Page 35 - Lady Bass Digital Magazine March 2023

soon after. We waited a long time in the heat for help.
A strange man pulled up in front of us and just sat
there for a while, and we were nervous. Fortunately,
we were well protected, thanks to Cheryl. A tow
vehicle finally showed up, changed the tire, and we
arrived at the hotel around 7. Parking at a hotel with
a boat is nerve wracking, and my nerves were already
shot!! We ate at a great crab restaurant next to the
hotel and sang a little karaoke which helped to calm
and distract me. Another lesson I learned that week:
staying in one hotel room with four boaters is like
being on an episode of “Hoarders”. We were all on top and off we went. Hour after hour passed; I felt sicker
of each other.
Anyway, presfishing began the next morning. I had
been advised by many folks - “FISH THE GRASS!!” I
started motoring around the lake, grass, grass, grass,
and more grass! I didn’t know where to begin. So,
I looked at my map and Lowrance, and decided to
fish a summertime pattern that I knew well and was
comfortable with - deep Carolina rigging on main
lake points. There weren’t a ton of spots, but enough I
thought. My prefishing did not go well. I caught a few
and made a long run to the Comer bridge where I got
stuck in the mud. I tried to fish grass a couple of times but yes people were staring at me.
but each time I felt so overwhelmed that I gave up. My
confidence was low as tourney day approached.
My heart was pounding as we
all headed to the registration
period. I really didn’t know very
many of the ladies back then,
and I was very, very intimidated
- all these fancy jerseys and
wrapped boats. I’m dressed
in a school t-shirt. I felt like a
fish out of water, pardon the
pun. Anyway, I nervously sat
through the meeting and the
draw. I drew a Texas girl, Jan Bruner. We met after
the meeting, and I told her we would fish some docks
and points and that I was in fact a rookie. One thing I
experienced in the beginning, and to a certain extent
still do, is the feeling that no co-angler would want to
draw ME. I’ve never been a super confident person,
but I figured, hey, at least I’d be nice. I also promised
myself at the time to try to never forget a co-angler. I
know they too are fighting through their fears.
The morning of the first day, after a sleepless night,
I went out to my truck in the dark with my heart
pounding. Well, my truck wouldn’t start. Geez! So,
there I was wandering around in the dark looking
for someone to give me a jump. All the other angers
were busy and distracted and I felt so foolish. I don’t
remember who, but someone’s nice husband gave me
a jump and sent me on my way. I couldn’t turn my
engine off all morning. Obviously, this did nothing
to calm my nerves. Anyway, Jan and I got dumped in
and sicker in my stomach. At the end of the day, you
guessed it, neither of us had a keeper. I was devastated
and very distraught. I had to get my truck jumped
again and drove straight to Walmart with my boat
in tow to get a new battery. While I was waiting, I
walked around Walmart, and finally called my brother
Doug, who I knew was waiting with bated breath to
hear all about my day. Within seconds I was sobbing
uncontrollable in the middle of the aisle- sunburned,
sweaty, depleted emotionally. Doug had tournament
fished for years, so he was able to help me put things
in perspective and calm me down a bit. I tried to hide,
One of the hardest things to do in a tournament is
to remain focused, optimistic, and persistent after a
terrible first day. A part of you doesn’t even want to go
out on the water again, but we have an obligation to
our co-anglers to continue trying our very hardest to
help them have an enjoyable day. For day two, I drew
Charlotte Frazier. She is a lovely positive person and
is just what I needed. I told her that morning, “Char-
lotte, I had a lousy day yesterday. I’m not sure what
I’m going to do today, but NONE of what I did yester-
day!”. So off we went, and guess what? I stopped in a
big field of grass, buzzed a Zoom Horney toad across
it, and caught a
keeper! I nearly
cried with relief.
As the day went
on I started fish-
ing little bridges
with current and
caught another
one on a big jig, I
think four or five
Lady Bass Anglers Association 35