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Left to Right: Dana, Donna and
Austin.
When Donna
Newberry, of Van Buren, Arkansas, is not fishing for staging
bass (or for any bass that could place her in the money), she
might be found on stage playing gospel and country
music with husband Jerry and other family members. Donna plays
the piano and the bass guitar and sings. They travel around the
country and play music together when Donna is not preparing to
fish a bass tournament. Jerry and 11 year-old grandson, Austin,
play the steel guitar and often play at conventions and other
events which are by invitation only.
Donna did not
grow up with a fishing pole in her hand. She was born and raised
in Muldrow, Oklahoma along with two older brothers and younger
twin brothers. She preferred playing the piano and going to
church. Sometimes, she and her oldest brother would catch
crawdads and frogs in the family farm pond for excitement. She
recalls watching the frogs jump around in the frying pan while
her mother cooked them.
Her ambition
in high school was to become a nurse, but she traded that dream
for marriage. Her husband Jerry loved to fish and she would go
with him and if the fish didn’t bite, she would read. Jerry
thought she should be fishing. When the older of their two
daughters got big enough to fish, Donna would stay home.
Donna started
tournament fishing in the late 80’s. Her husband Jerry fished
team tournaments with his friend Randy Scott. Randy’s wife Joy
liked to fish so Donna thought she would try it. The guys would
take a boat and Joy and Donna would take a boat. Joy did all the
driving and running the trolling motor. When a Lady Bass
tournament came to Lake Millwood in Arkansas in 1989, Joy and
Donna decided to fish it.
Donna ended up
being Rookie of the Year, but Lady Bass folded soon after and
Donna went on to fish the newly formed Bass n’ Gal circuit. She
won the very last Bass n’ Gal tournament in Mississippi before
they went under. When the WBFA announced a tour for women, Donna
did not hesitate. She ended up becoming a 4 time Classic
qualifier with two national titles, 15 top-ten finishes and was
the 1999 World Champion.
In the year
2000, she started fishing the FLW Stren Series. She says
that competing against mostly men as a co-angler is less
pressure because she doesn’t have to worry about where to
fish…although sometimes she wishes that she did get to go to her
fishing spots. She is proud when she comes to the Stren
weigh-ins with fish and makes the cut or gets a check. When she
competes with the women as a boater, she likes to be sure that
she has some fish for herself and her partner for the day or she
feels bad for her partner.
Donna has
fished 13 events with the Stren Series since 2000. Her career
earnings in the Series reached $6,000 with her most recent
victory. She placed 8th in the Stren Series Championship at the
end of 2005.
Spinnerbaits,
floating worms and crankbaits are Donna’s favorite baits to
fish. Her least favorites are Texas rigged worms and flipping.
She considers Lake Tenkiller in Oklahoma and Lake Dardanelle in
Arkansas to be her “home” lakes. Donna is now preparing to fish
the 2006 Women’s Bassmaster Tour. Her goal is to win at least
one of the WBT tournaments and qualify for the Classic. She
would also love to win a Stren Series tournament.
When she is
home and not traveling the country fishing or making music,
Donna answers the phone and does the book work for Rooter Drain
Service, a family-owned business and one of her sponsors. Her
other sponsors are Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Motors and Pro Vibe
Spinner Baits.
Donna's husband,
Jerry Newberry
Donna and grandson
Austin.
Donna on stage with
husband Jerry. |
YAKIMA BAIT COMPANY
