This Lowcountry fishing club isn’t unique because it promotes the sport of fishing, but because of its all-female membership.
By donating the proceeds from its annual fishing tournament to medical research, the Carolina Lady Anglers club proved that it cares deeply about the community, but like most girls, they just want to have fun — while fishing.
Demographic studies see to regularly point to a lack of women anglers, but this group clearly bucks that trend. Their annual “Fishing for the Cure” tournament has generated around $6,000 annually for breast cancer research over the past 10 years. This year’s donation went towards breast cancer research at the Hollings Cancer Center of the Medical University of South Carolina.
The mission among the club’s 30 active members “is to raise funds for education and research for breast cancer, and to foster conservation, fellowship and good sportsmanship among its members and tournament guests.”
It sounds like club members are setting the hook just right on their ideology. They also promote the involvement and of families through the enjoyment of coastal marine resources, and everyone knows that when Mom goes fishing, the kids will be right there beside her.
Club member Patty Graham is no stranger to the fishing bug, saying, “A woman needs to learn how to fish, and sometimes the further away from land the better it can make you feel.”
Her fishing credits can trump scores of anglers. She has landed a 100-pound tuna and has a blue marlin catch-and-release, which many consider to be the ultimate saltwater thrill.
The CLA’s inshore tournament was fished this past June 3 — the day that Tropical Storm Barry pushed through Charleston, unleashing an all-day rain.
Mary Grondines was the Outstanding Female Angler, Maddie Peralta the Outstanding Youth Angler, and Roger Burris the Outstanding Male Angler. Burris swept the sheepshead category with fish weighing 7.12, 6.46 and 5.46 pounds. Jason Watkins caught the best flounder at 3.30 pounds, while Michael Giannelli topped the trout category with a fine 5.44- pound fish.
At the captain’s meeting, CLA members put a heavy emphasis on taking kids fishing, even holding a special kids raffle to make sure they stay involved during the fundraising raffle and silent auction.
Avid fisherman Joe Frank Garner said, “This tournament is a success because these women are go-getters, and the tournament helps his family kick off the summer fishing season,” giving them something to look forward to every year
Janell Nettles, the club’s webmaster, has a great site at www.carolinaladyanglers.org and an interesting personal story. She moved to the Lowcountry from Indiana, where her grandfather had schooled her in fishing on lakes. She met a saltwater fisherman who reminded her of that important figure in her life, and she promptly married him.
I couldn’t confirm it, but some of the CLA members hinted that they might outfish their husbands from time to time. One who may disagree, for the sake of his reputation, is Rick Hiott, an inshore guide. His wife, Eve, said that Rick’s professional association with Shakespeare and Pflueger helps supply the quality rod-and-reel combos that are awarded to tournament winners.
Marla Cavallaro joined the CLA about five years ago when she was approached as a local business owner about being a tournament sponsor. She enjoys crabbing and shrimping and has served as club president for the past three years.
Due to a hectic schedule —as well as bouts of motion sickness when boating — she doesn’t fish that often, but she leads the club in support of its charity and family values.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife surveys indicate an 11-percent drop in the number of days spent fishing between 1996 and 2001. Active groups that promote their passion for fishing such as the Carolina Lady Anglers have to have help in reversing this trend.
If individuals want to contribute by introducing new anglers to the experience of fishing you can take the Angler’s Legacy Pledge at www.anglerslegacy.org.
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