NEWS

Looking Ahead To The ABT Championship With Pam and Steven Wells

2018 Alabama Bass Trail Championship Neely Henry Preview
with Pam Martin Wells and Steven Wells
by Dan O’Sullivan

October 22, 2018 – Decatur, Ala. – Pam Martin-Wells and her husband Steven Wells have become some of the favorite and most recognizable faces on the Alabama Bass Trail circuit.  The husband and wife couple – and their dog Coosa – bring smiles and joy each time they launch their boat or come across the ABT stage.

They experienced a year that most people would like to forget in 2018, yet, despite all of their difficulties, they remain joyous and hopeful.  In 2018, Steven has fought the tail end of his cancer battle, both of their parents have fought health issues of their own, and when Hurricane Michael came through town, they took the brunt of the storm’s leading edge.

Despite all of that, they remain hopeful that they will be able to compete in the Alabama Bass Trail’s 2018 Championship on Neely Henry the end of this week.  “We’re still digging and cutting our way out of the debris, but we hope to be able to come up there Thursday for the meeting, and fish Friday and Saturday,” they said.  “Fishing blind is something we don’t necessarily want to do against the quality of this field, but we’ll go out there and do our best.”

Their best can be awfully good.  Martin-Wells has won professional level tournaments on Neely Henry in the past, and she enjoys being on the Coosa River as a whole.  “If I was to move anywhere in the country it would be on the Coosa River chain,” she said.  “I’ve always loved fishing there; I mean, we named our dog Coosa for a reason.”

Coming onto the water blind, the pair said that they would likely target spotted bass initially and then turn their attention to finding a kicker largemouth bass.  They reported that they would likely start with some sort of topwater offering, then turn to a “dang Shaky Head” a dropshot and then Flipping for their kicker. Mr Wells was quick to counter with his own personal plans for the event.  “I’m going to sit in the back with Coosa and eat and hold the net,” he said with a chuckle.  “I know that’s the best role I can play.”

Saying that they have had success on the lake in the past with those methods, they realize they may be fighting an uphill battle.  “That may not get us much of anything, but it certainly is something we can start with,” they said.  “If nothing else – if we can get there – it would give us a couple of days to feel normal after this year, we always look forward to seeing everyone there at ABT.”

The Alabama Bass Trail Championship will be held October 26 and 27 in Downtown Gadsden.  The pre-event Meeting and Banquet will be held at The Venue at Coosa Landing located at 201 George Wallace Drive in
Gadsden, Alabama 35903 with daily takeoff and weigh-in’s will be held at Coosa Landing located at 200 George Wallace Drive in Gadsden, Alabama 35903

The sponsors of the 2018 Alabama Bass Trail include; Phoenix Bass Boats, Bill Penney Toyota, Garmin, Academy Sports & Outdoors, America’s First Federal Credit Union, Wind Creek Hospitality – Wetumpka, Wind Creek Hospitality – Montgomery, Alabama Tourism Department, T-H Marine Supplies, Wedowee Marine, Buffalo Rock, Jack’s, Fish Neely Henry Lake.com, Alabama Power Company, Trapper Tackle, Lew’s Fishing, AFTCO, YETI, and E3 Apparel.

For information about Alabama Bass Trail and for complete tournament standings visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.