Today’s historical photo is in remembrance of Carl Maxfield. In May 1976, Maxfield was just a 23-year-old buck sergeant from Charleston Air Force Base when he won the South Carolina B.A.S.S. Federation’s state tournament at Lake Keowee. Not only did Maxfield win the event, but he also caught the largest bass of the tournament.
Maxfield, then a Bristol, TN native, totaled 28-pounds eight-ounces of largemouth bass to qualify first on the six-angler team, The team would represent the Palmetto State in the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society’s Bassmaster Chapter tournament to be held later that year in Kingston, Oklahoma.
Maxfield would go on to become a professional bass angler some 15 years later, joining the Bassmaster tour full-time in 1991. He would register 104 events and 2 Classic appearances during his career. His sole win came during the 2000 Maryland Bassmaster Top 150 event held on the Potomac River. Maxfield suffered a heart attack in February 2003 while preparing to leave for a tour event. He was only 50 years old when he passed.
