WBT ANGLERS TO HAVE NEW OPTIONS
 

MULTIPLE TOURNAMENT TRAILS EMERGE TO GIVE LADIES OPTIONS AFTER DISCONTINUATION OF THE WBT, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN LADY ANGLERS

By Terri Elkins, M.D.

(March 9, 2010 – Red Oak, TX)…Rod Baker, husband and Bass Caddy of WBT Pro Boater Dr. Terri Elkins was shocked to hear from one of his buddies, Lake Fork Guide Lee White, that ESPN/BASS had announced the discontinuation of the Academy Sports and Outdoors Women’s Bassmaster Tour on Monday,  January 4, 2010.  He was shocked, but not surprised.  “I felt during the whole 2009 WBT tournament season that this was the last one, but I hoped that I was wrong”, says Baker.  “But when I started thinking about what those ladies endured in order to fish, I got mad.  Some of them sleep in their trucks and tents, and had to take shelter in camp restrooms at 1 am during severe storms with local tornados, and then get up at four to fish the tournament.  I felt that, with that kind of dedication, there should be something out there for them to stay together and fish.”  Anyone who knows Rod will agree, when he feels like something should be done, he takes whatever steps necessary to make it happen.

Rod was not the only one among the former WBT family who felt it necessary to take action.  All across the country, former WBT anglers were taking steps to ensure that they would get to fish together again in 2010, and not just wait it out until next year.  The clock was obviously ticking, as the New Year had already begun.  Anyone involved in tournament fishing would probably agree that it would take some time to put together a tournament tour.  Not so with Sabrina Thompson, (Humble, TX), former WBT Non-Boater, and member of The International Federation of Black Bass Anglers (IFBBA), who put together a four-stop tour using the former WBT fishing dates in a matter of only a couple of weeks.  Also not so with Secret York, (Benton, KY) and Cheryl Bowden, (Plano, TX), both WBT Boaters who arranged both a tournament and a national meeting of the former WBT anglers at Kentucky Lake in May. 

The first thing in the minds of all of the WBT anglers was their obligation to their Sponsors.  Dollars had already been spent, boats wrapped, tournament shirts bought, lake maps and supplies long-purchased, and reservations made.  Immediately after receiving the email sent out to inform the women that they would no longer be fishing the WBT, the ladies got to work.  Everyone in the WBT had to find tournaments to fish that would fulfill their obligations to promote their Sponsors.  There was never any question in anyone’s mind of quitting; it was only one of where they could fish and when.  There were a few spots left in the Opens Tour, so some of the women were able to transfer their deposits over and fish the Opens.  Top anglers, such as Pam Martin-Wells, Judy Wong, and Dianna Clark all are fishing Opens tournaments.  Other former WBT professionals were unable to secure Opens berths, and other tournament trails began receiving inquiries as to open registration slots.  There are now women registered to fish everything from the Bassmaster Opens Series to the Fishers of Men tour. 

With the now-former WBT anglers scattered in tournament trails all over the United States, it would be a challenge to keep a venue where the ladies could continue to enjoy the camaraderie they had in fishing together.  That’s why it’s such a surprise that not one, but three tournament trails arose like a phoenix from the ashes of the former WBT.  The first indication that the WBT women had that anything was being done, was the email they received from  Bowden, in which she asked them to fill out surveys on what direction the women wanting to fish together wanted to take, and what they would like to see in terms of tournament days, format, and payouts.  While she was doing that, Thompson was working with the IFBBA and put together the four-stop tour offered.

Things began happening quickly and furiously.  A flurry of Internet activity turned out a number of emails and websites began emerging.  Cheryl Bowden’s personal pro angler website became the home of her collaboration with Secret, and Sabrina Thompson utilized her Facebook account to get her message out.  Before January was over, three bass tournament trails were born. The three entities have three totally different focuses of their efforts.  The Women’s Bass Division of the IFBBA, with its four-stop trail and founded by Thompson has the most bookings scheduled.  Cheryl Bowden and Secret York’s focus is two-fold, with the primary one being the organizational meetings scheduled before and after the two-day tournament on Kentucky Lake.  Their goal is to get all of the ladies together in one place and get a consensus on what the anglers themselves want to do in moving the ladies into their fishing future.  Rod Baker, who ended up collaborating with his friend Lee White, has long-range goals that are a multi-step process.  He and White both have more than 25 years’ experience each in being Tournament Directors, so they naturally decided that they would serve in that capacity for their lady angler events.

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