BassmastHER

www.bassmaster.com/bassmasther

In 2024, B.A.S.S., debuted the BassmastHER program, a new initiative with the goal of creating a space for female anglers at all levels to learn new fishing skills within a supportive community. 

B.A.S.S. hosted workshops that ran concurrently with three Bassmaster Elite Series events across the 2024 season, and 2025 will see the program expand its offerings to create even more workshop opportunities across the country.

The expanded list of 2025 BassmastHER workshops includes:

• 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth, Texas (March 22)
• Bassmaster Elite at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina (April 26)
•  Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River in Orange, Texas (May 17)
•  ICAST in Orlando, Florida. (July 17)
•  Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin (Aug. 23)

BassmastHER workshops are conducted by BassmastHER ambassadors, who are women in the fishing space, along with fishing experts from the Bassmaster staff. Topics at the workshops range from bass fishing fundamentals to casting for accuracy, getting familiar with a bass boat or kayak, bank fishing and discussing industry and sponsorship opportunities. Attendees also have the opportunity to network with other female anglers at the workshops.

Sports Destination Management sat down with BassmastHER’s Mary Kathryn Thomas, Director of Sponsorship and Licensing, to discuss the program.

SDM: The BassmastHER initiative is now a year old. Did you start it in response to a demand from female anglers, or in order to call attention to those already in the industry – or something else?

Mary Kathryn Thomas: "Honestly it is in response to both. We are seeing a big increase in the number of female competitors fishing within our College and High school series, as well as our Nation and Opens. We also know there is a large number of fans and professionals within the industry that would benefit from BassmastHER in many different ways. Whether that is networking amongst one another, learning fishing tips/techniques, forming a larger sense of community or just learning more about a sport or specific anglers they are passionate about. This program was created to serve the growing community of female anglers regardless of how long they have been in the sport or industry.

SDM:  Is it a designated tournament trail for women?

Thomas: It’s not; it is an initiative for women and girls in the space. Our thought was, “We have some great anglers – what if we started a program that empowered them and created a community, a place that we could highlight what they’re doing, provide education and inspire them to continue to fish?” We wanted to be able to present information like tips and tricks as well as information for any female who is interested in learning to fish or continuing fishing.

SDM: In other words, it’s not just for elite anglers?

Thomas: No, not at all. We want to be able to appeal to anyone whether they are fishing from their own bass boat, from a kayak, or from the bank of a local pond. Our ambassadors are women whom other female anglers can look up to and follow; one is Kristine Fischer, who provides the view of an extreme angler. She started out as a kayak angler and now she is evolving and moving into the boater space.

Anastasia Patterson is another one of our ambassadors; she was the first woman to be featured on the cover of Bassmaster Magazine and the interesting thing about her is that  she continues to work full time as an event and wedding planner, while still enjoying being outside on the water.

Maggie Carsello has been in the industry for a number of years as well; she has been fishing in tournaments as a co-angler and competing in a lot of the local grassroots tournaments. She really gets the beginner level of fishing and helps us with a lot of the entry level content on our website.

SDM: Will the program continue to be active even during times of the year, like now, when bass fishing is winding down in many areas?

Thomas: Yes, that’s something we are looking forward to providing – educational content as well as the chance to connect to other anglers – no matter what time of year it is. We will be providing a private group for women on our Facebook page; people can ask questions like where to find a good Airbnb in a certain fishing area they’re intending to travel, the name of a good boat captain, hints on how to succeed on a certain lake where they’re struggling to get a bite – there are all sorts of ways for them to engage with one another.

In addition, people can go to the BassmastHER section of our website to watch any of the workshops they might have missed during the year, and also to see content about female anglers and what they’re doing. The male side of the sport has had focuses on the man-caves belonging to some of the anglers; we’re now adding content on the she-sheds our female anglers have.

Something we’re also following is other women who have been in the bass fishing space a long time, like those from the Lady Bass Anglers Association. Pam Martin-Wells, for example, is a huge force in that space.

SDM: Is the industry supportive of BassmastHER?

Thomas: Yes, it is! We have a great partner in Toyota as the sponsor of our BassmastHER program as well as other great partners that support and contribute to it in many different ways. It is important to us to be surrounded by partners who really want to be a part of a great program like this with goals that include education of all anglers, promoting conservation and promoting the sport to all anglers, regardless of gender or race.

In fact, our CEO, Chase Anderson, is very excited about this program as a dad to two daughters that have a passion to get out on the water with him any chance they can. We want to encourage anyone to fish, from little girls, on up through adulthood, to participate at every level, whether it’s standing on a bank or competing somewhere. This is the greatest sport because there is a place for everyone in it.

SDM: What, in your opinion, is the best part of BassmastHER?

Thomas: think it is the aspect of being a part of something that encourages community and sisterhood within this great sport and industry. This is an individual sport but having encouragement, support and mentorship at many different levels available for these anglers is really important. This truly is the best sport in the world, and it's a gift to be able to go out and enjoy it at any level. With BassmastHER, we are able to do that for all current and future generations interested in bass fishing.