Martin-Wells is Second Woman in History to Qualify for Prestigious Bassmaster Classic
SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CITY, La. — Pam Martin-Wells and Judy Wong shared a fishing spot for three days at the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Women’s Tour Championship on Louisiana’s Cypress Black Bayou Lake. When it came down to trophies and titles, they split them.
Martin-Wells won the coveted 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Women’s Tour Angler of the Year trophy and the 2010 Bassmaster Classic berth and new Tundra that go with it.
A four-time WBT winner from Bainbridge, Ga., Martin-Wells is only the second woman in history to qualify for the sport’s biggest event. Kim Bain-Moore of Alabaster, Ala., was the first, winning the 2008 Angler of the Year and a berth in the 2009 Classic.
“Words can’t describe this,” Martin-Wells said. “I can walk through the living room and see a commercial on TV for the Bassmaster Classic – I freeze, watch it and get goose bumps. Now I’m going to get them for real. It’s going to be an awesome experience.”
After Day 2 of the three-day competition in Louisiana, it was evident that Martin-Wells would take AOY honors, but she did not consider it her prize until the title was officially awarded.
“With these ladies, you don’t know what can happen, they’re all excellent anglers,” she said. “Juanita (Robinson) is a friend of mine, and she’s very consistent, and she had me scared. The first day when I had 13 pounds, it helped. But I wasn’t comfortable until they announced it.”
Wong’s victory Sunday was her second championship title, her first coming in 2007. Her prize this time was $5,000 and a Triton/Mercury boat rig valued at $55,000. With a win last month on Tennessee’s Old Hickory Lake, the championship gives Wong back-to-back victories on the tour.
Along with the AOY title, Martin-Wells took second-place honors in the championship. For that she took home $4,000 and a $39,000 Skeeter/Yamaha boat rig.
With a three-day weight of 36 pounds, 10 ounces, Wong bested Martin-Wells by almost 5 pounds. Finishing in third was a hard-charging Robin Babb of Livingston, Texas, with 30-15. Juanita Robinson of Highlands, Texas, was fourth with 23-5.
Robinson made a run at the AOY title, staying close to Martin-Wells since the season opener, at which Martin-Wells took the win and the AOY points lead. Coming into the Louisiana championship, Robinson had a shot at overtaking the points leader, but her fourth-place finish wasn’t enough.
Wong, 55 points behind Martin-Wells coming into the championship, did all she could to catch the leader, including leading all three days and collecting 15 bonus points. No deal; Martin-Wells was in second place after Day 1 and settled in for the duration.
“I came into this to lead all three days and win this championship,” Wong said. “It was unfortunate that I couldn’t catch her, but I did the best I could.”
Wong and Martin-Wells camped out on a short bridge throughout the tournament, each taking an opposite side. Both worked Gary Yamamoto Senko lures in the rocks, as well as crankbaits. Wong relied on a Rapala DT-14 and DT-10, while Martin-Wells used an Academy H2O Express.
The co-angler competition turned into a rematch between 2008 champion Barbara Gaskins of Suffolk, Va., and 2008 runner-up Monica Altman of Angier, N.C. But Altman made it to the winner’s circle this year with 27 pounds, 0 ounces, earning her a $40,000 Triton/Mercury rig and $3,250.
“It’s always been my goal to make it to the championship and be the best that I can be,” Altman said. “I just came here to get five keepers each day and enjoy being here.”
Most of her fish came out of reeds and grass, but casting to seawalls and docks also helped fill her livewell, said Altman, whose three BASS co-angler wins include the Old Hickory Lake event last month in Tennessee.
Altman finished 10 pounds ahead of Gaskins, who last year bested Altman by 1 pound, 5 ounces. Gaskins took second place with her 17-0 total, worth $2,500 and a $35,000 Skeeter/Yamaha rig.
Rounding out the top five in the co-angler division were Colleen McKay of Worcester, Mass., with 13-14; Donna Newberry of Van Buren, Ark., with 13-11; and Diane Smith of Fayetteville, Ga., with 13-5.
Newberry emerged as the top co-angler of the season by earning the most points through five events.
The complete 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Women’s Tour Angler of the Year points will be available, once finalized, at Bassmaster.com.
Local sponsors for the Bassmaster Women’s Tour Championship include Shreveport Regional Sports Authority.
About BASS
For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Women’s Tour, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
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Media Contact: Doug Grassian, 407-566-2216 or doug.grassian@espn.com
2009 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Women’s Tour Championship
Cypress Black Bayou Lake, Shreveport/Bossier=City La.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler =Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Judy Wong = Many, La. 15 36-10 315 $60,000.00
Day=1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 5 5-13
2. Pam Martin-Wells= Bainbridge, Ga. 15 31-11 295 $43,000.00
Day 1: 5 = 13-05 Day 2: 5 8-13 Day 3: 5 9-09
3. Robin Babb = Livingston, Texas 13 30-15 290 $5,000.00
Day 1: 4= 7-10 Day 2: 5 13-06 Day 3: 4 9-15
4. Juanita Robinson= Highlands, Texas 14 23-05 285 $4,000.00
Day 1: 5 = 9-02 Day 2: 4 6-01 Day 3: 5 8-02
5. Melinda Mize = Ben Lomond, Ark. 13 17-14 280 $3,500.00
Day 1: 5= 9-12 Day 2: 3 3-01 Day 3: 5 5-01
6. Sheri Glasgow= Muskogee, Okla. 12 17-08 276 $3,250.00
Day 1:=5 10-03 Day 2: 4 4-03 Day 3: 3 3-02
7. Janet Parker= Little Elm, Texas 11 16-13 272 $3,000.00
Day 1:=4 7-03 Day 2: 2 2-00 Day 3: 5 7-10
8. Laura Gober= Pendergrass, Ga. 13 15-07 268 $2,500.00
Day 1:=5 6-12 Day 2: 5 5-08 Day 3: 3 3-03
9. Tammy Richardson= Amity, Ark. 11 14-11 264 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 = 4-04 Day 2: 5 9-07 Day 3: 1 1-00
10. Paula Alexander= Lincolnton, Ga. 8 14-05 260 $2,250.00
Day 1: 4= 2-06 Day 2: 4 11-15 Day 3: 0 0-00
11. Lucy Mize = Ben Lomond, Ark. 12 13-02 257 $2,250.00
Day 1:=4 4-11 Day 2: 3 2-09 Day 3: 5 5-14
12. Debra Petrowski= Arlington, Texas 7 12-04 254 $2,000.00
Day 1: 1= 1-01 Day 2: 3 4-14 Day 3: 3 6-05
13. Lisa Sternard= Clarksville, Tenn. 12 10-14 251 $1,750.00
Day 1:=5 4-11 Day 2: 4 3-07 Day 3: 3 2-12
14. Kim Bain-Moore= Alabaster, Ala. 11 10-14 248 $1,750.00
Day 1: 5= 5-06 Day 2: 2 1-12 Day 3: 4 3-12
15. Emily Shaffer= Mount Juliet, Tenn. 11 10-13 245 $1,750.00
Day 1:=5 5-01 Day 2: 4 3-14 Day 3: 2 1-14
16. Lisa Johnson= Centre, Ala. 6 8-15 243 $1,500.00
Day 1:=1 0-12 Day 2: 5 8-03 Day 3: 0 0-00
17. Patti Campbell= Waxahachie, Texas 8 8-01 241 $1,500.00
Day 1: 4= 4-08 Day 2: 3 2-09 Day 3: 1 1-00
18. Meta Burrell = Fort Worth, Texas 5 6-02 239 $1,500.00
Day 1:=2 3-05 Day 2: 3 2-13 Day 3: 0 0-00
19. Dianna Clark= Bumpus Mills, Tenn. 6 5-09 237 $1,500.00
Day 1:=3 2-15 Day 2: 1 1-00 Day 3: 2 1-10
20. Cindy Hill = Smyrna, Tenn. 5 5-01 235 $1,500.00
Day 1:=2 2-04 Day 2: 0 0-00 Day 3: 3 2-13
———————————————————————–
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 10 79 120-08
2 6 70 110-15
3 6 59 79-07
———————————-
22 208 310-14
10/16-10/18
Cypress Black Bayou Lake, Shreveport/Bossier City, La.
(NON-BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler =Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Monica=Altman Angier, N.C. 10 27-00 310 $43,250.00
=Day 1: 4 9-11 Day 2: 4 11-00 Day 3: 2 6-05
2. Barbara=Gaskins Suffolk, Va. 10 17-00 300 $37,500.00
Day=1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 4 4-03 Day 3: 1 1-00
3. Colleen McKay= Worcester, Mass. 13 13-14 290 $3,500.00
Day 1:=5 6-04 Day 2: 4 4-00 Day 3: 4 3-10
4. Donna Newberry= Van Buren, Ark. 11 13-11 285 $3,000.00
Day 1: 5= 6-05 Day 2: 4 3-14 Day 3: 2 3-08
5. Diane Smith = Fayetteville, Ga. 9 13-05 280 $2,500.00
Day 1:=3 6-05 Day 2: 3 3-08 Day 3: 3 3-08
6. Linda Walker= Beebe, Ark. 8 12-11 276 $1,500.00
Day 1:=3 5-02 Day 2: 2 4-01 Day 3: 3 3-08
7. Gail Wood = Russellville, Ark. 11 11-07 272 $1,200.00
Day 1:=5 5-09 Day 2: 2 1-08 Day 3: 4 4-06
8. Vicki Henderson= Ashdown, Ark. 8 11-00 268 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5= 7-09 Day 2: 2 2-05 Day 3: 1 1-02
9. Kim Martin = Clayton, Ind. 8 10-01 264 $1,000.00
Day 1:=4 3-06 Day 2: 1 1-05 Day 3: 3 5-06
10. Stacy Zhelesnik= Hoboken, N.J. 6 9-01 260 $900.00
Day 1: 3= 3-05 Day 2: 2 4-08 Day 3: 1 1-04
11. Bonnie Ward = Snohomish, Wash. 8 8-13 257 $900.00
Day 1:=1 0-00 Day 2: 3 5-00 Day 3: 4 3-13
12. Linda Owens= Brandon, Miss. 6 7-00 254 $800.00
Day 1:=4 4-12 Day 2: 1 1-03 Day 3: 1 1-01
13. Martha Goodfellow= Simpsonville, S.C. 7 6-07 251 $800.00
Day 1: 4 = 3-12 Day 2: 3 2-11 Day 3: 0 0-00
14. Debbie Pegoli = Loveland, Ohio 6 6-07 248 $800.00
Day 1: 2= 2-01 Day 2: 3 3-04 Day 3: 1 1-02
15. Kala Wright = Spiro, Okla. 6 6-05 245 $750.00
Day 1:=2 2-03 Day 2: 3 3-05 Day 3: 1 0-13
16. Terri Bittner= Mckinleyville, Calif. 5 5-06 243 $750.00
Day 1:=5 5-06 Day 2: 0 0-00 Day 3: 0 0-00
17. Bertha Cavakis= Amity, Ark. 5 5-04 241 $750.00
Day 1: 3= 2-12 Day 2: 1 1-02 Day 3: 1 1-06
18. Teri Cindric = Hermitage, Tenn. 5 5-00 239 $700.00
Day 1:=3 3-02 Day 2: 2 1-14 Day 3: 0 0-00
19. Charlotte Frazier= Dallas, Texas 4 4-04 237 $700.00
Day 1: 3 = 3-05 Day 2: 1 0-15 Day 3: 0 0-00
20. Sherry Melton = Monterey, Tenn. 4 4-02 235 $700.00
Day 1: 1= 1-04 Day 2: 2 1-15 Day 3: 1 0-15
———————————————————————–
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 6 70 93-14
2 5 47 61-09
3 3 33 42-11
———————————-
14 150 198-0
2009 WBT Championship – WBT Championship Boater Points
After Cypress Black Bayou Lake, Shreveport/Bossier City, La.
Ending 10-18-2009, Day 3
——————————————-
Place Name St Pts
——————————————-
1 Pam Martin-Wells Ga. 1425
2 Juanita Robinson = Texas 1386
3 Judy Wong La. 1351
4 Sheri Glasgow Okla. 1285
5 Melinda Mize Ark.= 1249
6 Dianna Clark Tenn. 1240
7 Laura=Gober Ga. 1234
8 Tammy Richardson Ark. = 1230
9 Janet Parker Texas 1215
10 Paula Alexander= Ga. 1208
11 Debra Petrowski Texas 1207
12 Lucy Mize Ark. 1204
13 Robin Babb =Texas 1172
14 Cindy Hill Tenn. 1164
15 Patti=Campbell Texas 1154
16 Meta Burrell Texas = 1118
17 Kim Bain-Moore Ala. 1007
18 Lisa Sternard= Tenn. 996
19 Lisa Johnson Ala. 975
20 Emily Shaffer Tenn. 966
21 Heather Broom = N.C. 890
22 Lori Masters La. 875
23=Mary DiVincenti La. 869
23 Christiana Bradley Va.= 869
25 Lynda Gessner Mo. 868
26 Helen=Gordon Texas 851
26 Laura Heflin Kan. = 851
28 Jennifer Nevans Tenn. 846
29 Cheryl LaLumandier= Mo. 844
30 Keri Schieber Ga. 842
31=Linda Redford Mo. 834
32 Teri Neal Ga.= 824
33 Kali Weatherford Texas 822
34 Secret=York Ky. 807
35 Marsha Gipson Ark. = 804
35 Jan Heavener Ark. 804
37 Tami Kashiwabara= Ark. 796
38 Michelle Armstrong N.C. 764
=38 Lila Bass Texas 764
40 Lisa Craig =Texas 752
41 Bridget Allen Pa. 746
42 Debra=Hengst Texas 744
43 Jo Dee Lake Ala. = 738
44 Susan Gregory Miss. 732
45 Kathi Hurst= Miss. 712
46 Robbie Hartline Mo. 670
47 Kim Stapp Ga. 668
48 Mary Croft = Va. 667
49 BJ Carson Okla. 666
50=Cheryl Bowden Texas 656
51 Sandi Karnes Texas= 633
52 Robinette Fox Ark. 612
53 Debbie=Kemp Texas 611
54 Kathy Womack Ala. = 603
55 Christena Baugh Ark. 587
56 Kris McClendon= Texas 575
57 Danalee Lofton Ark. 569
58 Kat Ealey Ala. 545
59 Pam Bolton = Ark. 470
60 Karen Savik Minn. 455
61=Karen Elkins Ala. 438
62 Audrey McQueen Ariz.= 410
63 Terri Elkins Texas 342
64 Mary Hencken= N.C. 320
65 Cindy Van Horn Texas 314
66 Rhonda Pope Ga. 285
67 Cheryl Spencer = Okla. 245
68 Cheryl Turner Tenn. 229
69=Gina Jones Ala. 217
70 Penny Berryman Ark.= 213
71 Tammy Sawyer Tenn. 203
72 Angie=Douthit Fla. 197
73 Linda Sands Ala. = 195
73 Robertina Filburn Ky. 195
75 Diane Phillips= Texas 193
76 Kathy DiMartino Ala. 191
77 Kandie Candelaria Texas 189
78 Betty Stahl = Ala. 185
79 Barbara Wetzel Ala. 169
79=Teresa Poole Mo. 169
79 Kim Tywater Tenn.= 169
79 Kimberly White Ill. 169
83 Kelley=Shepherd Ariz. 163
83 Deb Doyal La. = 163
85 Caprice Cherry La. 159
86 Sherri Dodson= Ala. 155
87 Kimberlee Striker Ala. 151
88 Pat White Texas 149
89 Patsy McDaniel = Ala. 137
90 Kim Hicks Ga. 127
91=Judy VanCanneyt Ala. 125
92 Ann Swinks Ga.= 119
93 Kathy Freehling Fla. 115
94 Cindy=Caperton Tenn. 0
94 Sharon Teague S.C. = 0
2009 WBT Championship – WBT Championship Non-Boater Points
After Cypress=Black Bayou Lake, Shreveport/Bossier City, La.
Ending 10-18-2009, Day=3
——————————————-
Place Name = St Pts
——————————————-
1 Terri Bittner Calif. 1373
2 Donna Newberry Ark. 1352
3 Martha Goodfellow S.C. 1301
4 Colleen=McKay Mass. 1292
5 Gail Wood Ark. 1236
6 Debbie Pegoli Ohio 1235
7 Barbara Gaskins= Va. 1230
8 Bonnie Ward Wash. 1218
9 Teri Cindric Tenn. 1183
10 Vicki Henderson =Ark. 1177
11 Linda Walker Ark. 1175
12 Sherry=Melton Tenn. 1167
13 Charlotte Frazier Texas = 1162
14 Linda Owens Miss. 1139
15 Bertha Cavakis= Ark. 1138
16 Diane Smith Ga. 1135
17 Kala Wright Okla. 1110
18 Monica Altman = N.C. 1091
19 Stacy Zhelesnik N.J. 1082
20=Kim Martin Ind. 1021
21 Renee Gumbrecht N.J.= 878
22 Denese Freeman Okla. 854
22 Kim Petrowski= Texas 854
24 Karol Whitehurst Texas 851
25 Elizabeth Sanders Miss. 842
26 Donna Rutledge = Ill. 836
27 Melissa Bond N.M. 826
28=Barbara Ferge Tenn. 818
29 Jill Matheis Ind.= 805
30 Trish Levitt N.M. 801
31 Dawn Dudek= Ill. 778
32 Katie Hogan Tenn. =777
33 Kim Mendoza Texas 770
34 Susan Wild = Fla. 746
35 Jane Brunner Miss. 738
36 Lesli Lively Texas 693
37 Kelly Wells = Ga. 669
38 Linda Berry N.C. 658
39=Sarah Davis La. 656
40 Michele Gunderman N.C.= 647
41 Lisa Diehl Pa. 644
42 Lori Steele= Okla. 642
42 Cheryl Buelow La. 642
44 Kat Arnold La. 629
45 Susan Dameron = Tenn. 587
46 Debra Cook Ala. 583
47=Katie Ellis Miss. 579
48 Nancy Oliver La.= 573
49 Jennifer Rice Ala. 564
50 Patty=Houston Ala. 563
51 Neva Brown Texas = 545
52 Patti James Texas 543
53 Pam Chism= Ark. 539
54 Sharon Lawson Tenn. = 536
55 Nancy Dugas Ala. 517
56 Jada Tidmore = Ala. 456
57 Lesley Childers S.C. 412
58 Sabrina Thompson Texas 410
59 Torrye Vineyard = Texas 382
60 Christine Martin Colo. 348
61=Petra Ramsey Texas 330
62 Regina Pierpaoli Tenn.= 295
63 Nancy Stumpe Fla. 276
64 Linda Higginbotham= Fla. 272
64 Brande Branine Kan. 272
66=Jodi Galloway Texas 257
67 Jennifer Helgren Ill.= 254
68 Vicki Hester Ala. 251
69 Dianna=Montgomery Tenn. 243
70 Cynthia Tayloe Texas = 231
71 Sharon Rushton Mo. 229
72 Bunny Hicks= Ga. 227
73 Cheryl Sprayberry Fla. 221
74 Susan Orton N.C. 219
75 Brandi Frasier = Ky. 211
76 Miriam Donohoo Fla. 209
77=Victoria Hellmer Tenn. 207
78 Laura Bean Ala.= 201
78 Judy Pate La. 201
80 Inez Zeagler= La. 195
81 Katelynn Gray La. 193
82 Cynthia Bryan La. 191
83 Bonnie Betts = Mo. 187
84 Sharon Seaton Tenn. 183
85=Jennifer Blackwood Ga. 181
85 De Lynn Montez Nev.= 181
85 Sharron Stone Texas 181
88 Juanita=Blasingame Tenn. 179
88 Denice Johnston Texas = 179
90 LaShea Raynor S.C. 175
90 Renee Brisendine= N.C. 175
92 Leslie Anderson Mo. 169
=93 Linda Rinker Fla. 167
93 Tracy Bailey =Texas 167
95 Shelley Chenowith Ark. 161
96 Renee=Johnston Texas 157
97 Lisa Skelley Tenn. = 153
98 Virginia Buckner Ala. 133
99 Marilyn Biszmaier= Ky. 131
100 Cassie Hall Ala. 129
101=Sugar Walker Ala. 125
102 Mona Crawford Fla.= 123
103 Kimberly White Ill. 117
104 Gerry=Threadgill Texas 0
104 Caprice Cherry La. = 0
104 Mary Lipka Mo. 0
104 Leanne Snowden= Mich. 0
