Lisa Sternard, Clarksville, Tennessee, jumped out of the number 5 spot to capture first place on the leaderboard and earn the title of Tournament Champion. He last day's 5-fish limit tilted the scales to 15.14 pounds giving her a tournament weight of 26.88 pounds.
Susan Gregory, Longbeach, Mississippi, took home the amateur title with a total weight of 13.15 pounds. Her stringer included the lunker in the Amateur division, a 3.91-pounder.
The professional leader the first day, Sheri Glasgow, Muskogee Oklahoma, came to the weigh-in scales as the last competitor of the event. She needed a total weight of 11.9 pounds to stay in the lead. When her 5 fish limit was put on the scales, tournament director Willie Cook had to mark it at 11.57 pounds, putting her in second place. Her finish in the tournament did establish her as the Top Lady Professional Angler of the Year for 2003.
The event, held on Grand Lake of the Cherokees, Oklahoma was the last event of the 2003 fishing year and the first tournament of the 2004 fishing year in the WBFA 5 yearly tournaments.
Fifty professional lady anglers and 22 Amateur lady angler participated in the event. They fought changing lake and weather conditions to bring the impressive stringers to the scales. Stenard described her pattern, "I fished the shallow water around the flooded willows. I was pitching a Zoom Brush Hog with a 3/8 ounce worm sinker and light Gamagatsu worm hook. Even during practice days, I found the best fish in the willows."
Glasgow used a different approach. She said, "I flipped a plastic bait in the flooded tree tops. I worked pretty fast. If the fish didn't take it on the fall or the first couple of bounces, I reeled in and moved."
The amateur champ, Gregory offered a third pattern. She said, "For the first time I fished a Pop-R. I worked it slow around the edges of the grass. Right now, it's my favorite bait and that leaderboard is proof that it works."
Third place professional, Pam Martin-Wells dittoed Stenard's pattern. She said, "I fished a Wave craw-worm in 3 feet of water in the toughest stuff I could find. I really had to depend on the Team Fish line."
The lunker bass in the professional category was a 5.61-pounder caught by Dianna Rogers, Bumpus Mills, Tennessee.
When Stenard realized she had won the tournament, she said, "All of the ladies fished hard. I am blessed and proud to be able to come out on top." When asked if she realized that this puts her in first place for the 2004 Angler of the year competition, she smiled and said, "That is definitely something I will have in my mind at every up-coming tournament."
The lady anglers representing 10 different states brought in a total of 265 bass that weighed 568 pounds. Only 5 fish could not be released alive back into Grand Lake.
The WBFA is the only professional bass tournament trail designed for lady anglers to fish competitively. It provides categories for both professional and amateurs at each tournament. The tour is sponsored by Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Minn Kota Trolling Motors, Dekka Marine Batteries, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Eidolon Bait Company, Kick n'Bass Scents, and FlowMaster.
LEADER BOARD
Professional Division
1. Lisa Sternard Clarksville, TN 26.88 2. Sheri Glasgow Muskogee, OK 26.56 3. Pam martin-Wells Bainbridge, Ga 22.77 4. Brenda Davis Sand Springs, OK 18.99 5. Joan Craig Russelvissle, AR 18.90Lunker Dianna Rogers Bumpus Mills, TN 5.26
Amateur Division
1. Susan Gregory Longbeach, MS 13.15 2. Lisa Craig Chandler, TX 11.64 3. Crystal Langston Leighton, AL 9.99 4. Joan Davis West Lafayette, IN 9.16 5. Terri Elliott Trussville, Al 8.81Lunker Susan Gregory Longbeach, MS 3.91