The Lady Bass Anglers Association (LBAA) 2011 Rookie of the Year Pam Ridgle is starting out 2012 like a house afire as she earned a hard fought come from behind victory to take home the win in the Lady Bass Anglers Association’s Lake Ray Hubbard tournament. Ridgle’s two-day, 10-bass total came to 24.27 pounds to put her atop the leader board.
Ridgle who was in sixth place after day one obviously had her work cut out for her on day two. What happened?
“The wind didn’t blow today, and it allowed me to slow down and fish the way I wanted,†Ridgle said. “By 10 a.m., I had four fish and was looking for the fifth. Everywhere I went, there were other competitors on the spots I wanted to fish. Finally around 1:30 I started culling as I was able to get on a couple spots and let it (the worm) do its thing,†Ridgle a Murchison, Texas resident added.
The bait of choice was a Wave Tiki Stick in the New Orleans color rigged wacky style.
“This is something you dream of doing, and I’m still in the state of ‘I-don’t-believe-this-yet,†Ridgle added. “I know I can fish, but when it comes to competitive fishing, there are so many things that come in to play. This is just very overwhelming.
“I thank God for the beautiful creation He gave us and for the beautiful waters He gave us to fish.”
Joey Ridgle Septic, First State Bank of Brownsboro, Wave Worms, Fish Guardian, and Temple Fork Outfitters, Brass `n Blades, and Beckat Oil and Fuel, sponsors Ridgle.
Pelham, Ala. pro Kim Bain-Moore who had 10 bass over the course of the two days of competition weighing 22.69 pounds earned second place. Simpsonville, South Carolina pro Martha Goodfellow was in third with 22.41. Fourth was Lynda Gessner with 21.49. Fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively were Leslie Anderson with 19.34, Pam Martin-Wells with 18.77, and Robbie Hartline with 18.46.
The Legend Big Bass Pro Division Award for Ray Hubbard was Foristell, Mo.’s Robbie Hartline as her 6.83 pound bass that she caught on Thursday held up through Friday. Hartline as you remember stated she was fishing slow and shallow.
“I caught my big bass in the back of Bay View using a Spro Little John crankbait. The color I was using was Cellmate. It seemed to be a big fish bait,†Hartline added.
On the Co-angler side of the Lake Ray Hubbard event Fayetteville, Georgia’s Diane Smith had a huge come from behind win to claim her first ever LBAA Co-angler Championship. Smith zeroed, that is right – zeroed on day one of competition.
Weather was also a factor in Smith’s charge from back in the pack to first. “The wind, rain, and waves all stopped today and I could fish slowly like I wanted to, and it made all the difference,†Smith confidently commented.
Smith’s bait of choice was a Carolina rigged lizard watermelon candy in color.
“This is my first co-angler win with the LBAA and it feels great,†Smith stated. “This feels even better after zeroing yesterday.â€
Finishing second at Hubbard in the co-angler division was Diana Uebelhack with 13.78, third was Jodi Galloway with 13.64, fourth went to Kim Giddens with 8.56, fifth was Alisa Johnson with 8.19, sixth was Vicki Henderson with 7.30, and in seventh was Cindy Strong with 4.18.
The Legend Big Bass Co-angler Division Award also went to the LBAA Lake Ray Hubbard Co-angler Champion Smith who caught a 6.78-pound bass from Hubbard’s waters.
