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photo courtesy of Kale Green
Pro Angler Tammie Muse from North Little
Rock, Arkansas
carries her fish to the scales at Lake Norman.
One of my favorite things to do
when I am not under the pressure of tournament fishing is to
spend a day on the lake alone in my bass boat. I treasure the
silence of the sunrise and the calmness of the water as the
early morning fog lifts to reveal the playground that challenges
my mind, tests my skills as an angler and humbles me as a
person.
This year, the lakes on the Women’s
Bassmaster Tour were my playground and I set some high goals for
myself. I knew that to be competitive, I had to fish all the
tournaments. Quitting my job of 19 years and starting my own
business allowed me the time to commit to the tour. Sponsorship
money gave me some financial relief during the year as well as
cashing two tournament checks, one at Lewisville and one at Lake
Norman.
I was very excited that the tour
came to my home state of North Carolina in July. Besides the
fact that Lake Norman was only a 2-hour drive for me, I actually
had a “Bass Caddie” and someone cheering me on at the weigh-ins.
It was the first time my husband could travel with me to a
tournament. The pressure was on for me to do well. I even took
my own boat so my sister Denese Freeman and I could pre-fish
together. I had never fished Lake Norman. I did my homework and went into the tournament
with lots of confidence. That confidence paid off as my sister
and I both qualified to fish Day 3 in the Top 6. That was a
moment we will always cherish and my husband was so proud of me
as I crossed the stage in Charlotte with a third place finish.
The 3rd place finish boosted me to 6th
place in the point’s
standings.
I have fished enough tournaments
over the years to know that you have to weigh in fish at each
one and a limit will almost always guarantee you a check. As I
prepared for the last two events on the tour, I realized the
importance of “just one fish”. I could not afford to zero. No
pressure there! How could one little bass, swimming around in a
great big lake have so much control over my destiny? It was no
longer about catching a limit, I was praying for “just one
fish…one keeper”.
As I competed in the final two
events at Lake Dardanelle and Bull Shoals, I realized I was not
alone. Those anglers who were already in or near the Top 12 were
singing the “just one fish” blues along with me. We had come too
far to be out-witted by a bass. We are skilled anglers and “just
one fish” should not be a problem…right?
Although I managed to catch “just
one fish” at Dardanelle, my heart sank when the #1 Co-Angler in
points, Gerry Threadgill, zeroed the tournament and got bumped
from 1st to 16th place. My life was spared
at Dardanelle with “just one fish”, but there was one more
tournament to go on Bull Shoals in Missouri.
I had dreaded the Bull Shoals tournament all
year. Mostly because I had a pre-conceived picture of the lake
and it’s deep, deep waters. Since I cannot swim and am deathly
afraid of water, the thoughts of jigging over treetops in 60 to
100 foot depths was frightening. My fear was calmed during
pre-fish as I saw there were actually banks with 10 to 20 foot
slopes that produced fish. I was now praying for a good draw
partner and “just one fish”.
As co-anglers, much of our fate
depends on who we draw as a boater during the tournament days.
If they are not on fish, the co-angler is pretty much doomed in
my opinion. Neither of my partners were on fish, but neither of
them were in contention for the Top 12 either. Much to my
surprise, they bent over backwards to position the boat and take
me to spots I had found pre-fishing in order that I could catch
“just one fish” to secure my Top 12 finish. I fished
my heart out but could not catch a keeper on Day 2. Needless to say, I didn’t make the
Top 12, but I did finish the year in 15th place. I
know I was not alone in my quest and if BASS gave out awards for
dedication, determination and heart, all the women anglers would
have ended the season tied for 1st
place.
I will be at the Classic in
Birmingham in February, cheering for those who made it and feeling just as
proud as if it were me crossing the stage. They represent all of
us and we must stand together and work together to insure our
fishing future. See you next year!
This is the one fish that put me in the Top 6 at Lake Norman. |
YAKIMA BAIT COMPANY
