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Many,
LA. – Judy Wong thought she had reached the pinnacle of women’s bass fishing with her victory at the WBT Classic on Lake Keowee in February. She outfished Pam Martin-Wells by a mere six ounces to claim the crown but she expected that the narrow margin would still provide a substantial boost to her career. That’s why she was so surprised that the following months didn’t progress as planned.
Not only did the sponsorship dollars that typically come with a major championship not materialize, but Wong couldn’t match her Keowee magic at any of the four 2008 regular-season tour stops. She did decently at the opener at Lewisville and the final event at Clarks Hill, finishing 15th and 10th, respectively, but 44th and 40th place finishes at Neely Henry and Old Hickory prevented her from challenging for the circuit’s Angler of the Year crown or requalifying for the WBT’s championship.
“The Championship is something that we work for every year,” Wong said. “To qualify for it and then to win it was a huge highlight for me.” But as noted above, that highlight didn’t translate into substantial additional visibility or compensation. Sure, she joined Bassmaster Classic champion Alton Jones in meeting George Bush at the White House, but other than that the media coverage was minimal.
“There was some on the internet and in Bassmaster, but there was very little TV coverage,” she explained. “Six seconds, or something like that at the Classic. The women really don’t get the coverage. A lot of people, even people who fish, don’t know about us.”
The Year That Could Have Been
She stepped back after her subpar season to note that her poorest finishes historically have resulted when she has accepted outside help in her practice and 2008 followed that pattern.
“Neely Henry I had fished many times before so I was somewhat surprised that I did so poorly,” she said. “I was offered help on Neely Henry and on Old Hickory I had someone. Normally I tell myself not to do that. I do better on my own. That’s why I do better in the championships, when you have to go out on your own.
“When you’re offered help, you tend to want to fish for those fish and they don’t always materialize. The more help I get, the worse I do.”
After the two dismal midseason finishes, she decided to pursue the fish at Clarks Hill on her own and the result was a season’s best 10th place. “I just said no more help,” she said. “I tried not to get locked in on certain areas.”
In addition to the confidence boost she achieved at Clarks Hill, Wong got another unexpected benefit from the tournament, a tutorial from sponsor and friend Gary Yamamoto. “I knew the fish were staging, using some of the shallow shoreline grass and I threw the Swimming Senko some, but not enough, and I wasn’t fishing it properly. Gary was parked across the cove in an RV park (while practicing for an FLW Series tournament). He was throwing that Swimming Senko in the same areas and he tore them up. I had a gut feeling that it was the right bait to be throwing and if I had relied on those gut instincts more I would have done better.” Notably, after the season ended she made a trip to Yamamoto’s Texas ranch for some additional camaraderie and, more importantly, schooling about how to get the most out of his baits.
Economic Pressures
Wong admitted that the country’s current economic crisis, as well as the high gas prices earlier in the year, may have hampered her: “The economy does affect my practice,” she said. “I do think about gas in practice and that makes me hesitant to make long runs. I usually try to stay close. That affected me some (this year). I need to cover more water.”
But while prices and expenses skyrocketed, her fishing-related income did not. She did not gain a single sponsor as a result of the championship crown. Fortunately, she didn’t lose any other. “My situation didn’t change much,” she explained. “Ranger Boats, I’ve been with them for ten years, Kim Ott there gave me a nice bonus that wasn’t in my contract, like what the men would get.”
Was she a victim of timing? Despite the fact that the economy appears worse today, would she have benefited more had her achievements come this year? For example, Kim Bain, winner of the WBT Championship and their AOY title, will become the first woman to compete in the Bassmaster Classic. Would Wong trade her accolades and exposure for those that Bain has achieved to date?
“Yes and no,” she replied. “When I won, it was on the Bassmaster Classic stage. I got the invitation to the White House, which was a huge honor. In a way, I got more press for the WBT Championship that she’s gotten for the Bassmaster Classic. Kim’s winning Angler of the Year and fishing in the Bassmaster Classic, it’s a huge honor and one I haven’t achieved yet, but I feel that I won at the right time.”
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