A lifelong love of fishing is turning into something bigger for one Oklahoma woman.
Sarah Roberts is organizing the first Oklahoma Lady Anglers Tournament at Lake Tenkiller this weekend in an effort to get more women hooked on the sport.
“Pure joy. Every time I’m out here, it’s just pure joy. Everything else melts away,” Roberts said.
Roberts has been tournament fishing since she was 14, a hobby she started with her dad and has carried into adulthood.
“We still fish tournaments together, and we fish tournaments separate,” she said.
This weekend, she’s not only competing, but she’s running the tournament.
Roberts structured the tournament a little differently from most. It’s open to women 16 and older because she wants to draw in high school anglers just getting started. And you don’t even need to own a boat, though you do need someone with a boat who’s willing to take you out.
“If you don’t own a boat, but you know someone that has a boat, you can come out and fish, and they can maybe take you out for a day and something like that,” Roberts said.
It’s a need she saw firsthand, breaking into a sport long dominated by men, which wasn’t always easy.
“They don’t really think that you’re there to actually fish. So you have to kind of overcome that a little bit,” she said.
Over time, Roberts has found her place on the water. Now she hopes other women will feel comfortable doing the same.
“I want somebody to experience it for the first time. Maybe fall in love with it, maybe say, oh, I tried it, but it wasn’t quite what I wanted. Just try,” she said.
For those who do love it, Roberts is ready to cheer them on. She says she’s just as happy lifting others up as she is reeling one in herself.
“I get happy when someone else is succeeding. The outdoors have provided so many experiences and memories that I will remember for a lifetime. I want people to be able to enjoy those things,” Roberts said.
She hopes the tournament is another step toward growing the sport among women in Oklahoma.
“I’d like to see more women at the ramp. I feel like Oklahoma can have a big women’s presence on the water,” she said.
The Oklahoma Lady Anglers Tournament is Saturday, rain or shine, launching from the Chicken Creek boat ramp at Lake Tenkiller.
Registration is open until 5 a.m. on the morning of the tournament.
You can find more information on the Oklahoma Lady Anglers Facebook page.
