Martin-Wells is Second Woman in History to Qualify for Bassmaster Classic
Martin-Wells won the 2009 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 Classic. 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.
2009 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