Steve -
Penny Berryman was kind enough to post her thoughts.....
"Ok, Ok. Let's get some things right. There are many women who have (and still do) fish in predominately men's trails. I did for many years, and it was just fine. I never really felt any animosity towards me because I was female. I figured if you handle yourself like a professional, you'll be treated as one. Whether you go to learn a new lake and prefish with a man that comes recommended by sponsors or a friend, or draw one as a partner in competition, most folks are just pleased to share a boat with someone who is serious about their fishing. As to the reasons that a great deal of women elect not to fish the men's pro trails, well, they are as varied as the personalities that view this site.
For many years women were excluded from the top men's trail (BASS), but that changed awhile back. Although the circuit was 'forced' to accept women anglers, enough time has passed now that the tensions have eased over that decision Lady anglers are now welcomed to join. At the time, many may have been concerned that women would somehow change their circuit. Perhaps they thought that they would be over-ridden with scantily dressed gals who would need certain 'concessions' because they were women. Some mistakenly felt that they would fill up all the extra spots, making it harder for their good buddy to get a birth into the circuit. Others thought that they might steal some of the media attention away from their efforts. What they didn't seem to realize was that there had always been a professional women's trail. For over 22 years, Bass N'Gals was the primary circuit for women. Also, their was the Lady Bass Tournament Trail. In the last four years, W.B.F.A Tour, has taken over and givben the women a new direction. It is a pro-am format and has set some very high goals for success for women. Many women that I have talked to who are just starting in compeition have said that they feel less intimated, by fishing with other women. They also feel very welcomed and treated with a great deal of respect, so many of them elect to stay 'on the women's side'. The competition is just as tough, the days are just as long, and mother nature plays just as many tricks during a women's event as she does with the men's events. Most of the time, the husbands/boyfriends attend the competion with them, and yes, they can practice together. In case you're wondering what the fellas do on competition days, well, let's just say that they are all members of the 'bank club'....they stay on the bank, off of the competition waters. Many times, they borrow a boat and go to a neighboring lake to fish, some play a little golf, some sleep, some probably play cards....but one thing is for certain...they nervously walk the bank at weigh-in time, waiting for 'their gir'l to make it in. (I guess you'd call it 'role reversal'!) There are also team tournaments that a woman can enter, husband and wife tournaments, and really, just about anything she sets her mind to. Someone on the board mentioned that they tried to join a local men's club and they didn't want her in....someone else suggested that they were afraid that she might beat them......well, I guess that just goes to show that the fellas raz each other over such things. Maybe that just can't be helped as it's just one of the ways our society has separated men from women. Luckily, fishing is one of those wonderful, slightly intangible things that shows no preference to gender. I guess I was just lucky. When I was growing up, my dad took all of my sisters and I fishing every weekend....I grew up thinking it was the most fun, adventurous things for a family to do! I didn't know until much later in life that it was considered more of a guy-thing than a girl-thing to do . I thank my dad and mom for that! It's about the most equal sport I can think of. Even a small child can be equal to an adult on any given day....after all, there is no guarant
