"Girls don't fish." Baloney. From the time I was a little girl to my experienced present 28 years, I have loved to fish. My aunt has a picture of a very young angler proudly sporting a whopping 3 inch perch on the end of her line. I was hooked, line and sinker.

Throughout my childhood I fished mostly with my Dad. He has always worked on a drilling rig, and more often than not, there was a farmer's pond nearby. I remember sitting in the hot Kansas sun, brown skin turning crisp, desperately hoping not to go home empty handed. Even if it was a little perch or catfish, I loved to sit still and quiet, hoping to see the bobber drop.

My grandparents used to own an old sandpit near Garfield, Kansas. Many summers were spent with the family at the ponds fishing, or trudging along the banks of the Arkansas river. Throughout my childhood, my love remained the same.. to fish, fish, fish.

As a teenager, I met my first boyfriend, who had one huge quality I was totally in love with- he knew where some really good fishing holes were! Because of my young teenage love, I became the bass fisherwoman I am today. Once I discovered there was more to life than catfish and bluegill, I became an expert angler.

Every single vacation from working was spent chasing the bass I love so much. Whether small or largemouth, I live for the hit on the end of my line, followed by the fight to reel it into the boat, or on the shore. It used to scare my parents that I was willing to sleep in the back of my pickup so that I wouldn't wake anyone up at dawn so I could be the first one on the water. Now, I'm lucky to fish at all.

I haven't fished since I was seven months pregnant with my daughter. It's funny how priorities change and life moves so quickly. Now two years old and with a baby brother, my children haven't been exposed to anything but a fishtank, but I soon hope to change that, and instill in them my love for the outdoors, and the beautiful fish I love to catch, and then release for someone else to catch and enjoy.

Lastly, I should mention my ongoing rivalry with my trout loving boss. Daily in our office we argue about which type of fishing is better, open faced bass reel, or fly rod and reel. Of course, to me, I'm always right. To many men, women do not have any business with a rod and reel. To others, what a dream come true!

Whatever your story, women such as myself, have been fishing since the beginning of time. Providing for our families, or fishing for the love of the sport,We will continue to go after the big one and show off our great catch. Let's pass the reel to our daughter's and give them the confidence to be competitive in a man's sport. Anchor's away ladies!

Learn more about this author, Chauncey Spangler.
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