It all started around 1996 when I asked my husband, Robert, if I could possibly pre fish with him for his team tournaments.  Robert was fishing with a partner for these tournaments, but for whatever reason, could not ever hook up to pre fish together.  So, with a slow answer of “sure”, I jumped right on this band wagon and went with him every chance that I got, learning everything from A to Z about pre fishing and preparing for tournaments that could be learned.  But being able to pre fish wasn’t enough for me after a period of time, so one day when driving to a lake, I threw another question out there.  “What about us fishing as a team together”?  With my explanation being, we always pre fish together and seem to work pretty well as a team, so if we were to do good in a tournament, and won money, then the money would stay in the family.   After a few seconds, which actually seemed like hours waiting for Robert’s response, again, he said, “sure, why not?”  And this is how I began tournament fishing and spending as much time on the water as I could and having a true fishing partner for life. 

When fishing team tournaments, I firmly believe that you have to be 100% compatible and dedicated to your partner.  There is a saying in the team sports industry, and that’s “There Is No I in Team”.  So if you’re an I, and not a team, it can be tough making it through a season together and being able to compete and concentrate as you should. As the years went by, and Robert and I fished many team circuits together, and became known as a true team.  We were basically inseparable, always together, whether it was traveling, “play” fishing, pre fishing or fishing tournaments together.  When one of us did go to the lake without the other, we were always questioned, “Where had we left our partner?”     

Two year’s ago, when the Women’s Bassmaster Tour (WBT) announced their Inaugural Tour, I decided that I would go as a co-angler and see what this circuit was all about.  Fishing as a co-angler did not change my team tournament routine much, so in between Robert and I were able to still fish.  Then, the 180° happened, the WBT announced the 2007 schedule and I thought that maybe it was time that I stepped up and fish on the professional side.  So, while Robert and I were driving to a tournament, again I questioned him, but this time with, “What do you think about me fishing the WBT as a pro and do you think I can make it”.  He said with the same slow answer as he did in the past, “sure”, “go for it”.  After a couple of days contemplating should I, shouldn’t I, and with Robert’s unbelievable support, I then decided it definitely was what I should and wanted to do.  But another thought came into my mind.  In order to fish this circuit like I needed to, it would mean that my team tournaments would either slow down or most likely end because of time constraints and a schedule conflict with these circuits.  This meant that Robert and I would no longer be inseparable and now instead of “us” it would be “me”, or so I originally thought.  This was a bit of a shock to say.  I was so use to always being together, but knew that with his full time job, our trolling motor repair business, and him fishing several of the large circuits as well, it would mean that it would be difficult to expect him to help me to pre fish and travel with me while on the circuit.  I think what bothered me the most was the fact that I would now be traveling to all tournaments, some of them 2200 miles away, without him.  Wow, this would be a big change and an adjustment.   After thinking about it, I soon realized that I had become very comfortable and accustomed to having a partner with me at all times.

I now have four WBT tourneys under my belt.  And in reality, not much has changed.  I still have my partner, and although he has not been on the majority of the lakes that I am fishing, he now helps me to prepare in a different way and is always there for me by just a dial tone.  Instead of him being on the lake pre fishing with me, we are now in our kitchen looking at numerous maps trying to dissect the lake, figuring out the best spots for me to check out prior to my off limits and official pre fish, along with going through tackle, getting my boat ready, and restringing line.  It really helps to have that support when fishing and it definitely takes a lot of the burden off.  As I said before, Robert is also fishing circuits, so in turn, I help him to dissect maps, sort tackle, prepare his boat, and restring line for him too.    

The main change from 1996 to 2007, is now, when I leave for my tournaments for about 10 days, although he is not sitting beside me in the truck, I can look over at the porch and see him standing there giving me an OK sign when I pull out.   And I know that things are going to be OK.  What’s go for one is good for the other, so when Robert is headed out for one of his tournaments, I too stand on the porch and give him that familiar OK sign when he is pulling out.  And you know our team partnership has not ended, it actually has just begun and that’s because there is no “I in Team”.