Facing very little water movement, high skies, and a cold front, Hurst cast a Bill Norman DD20 crankbait, Carolina rigged Zoom plastic worm, and slow rolled a Strike King Spinner bait to bring one of only two 10-fish tournament limits to the weigh-in scales during the 2 day event.
She said, "The fish were hitting very soft. In fact, just before the final weigh-in, I had almost brought the Carolina rig all the way back to the boat when it just felt funny. I set the hook, but guess it was too close to the boat. I lost a nice 3-pounder. My amateur partner, Donna Martin, Shelby, Alabama, turned me on to the Carolina rig pattern the first day."
With a tournament total of 17.01 points, she did not need the lost fish. She was able to best out Sheri Glasgow, Muskogee, Oklahoma, by less than 2 pounds. Glasgow had the other only 10-fish tournament limit which earned her 15.92 points.
The first day leader, Jan Jones Heavener, Sherwood, Arkansas, slipped back to the fourth position. She was only able to boat 3 fish on the final day. She said, "I fished the same pattern as I did yesterday, but with these kinds of fishing conditions, the fish move around. And, my fish moved. They just weren't there."
The third place position was captured by Shelly Perry, Hurricane, West Virginia. She also had 8 fish that earned her 14.23 points. The lunker of the tournament was caught by Linda Owens, Brandon, Mississippi. She was able to land a 4.23-pounder on a Carolina rigged red and black Brush Hog. She said that all of the fish she caught never really hit hard. She described the bite by saying, "It was just a heavy feeling like there was something different."
The amateur category was captured by Barbara Gaskins, Suffolk, Virginia. She earned 6.27 points during the tournament. She described her catches by saying, "I kept a chrome and blue Zara Spook tied on a spare rod. Every time the sun would slip behind a cloud, I picked up the rod with the Spook and started casting it. It worked for me. The pros I fished with put me on the fish."
The second place position for the amateur category was taken by Connie Brock, Praireville, Louisiana. She was able to bring 4 fish to the scales to earn 7.23 points.
Seventy-two lady anglers from 17 states competed in the event. Tournament trail owner Willie Cook said, "For what these ladies had to work with, they did very well. When the Red River gets tough, it really gets tough."
The tournament was hosted by the Alexandria/Pineville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Additional local support was provided by The Town Talk, Central Louisiana Sports Association, and the Red River Waterway Commission.
The Women's Bass Fishing Association is the only professional and amateur bass fishing tournament trail designed for women anglers. The ladies fish 6 tournaments a year to Qualify for the World Championship Classic. The next event is scheduled for Feburary, 2004, on the Apalachicola River out of Mexico Beach, Florida.
The WBFA is sponsored by Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Hummingbird Electronics, Minn Kota Trolling Motors, Deka Marine Batteries, Eidolon Bait Company, and Kick N" Bass Scents.