I just heard that she is joining the BASS Opens as a boater for next year. I am excited to hear that. What are your feelings about this?

She has fished at least two opens that I am aware of.  I wish her good luck!  I really respect the fact that she "goes for it"!  I have met and know Kristine. I met her back in 2017 at the Hobie BOS on Lake Fork.  

Fishingmickey

She’s an accomplished tourney angler, I’d say she will do well! The opens are stacked deep with great anglers

Good luck to anyone who has the will power to try. I don’t know who this person is, but I wish her luck. Bassmaster Opens have like 200 anglers.

She has fished a number of BASS Opens this year. I know her casually, and in talking to her he mentioned that her initial challenge is adapting to fishing out of a boat. She did better as the year went on.

2 minutes ago, gim said:

Good luck to anyone who has the will power to try. I don’t know who this person is, but I wish her luck. Bassmaster Opens have like 200 anglers.

So do the kayak tournaments she has been fishing.

 

It's fascinating how unique kayak fishing and fishing from a boat are. Elite anglers like Iaconelli have fished kayak tournaments and found it to be very challenging. Likewise for kayak anglers that have participated in Opens and MLF events.

She was already doing some in 2025 from what I remember her saying on some podcasts. I don’t know how she did in them. She’s a great angler it will be interesting to see if she can make it if she fully commits to it. 

Don't know her.  Watched YT videos.  She has the passion.  I admire her backbone to get involved in a male dominated sport.  There is no reason she won't do well, the bass don't know what gender is on the other end of the line, and she has the skill and drive to catch 'em.  I imagine there is a lot of smack talk in tournaments.  If she can keep her head in the game she will do well.

I hope she kicks their bass!

@Lottabass anyone man who trash talks a woman is just making up for their lack in other departments. 

49 minutes ago, Susky River Rat said:

@Lottabass anyone man who trash talks a woman is just making up for their lack in other departments. 

I agree.  I think that these tourney anglers will do whatever it takes to win and if they can get in any ones head they will.  A woman would be an easy target for them.  She has been around long enough to know this and should be mentally prepared for it.

I'm sure she has encountered knuckle draggers before.

My Mother is an avid tournament walleye angler in a state circuit.  It's not on the same level as a Bassmaster Open.  She has fished about 10-12 events every season with her Father, Brother, and now her husband (my Father) for close to 15 years now.  It's her passion.  They dedicate at least 1-2 days to pre-fishing before each event.

 

She is not the only female on the tour though.  There are about a dozen other females that actively fish the circuit with their husbands, fathers, brothers, or sons.

 

She has asked me to try an event more than once.  I decline.  I am not in the serious realm on walleye fishing and I would be a hinder to the team.

 

She also used to be very competitive until about 3-4 years ago.  Once livescope entered the fray, it left the older generation of anglers in the dust, including her.  She is considering hanging it up because of this reason.  The circuit is also considering a ban which would even the playing field again.

that person can skip a bait awesome..

 

I dont watch her videos. 

I wish her nothing but happiness and success.

She is the real deal. Wish her the best 

Love watching her Muskie fishing endeavors, Woman make great anglers, more finesse than Men. Probably less drama on the tournament scene than Men too LOL 

 

Hope she wins a few and continues her career in a positive manner, she is hooked on fishing, for sure. 

I like her and have been following her progression for quite a few years now. To say she's obsessive about fishing would probably be an understatement. I think it will just take her a little time to adapt to a boat.

 

She's learned some hard lessons from "friends" coming up through the kayak tournament scene which I think will put her in a better spot than some just starting in BASS, but what do I know. I believe she dabbled in 1 or 2 boat tournaments at the end of 24 and started on her own boat in 25? hitting some more. I'd be surprised if she isn't at least mid pack in rankings. 

 

She really makes me want to take a musky trip though...

Inadvertently met her about 10 years ago. There was a kayak tournament at my usual fishing spot. I was there 60 minutes before sunrise, and so were about 10 other kayakers. I pull up to the roundabout and start prepping my boat, and then when I'm ready to launch, there's a bunch of kayaks on the ramp, taking up the whole double launch. I'm not sure if they're still rigging or chatting, probably the latter. She was the first person to walk up to me and ask if I was ready to launch, and then she cleared one side of the launch. She has a good noggin on her shoulders.

Any clown that would doubt a females fishing skills should try to out fishing Katie @Swamp Girl some time.😁 I’m not gonna ruin my male ego.😂

20 minutes ago, GaryH said:

Any clown that would doubt a females fishing skills should try to out fishing Katie @Swamp Girl some time.😁 I’m not gonna ruin my male ego.😂

 

Thanks! 

 

Men do have a strength advantage and my relative weakness does come into play here and there. I remember my wrist buckling this fall when a big girl ran for cover. It folded like a piece of paper. However, 99% of the time, the playing field is equal. 

I was fishing Castiac a lot in the early 90’s and one morning after launching my boat and parking my trailer a young woman walked over to me. You can’t see the boat from the parking lot so I was always in hurry to back to the boat. The woman introduced herself and ask if I would take her fishing. Know one ever asked me to take them in a parking lot so didn’t how to answer her. Her name was Jan and said a freind told her that I was a good jig fisherman and she wanted to learn.

I said sure meet me at the boat. Jan walked down to the boat with a casting rod and tackle bag. Still skeptical and not sure what to do she got into my boat put her PFD on ready to fish. I showed her what the jig looked like in water at the ramp. Made a short cast demonstrated my retrieve technique. Tied on 1 of my jigs with a pork trailer. Ran to the closest spot I knew had some jig fish and pointed out the lay of the land, what the structure looked underwater and explained where I thought bass should be on a submerged road bed.

Moved to a good spot and made a cast as she watched my retrieve. Jan was a very skilled caster and fast learner. We caught 3 good size bass in that area for about an hour. 
Jan told me her husband John was meeting her at the marina so took her back.

Still amazed to this day and told the story to Don Iovino and said that was Jan Morrell and she team fishes with her husband John. Jan passed away from cancer about 5 years after that outing.

Tom

2 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

I was fishing Castiac a lot in the early 90’s and one morning after launching my boat and parking my trailer a young woman walked over to me. You can’t see the boat from the parking lot so I was always in hurry to back to the boat. The woman introduced herself and ask if I would take her fishing. Know one ever asked me to take them in a parking lot so didn’t how to answer her. Her name was Jan and said a freind told her that I was a good jig fisherman and she wanted to learn.

I said sure meet me at the boat. Jan walked down to the boat with a casting rod and tackle bag. Still skeptical and not sure what to do she got into my boat put her PFD on ready to fish. I showed her what the jig looked like in water at the ramp. Made a short cast demonstrated my retrieve technique. Tied on 1 of my jigs with a pork trailer. Ran to the closest spot I knew had some jig fish and pointed out the lay of the land, what the structure looked underwater and explained where I thought bass should be on a submerged road bed.

Moved to a good spot and made a cast as she watched my retrieve. Jan was a very skilled caster and fast learner. We caught 3 good size bass in that area for about an hour. 
Jan told me her husband John was meeting her at the marina so took her back.

Still amazed to this day and told the story to Don Iovino and said that was Jan Morrell and she team fishes with her husband John. Jan passed away from cancer about 5 years after that outing.

Tom

 

Tom, I think of you as one of the world's best bass anglers, so you gave her quite a gift in sharing your expertise. 

I would love to take on Katie as a fellow human being.  I've had some very good days.  hahahha...

 

11 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I would love to take on Katie as a fellow human being.  I've had some very good days.  hahahha...

 

 

If I fished California, I'd need some help for sure. I know nothing about West Coast fishing.

I’d happily fish against any of yall here in Greensboro - we can all listen to muted bass laughter together while we confidently fish our very best!  👍🤣

 

Kristine is incredible!  We have been following her for years and always enjoy any time she posts.