by Michelle Armstrong
Let’s face it, tournament fishing is a male dominated sport. Women anglers have been striving to make a name for themselves in the co-ed format of tournament fishing but few have prevailed…
On June 23, 2018 North Carolina’s Bass Nation set sail in the BASS Eastern Regional in an effort to win their third championship title. Of these 350 anglers, (175 co anglers/175 boaters) one was co-angler Angela Mayo.
Though encouraged by her husband for many years to fish with him, Angela resisted at the hand of raising their children and her career as a legal assistant at Sigmon, Clark, Mackie, Hanvey, and Ferrell. Once she agreed, using his 40+ years of bass fishing knowledge, he taught Angela everything he knew. She was a quick learner and a natural angler. Thus, a great woman angler evolved. They fished many tournaments together and in 2014 she joined the Ladies Bass Angler Association (LBAA) as a co-angler. In her second tour with them she earned the title Co-Angler of the Year. The very next year she braved the venture of “taking charge” and moved over to the boater’s side. In her first year as a boater, she won the LBAA’s 2016 Rookie Angler of the Year.
Along the way Angela amassed an impressive list of sponsors both local to her and nationally; FishStyx Custom Rods, Angler’s Choice Marine, Mercury Marine, Shiner’s Stash Jerky, Howl-a-Day Inn, Davis Brother’s Automotive, Adventive Graphics, UPS of Hickory #0455,
Dr. William Straka…and the list continues to grow as she makes a name for herself in the industry.
She also joined a local bass fishing club,Thermal Belt Bassmaster,
as a non boater, and quickly advanced as a state qualifier. She won for her team on Lake Wylie which led her as 1 of the top 10 anglers with a spot at the BASS Eastern regional tournament held at Winyah Bay.
There are 47 states and 9 countries that participate in these events. Only those at the top of their game earn their way to the next level.
During the BASS Eastern Regional event, Angela Mayo made history for North Carolina and women anglers. As she weighed in her third day limit the MC announced that she had indeed WON, making her the first female on the NC non boater team to move on to the National Championship.
Angela will compete as a non-Boater for the first two days of the BASS National Championship on November 8-9 Lake Pickwick. The leader after day two whom will have already won a boat, will then move on to the boater’s side to compete. On day three, it’s an even playing field with everyone else competing to be one of the top three anglers to obtain an invitation to the Bass Masters Classic!
No woman has ever fished a Bass Master Classic qualifying through a co-ed platform.
Remember Angela Mayo. She has already achieved a “first” in fishing history status and surely has a solid chance to obtain another.