Sinking Stereotypes At Bass Master
On Louisiana's Red River, Kim Bain-Moore bundled up for December fishing. But only the wintry chill was biting.
"Right now it's painful," said the champion bass fisherwoman. "My hands are freezing cold, but I still love it."
And she loves exactly what she lives: fishing on the pro tour. She's one of the best anglers in the world, CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann reports.
"It's fun, but it's a job," Bain-Moore laughed. "It's the best kind of job."
Next February, these same serene waters will churn into the Bass Master Classic, the Super Bowl of bass fishing. The sport's big boys - live on ESPN. It includes 30,000 people, pressure, prestige - and a half-million dollars on the line.
No woman has ever competed. Until now.
"It's always been my dream to compete in the classic - and now it's come true," said Bain-Moore.
That dream grew with Bain-Moore from her diaper days in Brisbane, Australia.
Her parents fished competitively. Little Kim was hooked.
How competitive is she?
"Very. Very. I get more competitive with myself, and with the fish. So, it's me against you, slimy little thing!" she said. "And you know who's gonna come out on top."
More often than not, it's Bain-Moore. This year, she was grand champion on the women's circuit and won a chance to out-fish 50 men on the sport's biggest stage.
Mike Iaconelli, a past Bass Master champion, says he's thrilled about her making it. But not all the guys are. But most believe the real winner is the sport of fishing.
"I think it's going to help grow the sport and attract new people to it," Iaconelli said.
That's Kim's goal: to "reel in" another little girl like herself.
"I want that little girl to be able to say 'see, girls can fish too. And, Dad, I want you to take me next time,'" she said.
But make no mistake: "I'm going for the win," Bain-Moore said. "I'm going to do the best I can."
Now, wouldn't that make one of the all-time fish stories?
