The W.B.F.A. has completed their second tournament for the 2003 season on Pickwick Lake in Florence Alabama. The tournament days started with on again off again rain showers during the first day of the “Harvest Moon” event. The enthusiasm was still high as the soggy anglers brought bag after bag of fish for the diligent soggy crowd of on lookers. Tournament director Willie Cook said, “I really did not expect to see this many limits weighed in because of the changing weather we have experienced over the last week but these women seem to be able to still find fish under adverse conditions.” “This is their second of five qualifying events of the 2003 season for the professional and amateur women anglers from thirteen states.”
On the first day of competition Donna Newberry of Van Buren Arkansas topped the leader board with 12.15 pounds of bass and rounding out the top five were Shara Joyner from Dearing Georgia with 10.75 pounds, Kimberlee Striker from Cullman Alabama with 10.48 pounds, Sheri Glasgow from Muskogee Oklahoma with 10.02 pounds, and Lisa Stenard from Clarksville Tennessee with 9.6 pounds. Linda Redford from Blue Eye Missouri caught big bass of the day with a 4.55-pound smallmouth. The big bass is worth $700.00 each day of the event.

The second and final weigh-in was neck in neck between Lisa Sternard and Sheri Glasgow with only a little over half pound. But with the scales cleared and the totals calculated, tears of joy filled Lisas eyes after eight years of work to finally win her first tournament. After a very emotional “Thank-You” to her husband Terry and acknowledging her sponsors she accepted the key to her Triton TR186 bass boat with a 150hp Mercury EFI engine, three Hummingbird electronic units, a Minn Kota Maxxum 74 trolling motor and three Deka marine master batteries. The total package is worth over $25,000.00. Lisa stated she had fished the same location both days and was able to limit both days. The first day the fish were shallow and all of her fish came on a Spro top water bait and the second day they moved deeper and she caught them on a carolina rig centipede. Lisa ended up with 19 pounds, 2nd place was Sheri Glasgow with 18.4 pounds, 3rd place was a hometown favorite Lynn Gobbell from Florence Alabama with 17.24 pounds, 4th place Sherrie Brubaker from Warner Oklahoma with 16.77 pounds, 5th place was another local favorite Susan Hand from

Muscle Shoals Alabama with 16.74 pounds. We were very thrilled to get a lot of participation from the local area ladies and glad to see more women fishing our professional tour. The top five on the non-boater side was Barbara Gaskin from Suffolk Virginia with 15.4 pounds, Mary Lipka from Wentzville Missouri with 9.05 pounds, Julie Campbell from Pineville Louisiana with 8.95 pounds, and Patricia Harland from Pinson Alabama with 8.58 pounds. The amateurs or non-boaters are just as competitive as their professional partners and their talent is unbelievable. You will see their names on the professional side of the tour before long. The second day big bass went to Jonell Whitstine from Dry Prong Louisiana with 3.81 pounds.
Make sure you check out our web site at wbfatour.com. The messages board, pro and am standings, pictures from the tournament, rules and regulations. Thanks to my sponsors Bullet Boats, Mercury Motors, Lawrenceburg Marine, All Star Graphite Rods, Strike King Lure Company, C & O Fiberglass Repair, Deka Batteries, Lowarance Electronics, Dual Pro Chargers and King Tire. They have been behind me since I started fishing professionally, it’s so easy to promote their product when it is the best on the market and they make it possible for me to pursue my career. If any ladies are interested in joining us feel free to call Willie Cook at (205) 669-1330 or “e” mail me Dosschill@comcast.net.

Look for my next article on the Womens World Classic that will be held Sunday November 10th through Saturday November 16th on Lake Eufuala in Alabama. The top thirty ladies will be competing for the “World Classic” title. The weigh in will be Thursday 14th, Friday 15th and Saturday 16th at 2:45pm each day at Lake Point Resort in Eufuala Alabama. Come on out and cheer us on. Our third tournament for the 2003 season will be on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge Georgia February 9th through 14th. From there we will go to Neely Henry Lake in Gadsden Alabama April 6th through 11th.
Bass Fishing With an Attitude
Cindy Hill