Jack Chancellor competed in seven Bassmaster Classics and record three top-3 finishes, including a victory at the Arkansas River in 1985. Chancellor passed away at the age of 80 on January. 16, 2026. (Photo: Courtesy of Bassmaster)
January 23, 2026
By Staff Report
According to local news reports, Jack Chancellor, the winner of the 1985 Bassmaster Classic, passed away on January 16 at the age of 80, one week shy of his 81st birthday.
Chancellor was a lifelong resident of Phenix City, Ala., where he was the longtime owner of Jack’s Quick Shop.
Chancellor is survived by his wife of 62 years Patricia “Trece” McBride Chancellor, children Bennie “Ben” Jack Chancellor, Jr., Chance Woodrow Chancellor, and Jo Anna Parker Funderburk (Eric) as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Chancellor competed in 110 Bassmaster events between 1976-2002 and finished in the money 47 times, incuding a pair of runner-up finishes. Along the way, he qualified for seven Classics, with his only B.A.S.S. victory coming at the 1985 Classic held at the Arkansas River in Pine Bluff, Ark. The key to his triumph that week was dragging the aptly-named Do-Nothing Worm near a dropoff adjacent to a sandbar. After his win, the bait exploded in popularity.
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The Do-Nothing Worm was a Senko-style bait four or five inches long pre-rigged with two crappie-sized hooks. The most effective presentation was on a Carolina Rig. When retrieved, the slow-sinking rig rode above the sinker, doing nothing.
Chancellor left competitive fishing in 1991 due to back problems stemming from an automobile accident several years before.
A memorial service is scheduled for Vance Brooks Funeral Home in Phenix City, Ala., on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 2 pm EST (1 pm CST). The family will receive friends one hour before the service at the funeral home.
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