A day in the life of Cliff Pace

Being crowned Classic champ has brought some changes, but Cliff Pace stays grounded. B.A.S.S. writer Steve Wright follows Cliff during a typical day in Petal, Miss.

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<p>The town of Petal, Miss., officially honored Bassmaster Classic champion Cliff Pace on Saturday, April 6, but it seems like every day has been "Cliff Pace Day" in his hometown since Pace won the Classic on Feb. 24. Bassmaster.com's Steve Wright spent a day in southern Mississippi with Pace, one week after he won the title. Those 24 hours included a police traffic stop, golf course bass fishing and lure-making lessons. The new champion is a quiet man, however Pace leads anything but a dull life.</p>
The town of Petal, Miss., officially honored Bassmaster Classic champion Cliff Pace on Saturday, April 6, but it seems like every day has been “Cliff Pace Day” in his hometown since Pace won the Classic on Feb. 24. Bassmaster.com’s Steve Wright spent a day in southern Mississippi with Pace, one week after he won the title. Those 24 hours included a police traffic stop, golf course bass fishing and lure-making lessons. The new champion is a quiet man, however Pace leads anything but a dull life.
<p>It seems that everyone in Petal is happy about Cliff Pace winning the Bassmaster Classic championship, even the cops. When the blue lights came on behind his pickup truck, Pace initially suspected his truck tags had expired. That was not the case.</p>
It seems that everyone in Petal is happy about Cliff Pace winning the Bassmaster Classic championship, even the cops. When the blue lights came on behind his pickup truck, Pace initially suspected his truck tags had expired. That was not the case.
<p>Rather than a traffic stop, Forrest County Deputy Sheriff Tim Hartfield simply wanted to congratulate Pace for winning the Classic. (Note: Professional bass fishing isn't a stress-free job, as evidenced by the big pink bottle of Pepto Bismol in Pace's truck door.)</p>
Rather than a traffic stop, Forrest County Deputy Sheriff Tim Hartfield simply wanted to congratulate Pace for winning the Classic. (Note: Professional bass fishing isn’t a stress-free job, as evidenced by the big pink bottle of Pepto Bismol in Pace’s truck door.)
<p>Cliff and his wife, Brana, own a two-story brick house located adjacent to the Twin Pines Golf Course. When they returned from Tulsa, a "welcome home" sign had been strung between two pine trees on the course, behind the Paces' home.</p>
Cliff and his wife, Brana, own a two-story brick house located adjacent to the Twin Pines Golf Course. When they returned from Tulsa, a “welcome home” sign had been strung between two pine trees on the course, behind the Paces’ home.
<p>The golf course is much more than a well-manicured "back 40" acres behind Pace's home. Two large water hazards are within 250 yards of his back fence and have served as "practice ponds" for Pace's fishing career.</p>
The golf course is much more than a well-manicured “back 40” acres behind Pace’s home. Two large water hazards are within 250 yards of his back fence and have served as “practice ponds” for Pace’s fishing career.
<p>Cliff's late father, Leo, built the house and had this mount made of two largemouth bass and a crappie caught from the golf course fishing holes. Leo died of a heart attack when Cliff was 18 years old. But the lessons about hard work and determination that Pace learned from his father have never left.</p>
Cliff’s late father, Leo, built the house and had this mount made of two largemouth bass and a crappie caught from the golf course fishing holes. Leo died of a heart attack when Cliff was 18 years old. But the lessons about hard work and determination that Pace learned from his father have never left.
<p>Another cast at another pond and another bass from the golf course is the result. There aren't many lunkers left in the ponds, but this is where Pace says he learned how to fish spawning beds, and caught one 12-pounder over a dozen times. Pace used to keep the ponds well-stocked with big bass. But too many others figured out his sweet spots and started taking trophies home. These waters remain full of fish. Pace spotted a couple of spawning beds on this early March morning</p>
Another cast at another pond and another bass from the golf course is the result. There aren’t many lunkers left in the ponds, but this is where Pace says he learned how to fish spawning beds, and caught one 12-pounder over a dozen times. Pace used to keep the ponds well-stocked with big bass. But too many others figured out his sweet spots and started taking trophies home. These waters remain full of fish. Pace spotted a couple of spawning beds on this early March morning
<p>With a blue tee marker behind him, Pace reels in another bass. That's his house, on the horizon, above the jumping fish. It's 215 yards from the blue marker to the flag pin on the other side of the pond. Pace, by the way, doesn't play golf. His passions for fishing and bow-hunting whitetail deer require most of his free time. Pace knew his competitive drive wouldn't allow for casual duffing, so he never took up the sport.</p>
With a blue tee marker behind him, Pace reels in another bass. That’s his house, on the horizon, above the jumping fish. It’s 215 yards from the blue marker to the flag pin on the other side of the pond. Pace, by the way, doesn’t play golf. His passions for fishing and bow-hunting whitetail deer require most of his free time. Pace knew his competitive drive wouldn’t allow for casual duffing, so he never took up the sport.
<p>After leaving the golf course, Pace made the short drive to his lure-making shop.  This is the first "station" inside the open-floored metal building, where he carves the lead and puts the finishing touches on new designs, before multi-lure production molds are made for each one.</p>
After leaving the golf course, Pace made the short drive to his lure-making shop.  This is the first “station” inside the open-floored metal building, where he carves the lead and puts the finishing touches on new designs, before multi-lure production molds are made for each one.
<p>Pace uses a file to smooth a spinnerbait before it is used to make a mold for reproduction. After this point, it starts getting a bit technical, involving a spin-cast machine that was designed primarily for making jewelry.</p>
Pace uses a file to smooth a spinnerbait before it is used to make a mold for reproduction. After this point, it starts getting a bit technical, involving a spin-cast machine that was designed primarily for making jewelry.
<p>With a master mold made, Pace can begin producing multiple lures in a spin-cast machine. "It took me two years and $10,000 to learn how to do this," Pace said. This step in the process is aided by the 2003 Makita Tools calendar girl. Some things simply don't go out of date.</p>
With a master mold made, Pace can begin producing multiple lures in a spin-cast machine. “It took me two years and $10,000 to learn how to do this,” Pace said. This step in the process is aided by the 2003 Makita Tools calendar girl. Some things simply don’t go out of date.
<p>The shelves housing the master molds of Pace's various lure creations over the years are stacked like the film library in a movie production studio. There's always time for tinkering with new designs on jig-heads, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits when you're trying to create an advantage on the tournament bass fishing circuit.</p>
The shelves housing the master molds of Pace’s various lure creations over the years are stacked like the film library in a movie production studio. There’s always time for tinkering with new designs on jig-heads, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits when you’re trying to create an advantage on the tournament bass fishing circuit.
<p>– In the paint booth, Pace applies a touch of orange to a row of spinnerbait heads. Pace is well-known for his lure-painting skills with an airbrush in his hands.</p>
– In the paint booth, Pace applies a touch of orange to a row of spinnerbait heads. Pace is well-known for his lure-painting skills with an airbrush in his hands.
<p>Pace is willing to share his lure-painting skills. Eric Mayo and Daniel Reyer work in Pace's shop and have become adept painters as well. These are lures are examples from Mayo's personal inventory.</p>
Pace is willing to share his lure-painting skills. Eric Mayo and Daniel Reyer work in Pace’s shop and have become adept painters as well. These are lures are examples from Mayo’s personal inventory.
There's a three-step process in the painting of these football head jigs: 1) a powder paint coat, 2) art work, like eyes, or the black accents on the olive-colored jigs pictured in the front rows, and 3) an auto-type clear coat to preserve the previous paint layers.
There’s a three-step process in the painting of these football head jigs: 1) a powder paint coat, 2) art work, like eyes, or the black accents on the olive-colored jigs pictured in the front rows, and 3) an auto-type clear coat to preserve the previous paint layers.
<p>Pace demonstrates how to tie a new skirt on a buzzbait. Pace and Gary Klein, who usually share a room while on the road for Elite Series events, always carry tying vises, bobbins and spools of thread when traveling. Pace carries a considerable supply of various silicone skirts for jigs, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. "It gives you an unlimited resource to pull from," Pace said.</p>
Pace demonstrates how to tie a new skirt on a buzzbait. Pace and Gary Klein, who usually share a room while on the road for Elite Series events, always carry tying vises, bobbins and spools of thread when traveling. Pace carries a considerable supply of various silicone skirts for jigs, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. “It gives you an unlimited resource to pull from,” Pace said.
<p>Pace puts the finishing wraps on the buzzbait skirt. Bayou Outdoors in Natchitoches, La., makers of V&M and Cyclone lures, is one of Pace's primary sponsors, and he has designed many of their baits. His lure-making is an off-shoot of that. "No single tackle company can carry an inventory of everything," Pace said. "They'd have to have a warehouse the size of Texas." By having the ability to make or modify lures almost instantly, "I've always got whatever I need with me," he said. "That's invaluable."</p>
Pace puts the finishing wraps on the buzzbait skirt. Bayou Outdoors in Natchitoches, La., makers of V&M and Cyclone lures, is one of Pace’s primary sponsors, and he has designed many of their baits. His lure-making is an off-shoot of that. “No single tackle company can carry an inventory of everything,” Pace said. “They’d have to have a warehouse the size of Texas.” By having the ability to make or modify lures almost instantly, “I’ve always got whatever I need with me,” he said. “That’s invaluable.”
<p>The tornado that swept through Hattiesburg and Petal on Feb. 10 was both a tragedy and a miracle: a tragedy in the amount of property damage done; a miracle that no one was killed. Pace watched the funnel cloud come within 300 yards of his home late in the afternoon on the day before he was leaving for the Classic in Tulsa. Trees and power lines were downed everywhere in the tornado's path.</p>
The tornado that swept through Hattiesburg and Petal on Feb. 10 was both a tragedy and a miracle: a tragedy in the amount of property damage done; a miracle that no one was killed. Pace watched the funnel cloud come within 300 yards of his home late in the afternoon on the day before he was leaving for the Classic in Tulsa. Trees and power lines were downed everywhere in the tornado’s path.
<p>After Pace saw the tornado pass his house, he immediately got in his truck to go check on his mother. He knew the storm's path had tracked directly over her home, and phone service had been disabled. Downed trees and power lines blocked the streets to her house. "It took me 30 minutes with a flashlight in my hand to walk three-quarters of a mile," said Pace, who found the house unscathed amidst damage all around it. "You can't imagine what it felt like for me to put my arms around her that night." This house wasn't so fortunate.</p>
After Pace saw the tornado pass his house, he immediately got in his truck to go check on his mother. He knew the storm’s path had tracked directly over her home, and phone service had been disabled. Downed trees and power lines blocked the streets to her house. “It took me 30 minutes with a flashlight in my hand to walk three-quarters of a mile,” said Pace, who found the house unscathed amidst damage all around it. “You can’t imagine what it felt like for me to put my arms around her that night.” This house wasn’t so fortunate.
<p>There once was an Ace Hardware Store on what is now a leveled lot in downtown Petal. You can see a pile of storm debris just behind where the hardware store once stood. It will be months before this area is cleared of all the debris left by the storm.</p>
There once was an Ace Hardware Store on what is now a leveled lot in downtown Petal. You can see a pile of storm debris just behind where the hardware store once stood. It will be months before this area is cleared of all the debris left by the storm.
<p>Eventually, someone would have to remove the sheet metal left in this tree. Below it are what's left of one dwelling – a few working appliances and a concrete slab.</p>
Eventually, someone would have to remove the sheet metal left in this tree. Below it are what’s left of one dwelling – a few working appliances and a concrete slab.
<p>Cliff Pace is in a position that anyone would envy: on the couch, talking to well-wishers on the phone, with his dog beside him and a Bassmaster Classic Championship trophy on his coffee table.</p>
Cliff Pace is in a position that anyone would envy: on the couch, talking to well-wishers on the phone, with his dog beside him and a Bassmaster Classic Championship trophy on his coffee table.
<p>Rather than last, this is the first scene Wright witnessed after arriving at Pace's home the evening before our tour of Petal — Cliff preparing some deer tenderloin for the grill. Pace bow-hunts almost every day during deer season. He killed a 109-inch-antlered trophy last season, but most of his harvest goes into the freezer. "Brana and I eat venison almost all year," Pace said. As Wright can attest, grilled deer tenderloin, turnip greens, corn, purple-hull peas and hot biscuits make a fine home-cooked supper.</p>
Rather than last, this is the first scene Wright witnessed after arriving at Pace’s home the evening before our tour of Petal — Cliff preparing some deer tenderloin for the grill. Pace bow-hunts almost every day during deer season. He killed a 109-inch-antlered trophy last season, but most of his harvest goes into the freezer. “Brana and I eat venison almost all year,” Pace said. As Wright can attest, grilled deer tenderloin, turnip greens, corn, purple-hull peas and hot biscuits make a fine home-cooked supper.