photo provided by Bekka Reed
Word spread rapidly after Bekka Wilson caught an over-8-pound bass in Portage Lakes. Fishermen drove from a nearby store to see it firsthand — none of them had ever reeled in a Portage Lakes fish of that size. And they marveled that it was caught by a female angler.
“I was all smiles,” says Wilson.
The Canton resident made the exciting catch alongside her now husband, Joey Reed, while practicing for the Better Half Tour. The bass fishing circuit for couples and mixed doubles has five tournaments, concluding with one Oct. 1 on Portage Lakes.
The tour that’s unique for its inclusion of women — rare in the male-dominated sport — is the perfect fit for the couple who’ve been fishing together since they met in an Akron fishing gear store. All that practice has paid off. Out of nine Better Half tournaments they’ve done, the competitive pair has won three. Their equal dedication makes them a strong team.
“We’re both really trying hard when we’re out there. Some people’s wives come to go with them, and they’ll read a book,” Reed says. He emphasizes Bekka brings just as much skill and grit to the intense seven-hour tournaments as any fisherman.
“One time me and Bekka were fishing the Better Half Tour and her line broke, so we chased the line down, and she grabbed the line by hand and brought it in,” says Reed. “It was like winning the lottery.”
*Updated 7/22
