POPE PERSEVERES TO LEAD ON LEWISVILLE

Super Six Look Forward to Final Day

LEWISVILLE, Texas – Despite a strong breeze at Lewisville Lake on Friday, Pamela Pope of Robinson, Texas, flipped her way to the Day 2 lead after catching an impressive 12-pound, 7-ounce limit during the preview event of the newly created Women’s Bassmaster Tour. Pope leads Lisa Sternard of Clarksville, Tenn., by 1 pound, 9 ounces going into the final day, when only the top six boaters and non-boaters will compete.

“The wind drove me nuts today,” Pope said. “The sun came out and I got very excited, but the wind was really annoying.”

Pope was short on details about her technique, but said she keyed on shallow timber to find her fish on Friday. On Thursday, when she ended the day in fifth place, she concentrated on pockets of water 18 to 24 feet deep.

Pope, 47, started fishing professionally about four years ago. A material coordinator for a government defense contractor company, she fishes whenever she can find the time. As just one of a slew of new women fishing in a BASS event, Pope weighed in and then anxiously waited to see if a competitor would bump her from the top spot. “I am shaking all over,” Pope said. ”I just hope my holes will hold up, I am not sure if they have enough left.”

Sternard, an occupational therapist, pitched plastics in shallow water to secure both second place and the Purolator Big Bass of the day (3-11). The 44-year-old also had the day’s largest bag, 13-15.

Also making the cut are Mississippi’s Kathi Hurst (20-12), Oklahoma’s Brenda Davis (20-3), Day 1 leader Angie Douthit of Florida (19-3) and Georgia’s Pam Martin-Wells (18-8).

Sharon Rushton of Kimberling City Mo., still holds the non-boater lead with a total of 9 pounds, 8 ounces. Trailing behind is Texan Billie Jaynes (7-4), Alabama’s Jo Bucki (7-2), Florida’s Carrie Bronson (7-2), Arkansas’ Lesa Brown (6-14) and Texan Donna Prado (6-7).

Prado made the cut after catching just one fish so far in the tournament. As the last non-boater to weigh-in, Prado’s 6-7 lunker edged out Judith Hart of Greenville, Texas, by just 2 ounces.

Location and Field Women’s Bassmaster Tour preview event Lewisville Lake Lewisville, Texas Oct. 20-22, 2005

Field Top six on Saturday

Launch 7:15 a.m. Sneaky Pete’s Restaurant and Banquet Facility #2 Eagle Point Marina Lewisville, Texas 75075

Weigh-in 3 p.m. Sneaky Pete’s Restaurant and Banquet Facility #2 Eagle Point Marina Lewisville, Texas 75075

Day Two Purolator Big Day One Boater: Lisa Sternard, Clarksville, Tenn., 3-11 Non-Boater: Donna Prado, San Antonio, Texas, 6-7

Local sponsors: The city of Lewisville, the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce, Sneaky Pete’s Restaurant and Banquet Facility and the Courtyard by Marriott.

2006 Women’s Bassmaster Tour

March 16-18 Toledo Bend Reservoir Huxley, Texas April 20-22 Neeley Henry Lake Gadsden, Ala. May 18-20 Lewisville Lake Dallas, Texas July 27-29 Lake Norman Huntersville, N.C. Aug. 24-26 Lake Dardanelle Russellville, Ark.

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.