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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lady Angler Makes Fishing History
CLAYTON, N.Y. (July 25, 2002) – Bronx native Judy Israel fished her way into
the record books July 13 during the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Northern
Division tournament on Thousand Islands.
Israel, who moved to Clewiston, Fla., four years ago to pursue a
professional bass-fishing career with her husband, Abbie, netted a five-bass
limit weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces to claim first place and $2,173 at her
home-state fishery as well as the distinction of being only the third woman
in history to win an FLW Outdoors tournament.
In 1998, Cocoa, Fla., native Wanda Rucker claimed first prize in a BFL
tournament on Lake Okeechobee in Okeechobee, Fla. Three years later, Renee
Flesh of Edwardsburg, Mich., became the first woman to win a national bass
fishing championship when she won the Co-angler Division of the 2001
EverStart Series Championship on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala.
“I think that women can achieve in fishing,” said Israel, who now ranks as
one of the most accomplished female anglers in history with $26,526 in
winnings and seven top-10 finishes to her credit. “It’s difficult to be on
the road, and it’s difficult to go out fishing when it’s 20-something
degrees outside. But we can achieve.
“I was born and raised in New York, so I was glad to come in first here,”
Israel added. “It is very special to finally win one.”
In addition to her BFL win, Israel has earned four EverStart Series top-10
finishes and two top-10 finishes on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour – professional
bass fishing’s most lucrative tournament circuit.
Israel’s husband also competes as a co-angler on the EverStart Series and
FLW Tour. He has earned three top-10 finishes, including two on the FLW
Tour. He trails his wife in winnings, however, with $12,725. Eric Israel,
Judy and Abbie’s son, also competes as a co-angler and has earned one top-10
FLW Tour finish.
Named after Ranger Boats founder, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors is the world
’s leading marketer of competitive fishing tournaments. The organization
operates 170 tournaments through the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, EverStart Series,
Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart RCL
Walleye Circuit and Ranger M1. FLW Outdoors will award anglers up to $22
million in 2002.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart BFL are Wal-Mart, ALPO Pet Foods, BC Powder,
BFGoodrich Tires, Castrol, Chevy Trucks, Conseco, Energizer, EverStart
Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Frito-Lay, FujiFilm, Garmin, Kellogg’s,
Land O’Lakes, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Pepsi, Poulan, Ranger Boats,
Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley Works, Stren, US Bank, Weed Eater and Yamaha
Outboards.