Monday morning Oct 17^th.

We started fishing around 7:20am and the bite was good. I had a 16 inch fish at around 7:45 on a top water bait. I caught another 15 inches around 8 am and told Jen that this was going to be a tuff tournament. Jen connected on  2 fish over 14inches and we headed North to Hickory Creek, I was throwing a fluke and caught around 9 more short fish.   Jen was throwing red shad power worm and another nice 15 inch fish.

Day one practice was great, I caught around 12 fish and Jen 6. We made it back to camp, unloaded, retied, and worked to our get stuff ready for next practice day. I noticed I was having a problem with my trolling motor  batteries.  They would show a charge but around noon my trolling motor was on five and barley going. I told my husband about the problem and he said he would get two new batteries the next day. Royce Harlan from Nichols Marine in Norman who sold us our Champion said to take the batteries to any Interstate dealer and they would exchange for new ones. He was right.  First problem, taken care of.

Day 2 Practice Tuesday Oct 18^th

What a beautiful morning, but going to be around 92 degrees and no wind. We met at the camp ground again around 7am and we headed to the launch ramp to unload. I wanted to get the morning bite. We headed to the dam and was going to throw a white spinner bait, however I encountered problem number two of the tournament.  When I put my trolling motor down and turned it on , it would not stop running. I had to turn it off and on manually and knew the switch was stuck. I called my husband on cell phone and told him the problem and he said to head back to the ramp and he would fix it. So much for the morning bite. Thank God for my husband, he had us going again and less than 40 min. We headed back north again to find more rocky points and stick ups. Turn out to be a great day. Jen caught around 6 and I around 9. Jen had 3 keepers for the day, and I had 2.

Day 3 Practice Wednesday Oct 19^th

Going to be another hot one, as the weather was going to be 93 degree and no wind again. Turned out to be a record setting day for Texas . We met again around 7am . My body was starting to feel the aches and pains, but I was determined to go find the big hawgs. We headed to Pier 121 and fished the docks and wow what a day. I can’t remember just how many fish we caught but I know it was over 15. We were headed out of Pier 121 and stopped at a place that had no cover and looked kind of bare, but the creek ran on the edge and we started fishing just to see if we could get a bite, and bang I caught a 16 inch fish and Jen had another 16inch fish on in less than ten minutes, so we threw the rods down and got the heck out of there and told each other when we would fish it the next day. We had to head back to camp to get ready for Registration at 3pm . I was so tired and had a big night ahead. The registration and briefing was great and Sneaky Pete’s  was a classic place to have it. I met so many Women from all over the world who love to Bass Fish as much as I do. Thank God for my husband and my Son they were getting the boat and rods ready for me for tournament day. I was boat 59 and was paired with a Lady from Bedford Texas name Tiffany Duncan who had only fished two Bass tournaments in her whole life. We met and talked about my plans for fishing the next day. I headed back to camp around 9:30pm and realized that I had not eaten yet, so a fast sandwich , got my clothes ready, loaded drinks and tackle in the boat. I set the alarm for 5am and tried to go to sleep, but the events for the next day kept running though my head and I think I manage to get 3 hours in…

Day 1 Tournament Day Thursday Oct 20^th

I have been waiting for this day for months. My stomach was so nervous and the anticipation for the day was so exciting. I manage to get two cups of coffee down but no food. My partner will be waiting for me at the boat ramp around 6:30am . We unloaded at Lewisville Park Ramp and headed to Sneaky Pete’s for take off. It was another beautiful morning with the winds blowing around 6 mph. Being boat 59 I did not get to my first hole until 8:15 am , so I missed about 1 hour of morning bites. I picked up my top water bait and was fishing around the I-35 bridge and I noticed a boat with a Women and a Man with yellow jackets on, they kept watching us, I told Tiffany that they must be tournament officials. I fish for about ten minute and bang my first keeper came and the Women and Man in the boat were clapping. That was so exciting. I knew I was going to have a great day having the first keeper in the boat before 9 am . My partner had a fish on that was almost to the boat and it spit the Spinner bait out and I saw the fish go down and it had to be around a 3-4 pounder. I felt so bad for her, but we kept fishing. I fished for another 3 hours with top water and caught another 6 short fish.

At noon , I began switching up, alternating between a fluke, spinner bait, crank bait, and a Texas rigged power bait.  I caught another 9 fish but all to short. It was getting close to our weigh- in 4:20 pm and I knew I did my best. I had not even taking the time to drink or eat anything and was so tired. At weigh-in I found out that several other women had caught a lot of short fish and only around 9 manage to get a 5 fish stringer. So I did not feel to bad. My partner had no fish and I weighed in 1 fish at 1.90 lbs. I had to find my partner for the next day and tell her the plans for day 2. I did get to eat around 6 pm at Sneaky Pete’s. Time to head back to camp and get ready for next day.

Day 2 Tournament Day Friday Oct 21^st

It was going to be a windy day with a cold front coming.  Winds would  be blowing out of the WNW about 10mph. My partner for day two was a Lady from Mesquite Texas name Pam Rodden, she said she fishes with Bassin Gals. We met at boat ramp around 6:15 am and headed to Sneaky Pete’s. I was in flight 4 for the day and boat #30 and weigh-in at 3:50 . I headed to my first hole and we kept catching small fish. Mostly on top waters and spinnerbaits.

I headed to my second hole, a ledge on the main lake and tried to fish the stick ups, but the wind was not doing me justice. The cold front came on in, and the temp drop 10 degree in about 10 minutes and winds turned around and came out of the North around 15mph.

I headed back to Hickory Creek to get out of the wind. We manage to catch more short fish. I had 3 that were around 13 7/8” and Pam had several the same. I tried again to go fish a spot on the south side of the lake, but the wind just would not let me stay. It was a great day of fishing. I had 11 fish total for the day and Pam had 12, but NO KEEPERS.

Pam was a good fishing Partner and seem to know what she was doing. Great Lady. We headed back to weigh-in and I was thinking out of all the fish we caught we should have been at the top of the board. I learned a lot and I plan on fishing the WBT with high hopes and a dream. I watched the weigh-in and talked to several women about their day on the lake. I also watched the eyes of young ladies who watched the weigh in,  just maybe we can open the doors to an opportunity of a life time. To compete on such a high level.

Day 3 Tournament Day Saturday Oct 22^nd

Oh how I wish I was fishing today. My body got up at 6am , but my mind was still asleep. The weather was beautiful, and I was thinking of the twelve ladies that were on the lake fishing. I could not imagine what they were feeling. I went outside around 7am and watched the most beautiful sunrise and had a cup of coffee and said a few prayers for the Women on the lake. I could not stand being in the RV and not fishing, so we ate breakfast, first time in 4 days, got dressed and headed out on the lake to see if we could find a few fish. You know the story, you catch a fish when your not in the tournament. I caught a 3 ponder and had another one around 15”, and hubby caught a few nice ones. I fished in that very same spot the day before. Oh well, that’s the way it goes. I watched a few of the anglers and was hoping I would see them catch a fish.

Around 3:15 pm we headed to weigh-in. The top 12 WBT anglers were in. They were changing shirts, touch up on their make up, and getting ready for the most excitement they probably have ever had in a tournament as large as this, with the Media and Bass Fans from all other. I had to take a few pictures of the ladies in their boats and watched as they lifted the fish out of their live well. Wow, what excitement!   I was feeling nervous for them. I headed to the scales and watched Pro Pam Martin Wells win the very first tournament for the WBT. The memories in my head will last forever.

Time to head home Sunday Oct 23^rd

I don’t won’t to go. We have so much packing to do. The weather was so bad. The winds were blowing around 30 mph and temp 48 degrees. I was thinking to myself that the good Lord was watching over the WBT ladies for tournament days. WBT officials would have called the tournament off if the weather would have been like that on tournament day. We finished packing up our RV and boat and headed north to Oklahoma . Made it back around 6 pm and unloaded. I was so thankful that it was another safe trip.

I also was so thankful that I have family and friends who help me during this tournament. I would not have made it without them. Now I still have baits and lures all over the kitchen table and still unpacking clothes. I am trying to get Sponsorship resume ready for the WBT for next year. The fishing days are numbered by the weather. But if God’s willing and the weather is good, you can find me fishing . Thanks to the WBT for a great experience. See Ya in March 2006.

Pro Donna Biondi

Tex/Okie