Entry 27-3

Emily Shaffer

Women's Fishing Tournaments

Editor's Note: Emily Shaffer of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, won the 1995 Bass-N-Gal World Championship (the Classic of the women's bass-fishing circuit), and since has caught the largest bass ever weighed in at a Classic (male or female) weighing 9.01 pounds. In 2000, she won her first Women's Bass Fishing Association (WBFA) tournament.

Question: How many other women will compete in the FLW?

Shaffer: I don't know. I know several women have tried it, but you have to go in with the attitude that we are all there for the same thing. I'm no better than anybody else. I don't want to be patronized because I'm a woman.

Question: Do you find that happens a lot?

Shaffer: Yes, like if I'm out in a boat with a guy during a tournament, and the water is real, real rough, I feel like that guy is concerned about me. He wouldn't be as concerned if Bubba was sitting over there next to him. Several guys I've fished with have said, "You know I just don't compete or work as hard when I have a girl in the boat with me. What have I accomplished when I beat you?" I'm very competitive. If I win, I rub it in their faces.

Question: What do you tell them? Do you try to make them feel more comfortable? Do you get more aggressive?

Shaffer: Most of the time I am very aggressive and competitive because I want the fish. Sometimes when a guy gets upset, I'll kind of back-off. I feel it is weird because, like I said, we are all out there for the same thing. We are all out there competing with the fish in the water. Yes, we are competing against each other to see how many we can get in the boat. But if he says he doesn't accomplish much by beating a girl, then he's the one with a problem. And it is not my problem.

Question: Is this an occupation in which you encourage other women to take part?

Shaffer: Yes. I love the outdoors. There is nothing like the springtime when you see all the baby animals and in the fall when you get to watch the trees change colors while you are out there fishing.

Question: Do other women express an interest in fishing to you?

Shaffer: Yes. I teach a fishing program for women. Because many women have kids, they don't have the time to fish. Or, their jobs won't allow them six weeks off a year. But they are very supportive of me. Not too long ago, I saw a woman at Wal-mart I had taught to bream fish. She had taken her kids out with her fishing. I got to meet her kids. The little girl gave me a big hug and said, "Thank you for teaching my mamma how to fish. She taught me." So, you give back, and that is the way to do it.

Question: Do you have children?

Shaffer: No.




 

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