all loved fishing and got along very well.
I still cherish the memories and miss spending time with those guys who all had a hand in guiding me through this sport we all love so well.