With a Bassmaster Classic qualifying spot in the balance, Kim Bain brushed off her nerves Thursday and did at the Women's Bassmaster Tour Championship what she had done throughout the regular season. The 28-year-old from Alabaster, Ala., boated a limit weighing 5 pounds, 2 ounces, on Arkansas' Lake Hamilton, which put her in seventh place at the tournament and helped her maintain the lead in the Women's Bassmaster Tour Angler of the Year standings -- at least through Day One.
If Bain holds on to the AOY lead, she will become the first female angler to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic in its 39-year history and will also receive a fully-rigged Toyota Tundra. Bain entered the Championship 14 points ahead of Cindy Hill of Smyrna, Tenn., in the standings and 35 points ahead of Juanita Robinson of Highlands, Texas.
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous," said Bain, who moved from Australia to the U.S. nine years ago to pursue a career in bass fishing. "Clearly, I have a lot riding on this but I'm just trying to take it one day at a time."
Robinson continued her challenge Thursday of Bain's AOY lead, finishing third with 6-6. Hill barely missed boating a 4-pounder and is in 16th place with 2-4. While Robinson gains on Bain, she will need Bain to falter or will have to win the Championship event herself to have a chance at the AOY. The points race will be settled Saturday at the culmination of the Championship.
While Bain, Hill and Robinson battle for the coveted Classic berth, Debra Petrowski, with 7-12, put herself in good position Thursday to take the top Championship prize of a fully-rigged boat package valued at $55,000 in addition to $5,000. Trailing Petrowski in second was Lisa Sternard of Clarksville, Tenn., with 6-12.
Petrowski, of Arlington, Texas, persevered through a slow day on Hamilton by concentrating on areas where shallow water transitioned to deep dropoffs. She didn't want to give up details on her pattern but said she was being aggressive and caught fish throughout the day, though the morning was slower.
She attributed much of her success to a scouting trip to Hamilton in July. During that trip. when the water was significantly lower, she was better able to see the lake. The July visit to the lake was Petrowski's first.
"I'm concentrating on a specific, certain thing and I think it has really paid off," she said. "This is a huge deal to be in the lead at the Championship."
The Texan qualified for the Championship on the strength of three top-20 finishes in four regular-season events. She was 15th in the Women's Bassmaster Tour Angler of the Year standings heading into the Championship. Based on their regular-season AOY rankings, only the top 20 anglers qualified for the Championship.
As she has all season, Petrowski was joined in the field by her daughter, Kim, who qualified for the co-angler field. Kim struggled Thursday, failing to boat a keeper.
Leading in the co-anger division was Debbie Pegoli of Loveland, Ohio, who weighed in two fish for an overall weight of 4 pounds, 8 ounces.
Trailing Pegoli in second was Debra Cook of Gardendale, Ala., with three fish weighing 3 pounds, 10 ounces, and in third, Linda Walker of Beebe, Ark., with 3 pounds, 8 ounces. Co-anglers are competing for a $37,500 Skeeter-Yamaha rig and $3,250.
2008 Women's Bassmaster Tour Championship 10/23-10/25 Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs AR. (BOATER) Standings Day 1 Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$ 1. Debra Petrowski Arlington, TX 5 07-12 300 Day 1: 5 07-12 2. Lisa Sternard Clarksville, TN 5 06-12 295 Day 1: 5 06-12 3. Juanita Robinson Highlands, TX 5 06-06 290 Day 1: 5 06-06 4. Jan Heavener Sherwood, AR 5 05-15 285 Day 1: 5 05-15 5. Angie Douthit Clewiston, FL 5 05-09 280 Day 1: 5 05-09 6. Helen Gordon Flower Mound, TX 5 05-05 276 Day 1: 5 05-05 7. Kim Bain Alabaster, AL 5 05-02 272 Day 1: 5 05-02 8. Mary DiVincenti Clinton, LA 5 05-00 268 Day 1: 5 05-00 9. Pam Martin-Wells Bainbridge, GA 5 04-15 262 Day 1: 5 04-15 9. Dianna Clark Bumpus Mills, TN 4 04-15 262 Day 1: 4 04-15 11. Laura Gober Pendergrass, GA 5 04-05 257 Day 1: 5 04-05 12. Bonnie Johnson Weatherford, TX 3 04-00 254 Day 1: 3 04-00 13. Kat Ealey Moody, AL 4 03-15 251 Day 1: 4 03-15 14. Lucy Mize Ben Lomond, AR 2 03-01 248 Day 1: 2 03-01 15. Patti Campbell Waxahachie, TX 2 02-08 245 Day 1: 2 02-08 16. Cindy Hill Smyrna, TN 2 02-04 243 Day 1: 2 02-04 17. Tammy Richardson Amity, AR 2 02-00 241 Day 1: 2 02-00 18. Sheri Glasgow Muskogee, OK 2 01-13 239 Day 1: 2 01-13 19. Audrey McQueen Eagar, AZ 2 01-10 237 Day 1: 2 01-10 20. Kathi Hurst Ripley, MS 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Bass Day ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 10 73 83-03 ---------------------------------- 10 73 83-03 2008 Women's Bassmaster Tour Championship 10/23-10/25 Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs AR. (NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1 Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$ 1. Debbie Pegoli Loveland, OH 2 04-08 300 Day 1: 2 04-08 2. Debra Cook Gardendale, AL 3 03-10 295 Day 1: 3 03-10 3. Linda Walker Beebe, AR 3 03-08 290 Day 1: 3 03-08 4. Monica Altman Angier, NC 4 03-06 285 Day 1: 4 03-06 5. Gail Wood Russellville, AR 3 02-14 280 Day 1: 3 02-14 6. Barbara Gaskins Suffolk, VA 3 02-13 276 Day 1: 3 02-13 7. Kim McGuffey Weatherford, TX 3 02-11 272 Day 1: 3 02-11 8. Denese Freeman Lawton, OK 2 02-08 268 Day 1: 2 02-08 9. Lesli Lively Palestine, TX 2 02-04 264 Day 1: 2 02-04 10. Susan Dameron Chattanooga, TN 2 01-15 260 Day 1: 2 01-15 11. Sharon Lawson Red Bank, TN 2 01-11 257 Day 1: 2 01-11 12. Patti James Dayton, TX 2 01-09 254 Day 1: 2 01-09 13. Cheryl Buelow Pollock, LA 1 01-06 251 Day 1: 1 01-06 14. Lesley Childers Anderson, SC 1 01-01 248 Day 1: 1 01-01 15. Bonnie Ward Snohomish, WA 1 01-00 244 Day 1: 1 01-00 15. Stacy Zhelesnik Hoboken, NJ 1 01-00 244 Day 1: 1 01-00 17. Bertha Cavakis Amity, AR 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 17. Kim Petrowski Arlington, TX 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 17. Elizabeth Sanders Brandon, MS 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 17. Diane Smith Fayetteville, GA 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Bass Day 1 Cheryl Buelow Pollock, LA 01-06 $0.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 0 35 37-12 ---------------------------------- 0 35 37-12