BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – 2024 saw B.A.S.S. kickstart 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 2024 events were held in conjunction with the Elite Series tournaments at the St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla., Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., and the St. Lawrence River in Waddington, N.Y. The expanded list of 2025 BassmastHER workshops includes:
> 2025 Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth, Texas (March 22)
> Bassmaster Elite at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C. (April 26)
> Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River in Orange, Texas (May 17)
> ICAST in Orlando, Fla. (July 17)
> Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis. (Aug. 23)
“As a dad who is teaching his two young girls to fish, I am excited that the BassmastHER program will introduce more females to the sport of bass fishing,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “I am thankful for our partners at Toyota for their continued support, and I believe together we can continue to grow this great program.”
Although gender does not dictate how successful you can be on the water, it helps to have a like-minded support system for education, travel, inspiration and ideation. BassmastHER was created to build a passionate community of female anglers, inspire confidence when you make it to the water's edge and to be the conduit for creating lifetime friends and memories.
BassmastHER workshops are conducted by BassmastHER ambassadors Anastasia Patterson, Kristine Fischer and Maggie Jo Carsello, along with fishing experts from the Bassmaster staff. Topics at the workshops will 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 will also have the opportunity to network with other female anglers at the workshops.
“Being a part of BassmastHER is bigger than just me – it’s every little girl, wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend who has a passion for fishing,” said Patterson. “They are all a part of this initiative to get more women out there and go fishing. The workshops are a great space to learn, lead, network and contribute to plant seeds to grow the community of female anglers and hopefully see more women out on the water.”
Virtual BassmastHER workshop educational material, articles and how-to pieces can be found at Bassmaster.com. Women interested in attending workshops, telling their story or asking fishing-related questions are encouraged to reach out to BassmastHER on any of their social channels, including a private Facebook page for female anglers to network with each other and establish community, or email bassmasther@bassmaster.com.
The BassmastHER workshops are for all skill levels, but participants must be at least 14 years old. Workshops are $25 to attend and space is limited, so it is first come, first serve.
