01-28-2010, 12:10 PM
Former Women's Bassmaster Tour pros Dianna Clark and Judy Wong quickly switched to the Bassmaster Central Open circuit when the WBT was discontinued this month.
Clark, who in 2006 earned the inaugural WBT Angler of the Year title, said she didn't even think twice about entering the Opens.
"When they announced there were some spots in the Opens, it struck me as a strong, new challenge I wanted to tackle," said Clark, who lives in Bumpus Mills, Tenn. "I know there are a whole lot of good anglers, a whole lot more competition, but I realized I wanted that. I think I was the first one to call."
Wong, the WBT Championship winner in 2007 and 2009, said competing in a large field of mostly men is nothing new to her.
"I used to fish the BASS invitationals and I've also fished other circuits with men as well," Wong said. "It's just a different atmosphere. But as far as the competition, I'll still have the same mental attitude; I'll still be doing the same things I'd be doing preparing for a tournament. And I know a lot of the guys; I have competed against them in other circuits."
Now living in Many, La., Wong was a Texan for many years. She's familiar with two Central Open sites: Lake Amistad in Del Rio, Texas, the April 8-10 season opener; and the June 3-5 event on the Red River out of Shreveport , La.
The third venue for the 2010 Central Opens, Lake Texoma out of Denison, Texas , in October, will be her biggest challenge, Wong said, because it fishes deeper than suits her style. She said she plans to overcome that by putting in more practice time.
"If I were to do well in the Opens, it will bring women even more respect in this sport," she said. "I'm not going to say it will be easy. There are a lot of good anglers there. I'll just have to work harder at it."
Clark, a retired U.S. Army staff sergeant who served in the Persian Gulf War, is also game for the competition.
"I don't pay much attention to who the other anglers are," she said. "Competition is competition. We're competing against fish, not men or women. I'm out to bring in five fish a day, hopefully five big ones."
About BASS
For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
Contact:<br />
Doug Grassian, 407-566-2216 or doug.grassian@espn.com
Clark, who in 2006 earned the inaugural WBT Angler of the Year title, said she didn't even think twice about entering the Opens.
"When they announced there were some spots in the Opens, it struck me as a strong, new challenge I wanted to tackle," said Clark, who lives in Bumpus Mills, Tenn. "I know there are a whole lot of good anglers, a whole lot more competition, but I realized I wanted that. I think I was the first one to call."
Wong, the WBT Championship winner in 2007 and 2009, said competing in a large field of mostly men is nothing new to her.
"I used to fish the BASS invitationals and I've also fished other circuits with men as well," Wong said. "It's just a different atmosphere. But as far as the competition, I'll still have the same mental attitude; I'll still be doing the same things I'd be doing preparing for a tournament. And I know a lot of the guys; I have competed against them in other circuits."
Now living in Many, La., Wong was a Texan for many years. She's familiar with two Central Open sites: Lake Amistad in Del Rio, Texas, the April 8-10 season opener; and the June 3-5 event on the Red River out of Shreveport , La.
The third venue for the 2010 Central Opens, Lake Texoma out of Denison, Texas , in October, will be her biggest challenge, Wong said, because it fishes deeper than suits her style. She said she plans to overcome that by putting in more practice time.
"If I were to do well in the Opens, it will bring women even more respect in this sport," she said. "I'm not going to say it will be easy. There are a lot of good anglers there. I'll just have to work harder at it."
Clark, a retired U.S. Army staff sergeant who served in the Persian Gulf War, is also game for the competition.
"I don't pay much attention to who the other anglers are," she said. "Competition is competition. We're competing against fish, not men or women. I'm out to bring in five fish a day, hopefully five big ones."
About BASS
For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
Contact:<br />
Doug Grassian, 407-566-2216 or doug.grassian@espn.com