
Introduction to fishing
I grew up fishing with my dad in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness!

Experiences and challenges
I was very fortunate to do a PR internship at FLW, then obtain a remote position with B.A.S.S. on their production staff! Those opportunities of working with people across the country helped me to learn so many things and travel to bodies of water I never would have dreamed of!
In past years, there has sadly been an underlying perception from certain people that female anglers will never be good enough, which can impact behaviors on the water. During tournaments my first couple of years, I had anglers make comments about me, my physical appearance, and tell me I should be in the kitchen and not a boat … things like that.
It honestly was just a driving force! The water is an equalizer and a place for everyone.

Support system
NPAA was the first organization that I truly felt welcomed everyone. Attending their conferences, you aren’t just a female—you are an angler! They also have a great network of fishermen and partners that truly support anglers and their goals of growth.
Seeing groups like BassmastHER come in with such a strong passion has been super fun to watch! It creates space to help women find a comfort zone to try new things!

Representation and visibility
There have been very strong female anglers coming through circuits across the country, for many species, that are showing the water is a place for everyone! I’m excited to jump into the opens this year for Division 2! I hope that I can inspire other women to jump in and give it a shot. The water is a place for all of us. We belong here too!
You have women in higher positions in companies like Jeanne Hall, who’s the VP of Sales at Striker Brands, and Kathy Fennel, who started with FLW and now sits as the Executive VP and General Manager of MLF. These are huge for females! Change takes time and more voices need to be heard, so it is awesome that more voices are being heard!

Personal achievement
My first year as a co-angler on the National Walleye Tour, I was able to place 4th at Sturgeon Bay and 8th overall for Co-Angler of the Year. I was also part of the first female tournament team to fish on the Full Throttle Tournament Circuit!
On the opposite side of tournaments, being a solo female guide around the state of Minnesota has been so much fun! Meeting people from around the world and sharing time on the water has been priceless!

Fishing style
I absolutely love fishing spy baits and hair jigs. Spy baits give you the ability to cover water and cover space in the water column! You can get pretty technical with them!
As a licensed cosmetologist, I have to like throwing hair jigs, right? Hair jigs are so much fun because you can really dictate their actions. From slow rolling on a straight retrieve to giving them a magic flutter, they are irresistible!

Hopes for the future
This is a tricky one. I love the spotlights on female anglers that B.A.S.S. has been doing and the creation of the BassmastHER space because it does focus on women.
I’d love to see more companies, locally and nationally, work with more female anglers as well. It would show that this isn’t about you just being a female angler but a valued part of a team!

Advice for aspiring female anglers
Start. Simply start. It’s okay to be scared, nervous, and even uncomfortable … if you have the passion for this, your passion will supersede all your fear.

You can follow Kara Pasma on Instagram: @kspasma