In 1988, Carol Martens and her (now famous) son Aaron fished all the west coast bass fishing circuits as a mother and son fishing team. They garnered numerous awards during a 10-year span, including Tri-State Champions and many Angler of the Year Awards. Because they consistently did so well, they were covered by many newspapers like the Daily News, Los Angeles Times, and Orange County Register, and even appeared in publications in Japan and Canada.
In 1996 Carol and Aaron each went Pro, and a few years later, Aaron was the first to be sponsored by Team Crown Royal. Two years later, they sponsored her. It was the most prestigious and coveted sponsorship in the USA. During that time, Crown Royal honored Carol with their Media Excellence Award.
For over 20 years, she was a regular speaker on the Bass Bins at the Fred Hall Shows in three locations. During that time, she was also a Bass Fishing Guide specializing in teaching women and children how to bass fish. Her video titled Bass Fishing 101 was produced by several professionals and promoted at outdoor shows for many years.
In 2007 she received the California Fishing Ambassador Award from the Fish & Game Dept. for inspiring women and children to fish.
Carol has been an outdoor writer for over 25 years, beginning with her first column in the WON BASS News, a popular west coast publication. In the years following, she wrote for the Inside Line, Bass West, and BassQuest Magazines, plus a few websites. And now she’s part of the BassResource team.
She’s been a member of the Outdoor Writers of California for over 20 years, serving as a Board Member, President in 2004, and now Secretary for the past six years.
Her articles include human interest, humor, and simple bass fishing and boating instructions. Adults and children find her articles interesting, easy to understand, and entertaining.
Carol states, “All the previous awards and opportunities I’ve had for the past 30-plus years only remind me what a great sport we have. Not only is fishing fun with many benefits, but I have the greatest friends and associations anyone could hope for. I’m truly blessed and grateful.”
Her Motto: Keep fishing fun!