MARIANNE HUSKY: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CLIMB
MARIANNE HUSKY
Another year of tournaments followed,
and by the end of 2011, I felt as if the last three years of professional angling had been more than just a ‘climb’, it had been very challenging and maybe too challenging. During this year I had lost my grandfather ‘Poppy’ who I began my fishing journey with so many years ago at the age of six. There are times in all of our lives that we look back and reflect. At this time I was wondering if the fishing poison that infected me as a six year old child was beginning to leave my veins. I expressed my thoughts on ending my professional walleye career to Scott Duncan. Once again, I received some of the best advice of my life: “You cannot quit now! You must keep going, this is who you are!”
The first tournament of 2012 took place on my home body of water. The St. Mary’s River. This was more than just a Pro-Am format
tournament is was a CAN-AM, Canadians versus the Americans. This was the first time in six years that the American walleye anglers would compete against the Canadians. Six years prior the CAN-AM was held on Canadian soil and now I was fishing against the Canadians on my home body of water. The tournament took place over three
days. After the second day I was leading the tournament ahead of Scott Duncan. On the final day with horrible weather condition including wind gusts to 40 mph, rain coming down sideways and cold temperatures I didn’t have a single fish measured with only 20 minutes to fish. My heart was racing as the clock kept ticking. I knew Scott had measured at least three fish, finally one of my Off Shore Tackle planer boards went back and it was ‘game on’. I managed to catch seven fish in 20 minutes before having to head back to the check point. I finished in 2nd place and became the highest placed woman in history to compete against all men in a top professional angling tournament. At ICAST in 2012, while in line to purchase a
cup of coffee, I met Greg Stawczyk from Matzuo America. Greg described a new hard bait that was being introduced that year, the Kinchou Minnow. I was truly intrigued by the life like flared gills on the bait and the nervous action it produced in the water. Since then, I have been working with Matzuo to develop new colour patterns for the Marianne Huskey Kinchou Minnow Series. For the remainder of the 2012 season
I finished 15th, 48th and 14th. At the last competition on Lake of the Woods in Baudette, Minnesota, I was leaving the gate in 2nd place for Angler of the Year race. Everything would be decided at this last three day tournament. Day one was cancelled due to high winds and large storms moving into the area. Day two proved to be a good day for me returning into the check point with a large recorded weight of fish. Day three was August 18th 2012. This was my grandfather’s birthday. I was so nervous, I couldn’t stop pacing back and forth waiting for the tournament director to announce who would be named the Angler of the Year. At that point, I had no clue who it would be, as a friend of mine said: “There can only be one!” I had no idea what this meant as the
tournament director began his announcement: “For the first time ever in history, the first woman
to compete against all men in a Pro Angling Format, Marianne Huskey is crowned Angler of the Year” I then understood what he meant by “There
can only be one”. This was one of the happiest days of my life. I hugged my husband, Mattew Pikka, took to the stage thanking my husband, family, friends and sponsors for all of their support. I then dedicated my Angler of the Year Award to my grandfather on that very day August 18th, 2012: his birthday. After this AOY experience I truly understood
what it meant to be a professional angler. This is not just a title that can be added in front of your name. This is a title that must be earned! Since the 2012 Angler of the Year title I have wondered on many occasions. What would be the next part of ‘the climb’ in my fishing career? In March of 2015 I was told that I will have
a chance of a lifetime to compete in the World Predator Classic in Europe. I am so proud to have such a great opportunity and continue the climb. n
‘‘
After this AOY experience I truly understood what it meant to be a professional angler. This is not just a title that can be added in front of your name .. this is a title that must be earned!
81
WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116