(Gadsden, AL) – Ft. Worth, Texas pro Cheryl Bowden adapted to the changing conditions on Alabama’s Lake Neely Henry to capture her first Lady Bass Anglers Association (LBAA) tour victory today as she brought 21.90-pounds to the scales in the two-day LBAA event here.
Bowden’s first LBAA tour victory was by the slimmest of margins over Bainbridge, Georgia pro Pam Martin-Wells who caught 20.88-pounds.
“The water muddied up,” Bowden exclaimed at the event’s conclusion. “We also had no current today and we had cloudy, but we had no rain. In practice I needed the rain and clouds. I didn’t have that today so I had to make adjustments so I went from buzz bait to crank bait. It was a really slow bite today too; however, my Texas rig was the same the entire tournament, with the difference today being that I had to move it really, really slow.”
Up in the day at around 10:30 am Bowden moved to an area she fished for the first time yesterday. When she arrived there she had four average fish in the boat. “There is a stump there and on my first cast as soon as it hit the water I had a bite and hooked the fish,” she stated. “Next cast another fish and I got that one in the livewell and got things set again. I reapplied my Kick `n Bass and cast again – another one. Then another one and I culled three times off of that one stump.”
“I’ve been asked about what my number 21 means,” Bowden went on to say. “It simply means two consistent days to get to one place – 21.”
Bowden is sponsored by US Reel, Kick `n Bass, Costa, Save Phace, Gambler Lures, Deka Batteries and Fins Braid.
Following Bowden and Martin-Wells is Pelham, Alabama’s Kim Bain-Moore in third with 20.12. Fourth through seventh on the pro side were Lisa Johnson/Centre, Alabama 17.47, Pam Ridgle/Murchison, Texas 17.25, Lynda Gessner/Foristell, Missouri 15.90 and Robbie Hartline/Foristell, Missouri 15.16.
In the Co-angler division on Neely Henry Alpine, Alabama’s Kim Giddens led wire-to-wire and brought in her limit of six bass over two-days that weighed 13.05–pounds to claim the LBAA Neely Henry Co-Angler crown.
“I only live an hour from here and I really wanted to win this tournament,” Giddens stated. “I had placed well throughout the year but knowing I was only five points out of first for the Co-angler of the Year I really wanted this tournament.”
“The lake was really tough and I struggled both days, but I was able to get a limit both days to secure this win.” Giddens went on to say.
Alabaster, Alabama’s Cassie Hall was in second with 10.30-pounds and she was followed in third by Martinsburg, West Virginia’s Shannon Wood with 9.10-pounds. Fourth through seventh were Diana Uebelhack/Mt. Vernon, Indiana 7.57, Bonnie Ward/Snohomish, Washington 7.51, Diane Smith/Fayetteville, Georgia 7.20, Vicki Henderson/Ashdown, Arkansas 7.12.
Legend Big Bass Award winners at Neely Henry were Robbie Hartline on the pro side with her bass that weighed 3.98-pounds and Giddens won the Co-angler Big Bass award with her 3.99-pound bass.
Kim Bain-Moore with her third place finish today at Neely Henry secured the crown of LBAA 2012 Pro Angler of the Year crown. “I feel like I worked really hard this year. We went to a lot of different lakes this year that presented me with some challenges and I feel like I was able to overcome some of those. I really wanted this award and I was able to capture it, so yes I’m excited.
Kim Giddens also secured the 2012 LBAA Co-angler of the Year award. Giddens steadily climbed the ladder this year as she started the first tournament at Ray Hubbard with a fourth and from there got a third at Dardanelle, a second on Kentucky Lake and won here at Neely Henry. “It’s great to win this coveted award and I’m very excited about making the 2012 Lady Bass Classic on Guntersville,” Giddens said.
It was also announced today that Monica Altman of Angier, North Carolina won the 2012 LBAA Pro Rookie of the Year award.
On Saturday, September 8 the LBAA will sponsor the LBAA Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Alabama Charity Tournament. This is a team tournament that is open to anyone. Entry fee is $100/team with a $1000 first place prize and an additional cash bonus for the highest finishing team with a woman angler and the highest finisher with a child angler. Proceeds from the charity tournament and an accompanying raffle will be presented at the conclusion of the event which will run from `safe light’ until 3PM CDT. Tomorrow’s charity tournament competition will launch from the Coosa Landing at 200 Lakefront St, Gadsden, AL 35901
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Alabama carries on a commitment to provide the best services to the youth of the community of Gadsden and surrounding areas. Their rich tradition of serving the youth and the families of the Gadsden area has been alive for 54 years. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Alabama are located at 402 South 3rd Street in Gadsden, Alabama 35901. They can be reached by phone at 1-256-546-KIDS (5437) and on the World Wide Web at http://www.bgcnortheastalabama.org/index.asp
The City of Gadsden is hosting the LBAA event on Lake Neely Henry. Offices for the City of Gadsden are located at 90 Broad Street in Gadsden, Alabama 35901. City offices can be reached by calling 1-256-549-4500. The city also is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.cityofgadsden.com/
Host lodging for the 2012 LBAA Lake Neely Henry event is being provided by the Gadsden Inn and Suites which is located at 200 North Albert Rains Boulevard in Gadsden, Alabama 35901. Their phone numbers are 1-800-637-5678 and 1-256-543-7240. The Gadsden Inn and Suites also have a presence on the World Wide Web at http://gadsdeninnandsuites.com/
The LBAA 2012 Lady Bass Classic is slated for Lake Guntersville on October 11, 12, 13 and the full fields for both divisions will be announced soon.
