LEWISVILLE, Texas – The winner of the historic Women’s Bassmaster Tour preview event on Lewisville Lake in Texas is an 18-year veteran of competitive bass fishing tournaments and – having earned more than $400,000 – is considered a leader among women anglers.
But such success doesn’t give Pam Martin-Wells a big head. Though the 42-year old has fished her entire life, she still believes good old-fashion hard work is her key to continued success. Along with preparing for individual events by pre-fishing lakes, researching the waters and studying maps, Martin-Wells files away everything she reads and then tests those tips on the water, analyzing each result. “I try to break down everything. I want to know why,” she said. “If you remain open-minded, you can learn from every fishing partner.”
Martin-Wells’ first fishing partners were her parents and grandparents. With her sister, the family fished the Flint River near their home in Bainbridge, Ga. Off the water, Martin-Wells read her favorite magazine, Bassmaster, and studied the techniques of bass-angling legend and 30-time CITGO Bassmaster Classic qualifier Rick Clunn. Today, Martin-Wells lives and fishes on Lake Seminole in Georgia.
Choosing to fish in the Women’s Bassmaster Tour preview event this past weekend was a no-brainer, Martin-Wells said. But when she actually won the title and $15,000 cash, she couldn’t find any words to describe her excitement. “I was speechless to say the least. I thought it was awesome just to be fishing in the first women’s event and I happened to win,” she said. “It was a dream come true … I made history. The title of ‘Women’s Bassmaster Tour preview event winner’ is something no one can take away from me.”
Although she has been named angler of the year three times and has 10 national titles through former women’s fishing circuits, the Women’s Bassmaster Tour preview event was the first win since Martin-Wells got married three years ago. Her husband Steven Wells has missed just one tournament and when he does travel with her, he never leaves the launch area. “I just stay right there and pace,” Wells said. “If she has boat trouble and needs me, I want to be right there for her. There’s no way to express how I feel about her win.”
The couple returned to work this week back in Georgia. They are fishing and hunting guides out of Wingate's Lodge, Restaurant, Marina and RV Park in Bainbridge and they also own a residential contracting business. They have two children from Wells’ previous marriage, 12-year-old Bailey and 18-year-old Brock, who is in basic training with the U.S. Army.
While Martin-Wells juggles her career, kids and tournament fishing, she said making that balancing act easier are her sponsors, which include Wingate’s, Wave Worms lures, Tru-Tungsten, trolling motor battery charger Stay ’N Charge and Costa Del Mar sunglasses. “It’s wonderful to have the support of my sponsors. Without their assistance, it would be difficult to do what I do.”
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.
BASS stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry's widest array of services and support to its nearly 550,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit www.bassmaster.com.
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