Special to The Post-Searchlight

DAYTON, TENN.—Learning to pattern the fish and then determining what they want is the essential ingredients for bass tournament success. These skills are what earned Bainbridge, Ga., native, Pam Martin-Wells victory in the Lady Bass Anglers (LBAA) tournament today on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee.

Pam Martin-Wells currently has a narrow lead over Kim Bain-Moore in the 2013 Lady Bass Angler of the Year rankings. Martin-Wells and Bain-Moore are both past champions of the defunct Bassmaster Women’s Tour and are the only two women to have ever fished in the Bassmaster Classic, the premier event in all of sport fishing.

Martin-Wells fished this third stop of the 2013 LBAA Pro Tour in the summer heat and unstable weather common to July in the south, in both practice and the two day competition. Despite sudden illness, Pam was able to stay focused and complete both days. By finishing day one with 15.97 pounds, she had found the presentations that were essential for the blue skies and heat for the top ranked angler to net a limit and become the leader.

Day two produced some bites finishing the day with 8.98 pounds in her four fish bag and it was enough to hold her place on the leader board. Her overall total for the tournament was an impressive 24.95 pounds, especially given the fact that Martin-Wells battled a stomach virus both days of the tournament and would later require IV fluids.

“As we do many times, I had to try many things, but it worked out. A river’s a river, and the amount of current plays an important part in it along with where the fish were positioned. I caught fish on jigs, on worms, and on crankbaits” stated Martin-Wells.

Local angler Cindy Hatfield also held her second place position that she had obtained on day one with her weigh-in of 9.05 pounds, and adding 10.48 pounds on day two with her four bass bag for a tournament total of 19.53 pounds. “It was tough fishing but it has been fun.” replied Hatfield. She credited crankbaits and shaky heads to her success for both days.

In third place was Kim Bain-Moore with a two day total of 14.40 pounds. Monica Altman took fourth place with a 13.42 pound total and finishing up the top five was Ada Reed who brought 11.91 pounds to the scales after two days of tough fishing.

The Co-anglers, always fishing from the back of the boat, also made some impressive three fish limits with the win in this division going to Diana Uelbelhack, who brought 12.53 pounds to the scale at the end of day two including the tournament’s biggest fish at 6.95 pounds.

Diana had this to say about day two, “Day two was not a good day for fishing, but it was a good day with my boater.”

Linda Sands finished day two with a total of 11.77 pounds capturing second place and co-angler Sharon Lawson with the third-place finish with 9.73 pounds.

The ladies now have a few weeks to rest before their next scheduled event which will be held on the waters of the Red River in Bossier City, Louisiana on September 13-14. The Red River System, with its many pools, bayous, sloughs, and oxbows, offers great fishing for bass. The event promises to be fun and challenging as the ladies fish hard for a spot in the LBAA Classic held in October on Lake Ray Hubbard. Additionally, this tournament is the Wildcard Event for the LBAA, with the top two pros and co-anglers winners gaining direct entry into the LBAA Classic.

The Lady Bass Anglers Association Pro Tour is the only women’s professional bass tour operating in the United States. The LBAA mission statement is “to provide women with an opportunity to fish professionally, to grow the sport of bass fishing and to build a program that will allow future generations of young ladies with more opportunities to compete in the sport of bass fishing.”

 

 About Lady Bass Anglers Association (LBAA)

The Lady Bass Anglers Association was formed by professional bass anglers Cheryl Bowden and Secret York. In three short seasons, the LBAA has developed a popular series of women’s professional bass fishing tournaments with a footprint across the south and fans across the country. For more information about the LBAA, contact Southern Sports Group or visit www.ladybassanglers.com.