Many folks equate bass fishermen with the "good 'ol boy," tobacco-chewing Bubba types.
Overlooked in much of this hype are some feminine bass anglers who are quite good at what they do.
Several qualifiers for a recent Bass'n Gal Classic Tournament at St. Charles, Missouri, share some of their winning strategies in anticipation that we can become better at what we do.
Penny Berryman of Dardanelle, Arkansas, the holder of a national and world bass fishing title, suggests that each of us religiously keep a fishing log.
"Every trip to a lake can teach us something, and keeping such details as time of year, water temperature, lake level, wind direction, sky conditions, baitfish activity, lures that worked, and areas that produced can be recorded on an audio cassette and reviewed while driving to the lake," she said.
Betty Haire of Charlotte, North Carolina, who has won five national and two world titles during her angling career, reminds us that fish see only the underbelly of any topwater bait.
"Fish are attracted to the sound of a topwater plug and strike primarily at the lure's silhouette."
She goes on to say that the top color or design is not as important as the lure's shade--either light or dark.
"Because bass are so unpredictable, don't try to second guess them. If a light shade on the lure's bottom doesn't work, go to a darker shade, or vice-versa. Be flexible in your thinking and learn to adapt," Ms. Haire concludes.
Chris Houston of Cookson, Oklahoma, the all-time Bass'n Gal money winner with more than $278,000 in her account, says a spinnerbait is easiest to fish because of its versatility.
"The most important thing to remember about spinnerbait fishing is to know what size, color, and blade combination to use under different conditions.
"When bass are feeding on one- to two-inch baitfish, use a 1/8- or 1/4-ounce spinnerbait for best results. If they're going for bait three to five inches in length, step up to a 3/8- or 3/4-ounce lure," she stressed.
Scottsboro, Alabama, ace, Burma Thomas, twice Bass'n Gal Angler-of-the-Year, reminds us that for every fish we catch along the shoreline, there are dozens more to be caught off shore simply because of underwater structure that holds numerous fish.
"Once you've located a good piece of underwater structure," she admonished, "it's important to be able to find it quickly on your next trip. You can accomplish this through cross triangulation by picking out two stationary objects that line up in two separate directions."
She adds that by recording this information, along with noting the water depth and lake level, we can quickly return to the spot on future trips and not waste time in exploration.
Mary Satterfield-Benge reminds us that the little things we frequently forget can prove to be quite important when fishing for money or fun.
"For example," she said, "a measuring board is a good item to have along because many of today's lakes have various size and slot limits, and a ruler can let you quickly determine whether or not a fish is legal."
She also points out that a ruler which is permanently attached to a boat near a live well won't blow out when traveling on the road or on the water.
Copyright (c) 1996 Herb Allen. All rights reserved.
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