5 In The Box with Teresa DePalma

This week, we go commando and talk with Teresa DePalma, who gets down to the nitty gritty and tells us exactly why her life as a gun-wielding, arrow launching huntress in Upstate NY is what she was born to do.  And believe me, her answers will blow you away!

How long have you been hunting/fishing?

I've been hunting/fishing since I was knee high. At only 5' tall that may not sound like that long ago. (Laughing)

What's the biggest thing you've ever killed?

At the moment whitetail bucks are the biggest I have harvested but I'm hoping that changes in a couple weeks as I will be heading to Maine to hunt black bear!!!

Are you nervous?

Lol not at all... Why?

Well, deer aren't considered predators, it's different hunting bear than deer.
(We are briefly interrupted by a phone call Teresa needs to take, and by her needing to blow dry her hair as a result of having been by the pool all day.  Chew on that!  When she comes back she sends me a picture of her with a bobcat.  I guess the predator question is answered!)

Do you ever get the feeling guys don't take you seriously?

Not really cause I only surround myself with real friends and family and we are all positive and encouraging to each other in everything we do. I don't hunt for anyone to take me seriously. Hunting is a lifestyle for me and my family. The dedication, time and hard work that I invest in doing what I love is greatly rewarding to me and is the only reason I do it.


Do you prefer one over the other? hunting or fishing?

No. Because I've never had to choose. Lol. This past turkey season I shot a turkey in the morning and caught my biggest bass this year that same evening.

Daaaaaaaaang!  What's your biggest bass?


He weighed 4.2lb the biggest I caught in general was 5.75lb a few years ago.  He's in my pond now if you want to take a crack at him...Lol!


I'd love to, lol. I pretty much gave up hunting, not because I don't enjoy it, it's just that I don't like doing things that take me away from the water.

Oh goodness! I can see that passion, I feel that way about hunting. I'm glad I'm able to do both but that's cause I'm just a hobby style fishermen.

BUT, I used to say that if God appeared, and told me to choose between my bow and my (now ex) wife, that we would have a serious disagreement in the after life.

LOL!!!!!

So, how much do you love YOUR bow? 

(Laughing)

Does it reign supreme over your guns, or do you not care as long as you're hunting?

Absolutely my bow is #1. I don't gun hunt really at all except for predator hunting or varmints.

What is your "day job"?

I have many. But I don't leave my home to do them. I do the back office work for our family business, I help maintain our hunting property as well as a housewife.

OK, let's fire off the Five!

So you're married? What's it like on a Sunday at home? Do you both work? Or are you off relaxing together? Hunting?

Sundays around my house is no different then a Wednesday. We are always working on the property or fishing in the summer or hunting in the fall/winter.

Where's your favorite place to hunt or fish?

My favorite place to fish is a very small local lake that only allows small row boats. It's quiet, secluded and full of big ol' bass and pickerel. I have two different types of favorite places to hunt.  The first would be ours, because of the personal accomplishment of maintaining our property here in NY.  The other is a friend's farm in OH. The area is gorgeous in the fall, the woods are very full and the deer are plentiful.

Do you have any rituals or superstitions? Do you have a lucky hat or something?

I do have a lucky pair of long johns I wear.  Other than that the only lucky gear I have that I never leave home without is my Bow!

What's the one place you'd hunt or fish if you had your choice?

The one place I would love to hunt someday is Saskatchewan. As for fishing I always wanted to hit the deep sea of Mexico.

What's one thing nobody knows about you?
As weird as it sounds, one of the rituals I have is that when I kill something I rub the blood on my bow to remember that kill. Yes it eventually washes off as I trek through misty mornings but that is something I always do to reminisce the previous kill when sitting alone in the stand.  

Teresa is the co-host for Forever Wild Outdoors, debuting this December on The Sportsman Channel.  Those of you not wanting to wait can go to www.foreverwildoutdoors.com.  Teresa is also the owner of Through Camo Eyes and a Pro-Staffer for Orca Coolers.

Dog Days Of Summer

I know you love the spawn.  Everyone loves the spawn.  Fish are aggressive, you can see them so they're easy to locate, and it’s the time of year that most people will post photos of huge fish.  It’s particularly fun for those of us from the north, because it tends to mean the ice is gone and we can finally get out on our favorite lakes again.  But as much as I enjoy that time of year, it’s when the weather gets hotter that my limits get better.  So why is it so many people dread those dog days of summer?

When it’s the end of July and temperatures are climbing to triple digits I tend to slow down.  A lot.  This isn’t the easiest thing for me to do, which is why I often keep a spinnerbait tied on just so I can burn it three or four times every 45 minutes to keep me from working too fast, and that also allows me to try to grab any reaction bites that might be nearby.  It’s a great time of year to be aware of the moon phases and the stage of the crayfish in their malting.  Red is a great color in the full moon, while blue and green pumpkin is better in a new moon.  A wacky rigged Senko is a great bait this time of year, and I prefer to fish it weightless or with a small drywall nail in the end of the bait.  Throw it and try your best not to move it for at least 30 seconds, then twitch it a little, and leave it alone for 30 seconds, twitch it, etc.  It’s a lot easier to start really slow, and speed up, than it is to try to slow down.  If they’re biting on the drop or lift, you know they’re slightly more active than if they’re biting when you’re deadsticking the bait.  I also find that this is a really great time to throw smaller finesse baits.  Small 3 inch worms rigged on a shaky head or drop shot can be deadly.  The drop shot can be particularly effective, because most people don’t throw it or have never thought to throw it in 5 feet of water.  This bass was caught in 5 feet of water on a dropshot Sunday evening at 6 pm.

Gear:  7 foot medium Dobyns Champion spinning rod, Quantum Smoke PT spinning reel, Bass Attacker Lures Bass Snax green pumpkin, 8 lb Seaguar Fluorocarbon line, Trokar Dropshot hook, 3/8 ounce tungsten dropshot weight.

Let’s agree to skip the subject of dock fishing all together.  I will concede that you can always find fish on docks, but everyone knows that.  While it’s not as easy to find schooling fish or fish located in deeper water offshore, it is more productive when and if you can.  PLUS you won't have nearly as much competition.  Trust me; your favorite dock is also the favorite dock to at least 10 other anglers.  When I’m looking for areas to target I look for outside weed lines or isolated weed beds in 5-7 feet of water, where there is deeper water within 100 yards.  Deeper is completely relative to the lake I’m fishing.  In places like Oneida, deeper is the 10-15 foot range, but that might increase to a 20 foot ledge if it’s really hot and we haven't had rain for more than a week; but if I'm fishing Cayuga, deeper is 20-25 feet.  So the depth relativity that I'm talking about really is subjective to the overall depth of the lake your fishing.  I'll start by flipping a crayfish style soft plastic Texas rigged with a ½ oz bullet sinker around the outside of the weed bed before throwing it inside.  I usually keep two set ups so that I can alternate between having one rigged with the weight pegged, and one rigged without so I can quickly alter between the two different presentations. 

In lakes that have significant algae bloom you’ll hear a lot of guys say they struggle to fish in the “pea soup”, referring to the millions of green dots in the water.  Don’t be afraid of the bloom.  Smallmouth LOVE algae bloom.  Look for isolated rock piles in ten feet of water.  This requires doing some research and finding them BEFORE the bloom starts, or being really good at reading your graph (and even then, marking these rock piles in clearer water will be a huge help).  Set your drop shot up with a foot between your hook and sinker and slide it further down until you find the stage the fish want that day.  You can also replace your weight with a shaky head or Texas rigged tube to try to entice bottom feeders (I strongly urge you not to try this on Ontario, Erie, Oneida, Champlain, or the St. Lawrence River, as our small mouth up north tend to have a bit of an attitude problem and you’ll have your hands full trying to fight one 4 pounder—God help you if you double up).

This is also a good time to “line down”, meaning use lighter line with a smaller diameter.  Lots of people fish when the weather is nice.  So that means fish have seen lots of baits by the second week in August.  Instead of running a 10 pound leader, run 8 or 6, and use lighter line when cranking or throwing a dropshot.  This is even more important in clear water lakes like Cayuga where visibility can often exceed 20 feet on calm days.  I’m not telling you to abandon your braid all together, but if you’re not getting as many bites you can always tie on a 2 foot leader quickly and see if you don’t get more of a response.  It’s a great time of year to go back to basics.  Make your lure presentation as natural as possible.  It’s also a good time to try throwing silent crankbaits when fishing lakes that are highly pressured.

I hope that helps you a little bit.  I strongly encourage you to start keeping a journal if you haven’t already.  Weather Underground (www.wunderground.com) is a great resource for obtaining weather information so you can easily merge barometric pressure, temp, rainfall, wind, and other useful information into your log.  This has really helped me catch more fish and is more useful year after year.  Good luck!

5 In The Box with "Smallie Queen", Callie Shumway

While Palaniuk and KVD are tearing up lakes and river systems at speeds in excess of 70 mph, there's a woman in a kayak in Pennsylvania who may be short on velocity, but more than makes up for that in depth of character and intrigue. Here's my attempt to show you why the future of fishing is (arguably) going to be greater than anyone could have ever imagined, as long as anglers like Callie Shumway are out on the water.

How long have people been calling you "Smallie Queen"?

It was a nickname given to me probably about 8 months ago. Eventually enough people started calling me it that I decided to just go with it.  I'm only 5 feet tall, so smallie queen works in that aspect as well lol.


Lots of pics of you in kayaks. Would you say that is your preferred vessel?

Since I'm mostly a river rat, the kayak is definitely my favorite vessel. The river can often be unpredictable and thus stressful when taking a large boat out. With my kayak I can paddle in extremely shallow water and if it's too low, no need to worry about a broken prop, I can just hop out and walk it until it gets deep. I also like how quiet and peaceful kayaking can be. I've snuck up on wildlife, multiple reptiles, and of course bass as well.  It's also easy to transport, launch, and is lightweight enough that I am able to go whenever i would like to by myself.


You can also get towed around if the fish you hook is big enough, no?

Of course! A 4 pound smallmouth can easily take me for a ride. On a lot of my videos you can see the strength of such an incredible species. It's not rare for them to pull me up river or take me in a circle. The most incredible tow I've ever experienced was early this summer when a 30-40 lb carp decided to bite onto my wacky rigged trick stick. I was in the double digits minute wise before finally getting her to my kayak.

We both live in the northeast, does the winter keep you off the water?

It does to an extent. I will admit the winter usually sucks pretty bad here in PA, but this past winter we had seemed to be never-ending. I usually will go out ice fishing a few times throughout the winter and if there isn't any ice on my favorite moving waters, I usually try to bank fish in my hunting clothing for a few smallmouth. This winter I am planning to get all the necessary gear to stay warm and dry, so that I can catch a few winter smallmouth on my kayak.


What do you do when you're not fishing?

I just recently graduated college with my B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, so I'm still looking for a career job and considering furthering my degree. On the Aside from fishing my hobbies consist of writing music, hiking, sewing, hunting, and cooking/baking.


Do you help other young women learn to fish or get reconnected with our sport?

I have helped teach boy scouts in the past and plan on starting a youth fishing group when I have the money and support to do so. I give fishing advice to anyone that wants it and often show children and other women what they should be using while I am out fishing.

We all learn from somebody, whether it's online, in person, in books. Who do you learn from?

My dad has taken me fishing since I was a child, so I would say all of my basic knowledge came from there. I've also read a few books to gain knowledge on the species I fish for and the types of lures/scents that they are most responsive to. Other than books, I learned a lot from exchanging information with friends and just being out in general. When I was on Kayak Bassin' on WFN last year, I was fishing a new area, so I had to learn and try a variety of types of lures. I definitely learn the most when fishing a new area because bass can be so unpredictable. I may have a general idea of where one is sitting based on experience, but if I choose the wrong weapon to throw at it, I risk spooking it. Therefore, I think that learning from mistakes and trying new techniques has taught me the most.

You'd fish every single day if you could, wouldn't you...

No doubt in my mind. I try to get out as much as possible, even if it's literally only for a few minutes. Any time I'm on vacation or have prolonged periods of time off, I am always found on or near the water. I keep my rods in my car at all times. Anytime I see a body of water that looks fish-able I stop by real quick and test it out.  If I had my way I would be kayaking 5 miles a day. I dream of owning a house on the river and having complete access to fishing 24/7!

Favorite lake or river? 

My favorite river is the Juniata River. I love the variety it offers because the depth and bottom varies depending on the part you are on. 

Least favorite? 

My least favorite lake is a nearby lake called Joseph Foster Sayers. It’s always infested with jet skiers, tubers, kneeboarders, and all sorts of excessive wake when trying to kayak or sneak into coves. It’s also hard to locate bass and when you do, you’ll catch a million little ones before one even being remotely decent sized. It is a good lake for carp, catfish, and crappie though. 

Favorite technique?

My favorite style of fishing is finesse fishing. I like being in control of my lures presentation and I’m often able to sneak lures into the sight of a bass without spooking it. Other than using soft plastics, I love throwing spinnerbaits in weedy areas and drifting and dragging them on slate bottom with my kayak. 

Do you think people know how friendly/genuine you are?  I ask that because I don't believe they do.  It's been my experience that people like you are often a pleasant surprise to the few who have an opportunity to get to know you.

I'm not sure honestly. I will take anyone fishing who wants to go and I have no problem sharing my knowledge with anyone. I have a supporters and friends who have been there since the start of my fishing career, so I know they truly know me for who I am. However, being a fisherwoman in general, it's not rare to get messages or comments from men who think that I don't know how to catch fish, or they think that someone does for me. One of the reasons I started filming myself while fishing was so I had video proof for my photos.


I was going to ask if you ever feel like men don't take you seriously. I know I recently had this discussion  with Claire Ansley, and she told me men try to tell her how to fish all the time.

Yeah it happens a lot. I worked at Dick's in the lodge for a few months and men couldn't take me working that gun counter. Had a lot of sexist comments and had a few males tell me to "Get a man behind the counter" even though I was certified to sell weapons.

But being a Criminal Justice graduate, I took a lot of courses on psychology, so depending on what the person says to me, I can tell if the comment is coming out of jealousy, or sexism.

Where do you want your career (fishing) to go?

Ultimately, I would love to take the documenting route focusing mostly on videos and articles. I would love to have the funding to travel and fish new areas while documenting all of my catches, my lifestyle, and my personality. I feel that fishing should be relaxing and enjoyable and I think that if my life is filled with kayaking and fishing new areas I will die a happy woman.  I also want to compete in a few tournaments, but like I said, ultimately I would rather take the filming and photography route.

On that note, let's get to it!

1.  What's it like on the weekend when you and your boyfriend aren't fishing?

When we aren't fishing, we both write music and play with other musicians. Spencer plays the guitar and I play the keyboard, cello, and we both sing. We also really enjoy cooking, especially outdoor cooking. We usually spend Sundays catching catfish and crappie and then we come home, cook it up, and have a beer out by the fire. We also keep targets in the yard and are sometimes just found lounging outside shooting bows and BB guns.

2.  Do you have any rituals or superstitions? Do you have a lucky hat or something?

I have a couple rituals that may sound somewhat strange. I wear bright colored socks when I fish and I always either have a bag of Lays Baked Chips or Smartfood Popcorn aboard my kayak. I also kiss or blow a kiss at every fish I catch. I believe giving love to the little ones makes it so I catch a big one shortly after. 

3.  What's the best day you had this year?

I had two trips this year that were awesome. I’d say one of the best days was when I beat my personal best freshwater record and my personal best freshwater kayak record when I landed a 30 inch 30-40lb carp. Then after catching it the fish and boat commission officer gave me his contact information, so he could put it on the fish and boat commission website which was pretty cool. The best bass fishing day I’ve had this year occurred earlier this July when I caught multiple trophy smallmouth within a few hours. I was able to get some awesome footage of them with my GoPro camera and the one 20 incher gave me one of the most exciting kayak rides I’ve ever had before getting her in. For me any day is a great day fishing if I can reflect on an awesome fight and get some footage and photos so that I will never forget. 

4.  What's one place you'd fish if you had your choice?

I’ve always wanted to fish some of the well-known largemouth lakes for huge largemouth. We don’t have too many lakes nearby that I could say contain nice, photo worthy largemouth, so it would be a blast going somewhere where I could use larger lures and catch largemouth that are over 5 pounds easily. I would love to fish in Japan especially. I have a lot of friends and pen pals I’ve met through social networking that live there and it would be an awesome experience if I was ever to go.


5.  What's one thing nobody knows about you?

I’d say the one thing people don’t really know about me is how self sufficient I am/can be. I was taught to plant, grow, and preserve food by multiple means including canning, freezing, and pressure cooking. I never really told many people because in high school it was one of those things that made you “strange” or “old fashioned” but I honestly think it’s great because if something was to ever happen I know I could take care of myself and others. We have a bunch of farm/hunting land upwards towards New York and my dad and I have been working on turning it into an orchard and we obtained a permit for a multiple acre pond, which will be built in the future. It’s also my favorite land to hunt because it’s abundant with deer.

I'd like to say that talking to Callie has been one of the more memorable experiences I've had this year, and I hope you've had as much fun reading this and getting to know her as I did.

5 In The Box with John McGoey

In this edition of 5ITB we head north to the land where smallmouth reign supreme and talk to one of the more amazing bronzeback anglers on the planet, Goodyear and FLW Pro John McGoey.

Why do you fish?

I have fished since I was a small boy, my Dad started me.  He was very busy (bus driver) and because of that he wasn't able to take me very often, but he made sure his friends or family friends would get me to the water.

You're from the North like I am.  I have said for years that the smallmouth up here are different than they are in the south, that they seem to have an attitude problem, lol.  

(Laughing)

Would you agree with that?

You are right the northern smallies are crazy compared to the southern fish; I like to say they are nuts!  
In your opinion why is it your smallmouth up north are so much heavier?

Golbies.  The fish are just gorging themselves on them.  I predict you'll have them in the Finger Lakes within two years and you'll start to see a difference soon after that.

You've fished tournaments with over 25 lb bags.  In fact you told me of one in particular where you had 29 lbs and took second because "I had 2 7's, a 6, a 5, and a 4 lb rat I couldn't get rid of", but you're favorite way to fish is with a flipping stick?

Favorite way to fish is with a flippin stick in my hand and a Perfect Jig on the end.  That is the only way to fish (lol).

How is that even possible?!?  I'm sure you're gonna tell me Ontario or Simcoe is your favorite body of water.

Yes, Lake Ontario is for sure.  But flippin and pitchin is the way I live to fish!

So why Ontario?

Big, deep water smallies.  The Potomac is a close second and when I'm there I have my flippin stick in my hand the entire time.

What's your least favorite?

Least favorite lake is the Potomac river cus it is so humbling.  I've had tournaments there where I've won thousands (he's referring to his top ten finish on the FLW Tour Majors in 2011) and come back a year later and had great practice and then my fish just disappear.

What are you planning to fish in 2014?

Next season I am planning on fishing the BASS Opens and if the FLW Everstarts go to the Potomac I will go there as well cus it is a great place.  

If you weren't fishing, what would you be doing?

If I was not on tour it would be doing what I am doing:  running the Goodyear store where I work with plans to own it.

Everyone has someone they talk to, or learn from.  Who is that person for you?

I have got a good buddie here at home who fishes a lot, not competitively or in tournaments, but he's on the water a lot, he is really good and I always talk with him, ask what I am doing wrong or how I could be better.  His name is Jeff Pammett.

When we were fishing together on the Potomac I went through more sunscreen in one day than most people use in an entire summer.

(Laughing)

Do you think there's any hope for me to ever get a tan of any kind?

Honestly I don't think so.  After you killed the second bottle of SPF 50 I liked your "Just give me a stick of butter" comment.  I think you should stick to the shade when possible.

Great.  On that note, let's get to the 5ITB!

1.  What's it like on a Sunday at home when you're not fishing?

A Sunday at home here with no fishing in July would be having some cocktails and lounging by the pool with my wife and friends.  We have a lot of fun doing that.

2.  Do you have any pre tournament rituals or superstitions?

No rituals or superstitions for me just like to practice hard and fly by the seat of my pants when it is all done.


3.  Where was your best finish this year and where did you struggle the most?

No great finishes this year, I have gone through a rough patch and I cant put my finger on why.  I would say I struggled the most at Oneida cus I could not ever really figure out the fish there.

4.  What is the one body of water you would fish in 2014 if you had your choice?

The one body of water that I would like to fish is Okeechobee in Florida cus it has lots of big fish.

5.  What's the one thing nobody knows about you?

I'd give you my last dollar if you needed it.  I'm always helping people whenever I can.

*For the record, John is one of the nicest people I've ever met.  He's given me countless hours of advice, gear, sunscreen, made appearances with me at bait and tackle shops, and is always willing to help other people catch more fish.  It's meeting people like him that remind me there's a whole other side to fishing these tournaments.  Weigh-ins last a few seconds, friendships last forever.

Take Me Fishin' Youth Clinic follow up

By: Josh Sheldon, Outdoors Columnist
Published: June 27th, 2013


On Sunday, June 23, the Take Me Fishin’ Day took place at Cook Park in Greene. Jim Root, designer of the program – along with the help of friends and generous donors – brought this program to fruition.



The air was filled with excitement and anticipation for the day's activities. The stage was set and the children were ready for a day full of fun and education. Because of different experience levels and a larger group than expected the kids were separated into three groups. The day began with an important message, followed by a lesson on how to tie a Polymer Knot.




"We told everyone the most important part of fishing is to protect our resources so that this wonderful sport can be enjoyed by the future generations,” Root said. “Clean water is an essential part of maintaining a healthy fishery. We told kids how important it is not to litter, and to carefully and quickly return all caught fish back to the water."

The first-timer group was headed up by Jim and his buddy, Dylan Howe. They went over bobber fishing, how to bait a hook, how to set the hook, and how to remove the fish from the hook without being spined by it. Dylan, age 15, did an amazing job helping the inexperienced in a way that only adults are typically able.




Click here to read the full article

5 In The Box with Claire Ansley!

She just oozes "southern hospitality" with kindness that needs to be felt to believed.  But make no mistake, Claire Ansley is not only (arguably) the hottest female angler on the planet, she just might be one of the best!

Why do you fish?

The same reason I breathe, it feels more natural than sleeping to me. I've fished as long as I can remember.

Who taught you?

Never had anybody to, I had seen people on tv do it and I began fishing with a coke can with old fishing line and a rusty hook in a pond near my Mom's house.

Are you fishing competitively now?

Yes, I fish mainly in buddy tournaments or as co angler.

What trails? BFL? Everstart? Opens?

Anything I or my sponsors allow or can afford, it's hard being a cop and paying for fishing too!

I was going to ask you what you do as your primary occupation, you're a police officer?

Yes, I'm a Deputy Sheriff, I answer calls, write tickets, serve warrants....whatever is necessary.

What's your favorite technique?

Deep diving crank-baits with the Rattle and Roll

Be sure to like my Facebook page for a chance to win free gear!

Do you think guys underestimate your ability to fish and compete because you're a woman?

Absolutely, even on my fan page they tell me things on "how" to fish.... From what I've seen I should be telling them. I have told so many that I'm a woman—not incapable, so many guys have that “it's a man’s world” view after all these years.

What's your favorite lake? And what's your least favorite?

My favorite would have to be Rodman or Seminole I love the thrill of hunting them. My least favorite would have to be Twin Lakes in Lake Park, GA.

Do you hunt too?

Yes, duck hunting is my favorite. But I'll tear up hog, deer, or turkey.

Let’s get into the last five!

1. Are you dating anyone currently?

I actually just got dumped, but I would love to have someone to take me fishing. Many guys are intimidated when it comes to fishing with a woman—they don't like to be defeated.

2. Do you have any pre-tournament rituals or superstitions?

I pray before and thank God I'm allowed to fish because there's many that aren't as fortunate as I am. And I load up on sweet tea and chicken and biscuits!

3. Where was your best finish in 2013, and where did you struggle the most?

Lake Seminole, I struggled on Twin Lakes though.

4. What's the one body of water you would pick to fish in 2013 if you had your choice?

I would be happy fishing anywhere in California catching those 20 lb bass they have out there!

5. What's one thing nobody knows about you:

I never could afford a boat growing up so when I was about 6/7 years old on the lakes I found one of those big Styrofoam blocks they used to keep under boats and I borrowed the neighbors trolling motor and fixed it to it and fished on it by myself on it for a few years.... Everyone from police to dfacs got called, but to this day it was the best boat I ever had.

5 In The Box with Hillary Hughes!

While the fishing industry continues to grow bigger and bigger, Hillary Hughes is determined to show the world that some of the best things in life still come in small packages!

Why do you fish?

It wasn't something I got drug out (of me) by my dad or grandpa to do...I found the love of fishing by standing on the bank of the pond everyday. I love it. It has become the biggest part of my life.

Are you fishing competitively now?

Yes, nothing too major yet. Some college flw tournaments and local tournaments.

Who taught you?

Funny story actually, it was my boyfriend at the time about 3 years ago in Wisconsin. We always had competition with everything we did. I wanted to catch bigger fish than he did!

Does adding the competitive side of it change it for you now or are you still able to go out and have fun even if you don't catch 20 pounds?

I find myself needing to slow down a bit during tournaments but I am still able to go down to the pond or the lake and have a blast. Even if we don't catch much, its just being on the water that can make any mood better!

I call it my therapy!

What's your favorite technique?

Oh that's a hard choice! I love frogging and throwing a spinnerbait.

Do you hunt too?

Ohh no!! lol

Do you think guys underestimate your ability to fish and compete because you're a woman?

Oh yes! Most men see a young lady fishing and they don't take me seriously. They don't find it funny though when I'm weighing in bigger fish than they are!

What's your favorite lake? And what's your least favorite?

Most people may not know it because it's a smaller lake but my favorite is Mozingo Lake here in Northwest Missouri. My least favorite is Beaver Lake in Arkansas.

Let's get to the big 5!

1. Are you dating anyone, and if so, what's it like on a sunday when you're both together and not fishing or working?

Or are you both fishing together?

I'm not sure if you would call it dating but we are always fishing together every weekend! We fish most of our local tournaments together.

2. Do you have any pre-tournament rituals or superstitions?

Not really any rituals, but I always make sure I have my dirty old pink john deere hat on or with me!

3. Where was your best finish in 2013, and where did you struggle the most?

My best finish was at Mozingo Lake and my biggest struggle was on Kentucky Lake. We flat out got skunked. I haven't had a lot of experience fishing those deep ledges and neither did my partner. I saw shallow brush and wanted to flip that all day and it produced nothing bigger than 12 inchers.

4. What's the one body of water you would pick to fish in 2013 if you had your choice?

My choice of water would be Falcon lake. I will catch a double digit and it will be there!

5. What's one thing nobody knows about you?

The one thing nobody knows about me would have to be my fear of the dark. I still sleep with the tv on or a small light lol. Embarrassing, I know but I can't help it! My dad checked under my bed and in my closet until I was at least 14-15 years old :/ lol.

Oneida Lake Northern Open 2013

The second Northern Open of 2013 is over, and I can tell you that it's probably gonna be awhile before I can fully get over the sting that still exists from not having had done as well as I know I should have.  I had very few bites, I knew the lake would fish like that going in, but I didn't deliver.  I really needed to stay focused, not miss fish, and I didn't.
Day one I fished with Randal Tharp, FLW legend.  We began out deep, targeting smallmouth.  I really needed to do a better job of trying to get those fish to bite.  We were hovering over them in 25 feet of water, and I didn't do enough to fire them up and get them to eat.  I saw them on the screen and I threw all the things that I would normally throw, but when that didn't work I really needed to dig in and start going through everything else until I found what it was they wanted.  I didn't do that.  Instead I sat there for almost two hours, waiting for them to bite the things I'm really accustomed to catching them on at that lake.  It's almost as if my knowledge of the lake betrayed me, because it prevented me from doing what I do best:  finding what the fish want to eat.  I did the one thing I always pride myself on not doing:  I was stubborn, and I only used what I was used to using.  I wish I could have it back.  I didn't manage to get my first fish until noon, I missed two fish flipping grass, and caught my second fish on a drop shot at 1:30.  Although I was lucky enough to catch two good fish, one of which was the big bass up until the last 10 minutes of day 1 and have my picture taken and posted here on Bassmaster, not having the third fish I needed left me 4 pounds off the lead.  Had I been able to bring in any of the fish I missed I might have found myself in the lead or in the top five.
Day two I was paired up with Greg Pugh.  We began the day targeting smallmouth and I did the same thing:  I threw the same things, with the same results.  None of the fish we saw on the graph ate the things I threw at them, and I didn't try to throw anything else.  We left those fish after two hours, flipped grass, again I didn't catch anything.  We left there, flipped docks, I got frustrated and shut down a little, my knowledge of that lake and drive to win it got the best of me because it was noon and in my mind I was already defeated.  I caught my first fish at 2 pm on a drop shot, caught a good fish at 3 cranking, and lost (sadly) what might have been the biggest fish of the tournament with less than ten minutes to go on a crankbait after the fish buried me in some deep weeds.
Both of my boaters were great guys, and I had an excellent time fishing with both of them.  All my fish were caught on soft plastics made by Bass Attacker Lures.
Probably the highlight of the tournament for me was getting to see my friends I've met this season.  I got to spend a lot of time practicing with John McGoey and we even got to have a special evening at a local bait shop where we were fortunate enough to meet some great people.  We talked fishing, shared stories, and gave away some gear to some really deserving people.  The looks on their faces was incredible, and it made me feel really great to be able to share my love for this sport with men and women and children.  I also got to spend a little bit of time with Brandon Palaniuk again after meeting him at the James River when we were paired up on day two.  We didn't get out this time, but I'm sure we'll fish together again.  Probably not out of the same boat in a tournament (this is my last year fishing off the back) but we'll get out again.
With just one tournament left (Northern Open #3, Lake Erie, Sandusky Ohio, September), it's really important to me that I thank all my family, friends, and sponsors for their support:  Dobyns Rods, Citizens Bank, Rahfish, Schuler-Haas Electric, Bass Attacker Lures, and Quantum Fishing.