OCEAN CITY, Md. — At the White Marlin Open, it's not just the fish making headlines. More women are taking center stage in one of the world's largest sportfishing tournaments, climbing the leaderboard and proving they can compete with the best.
Long known as a male-dominated sport, competitive fishing is seeing increased participation from female anglers, with many not only entering the tournament but also posting impressive results.
"You know, for years we've had female anglers, but now we're starting to see whole teams of women, which is really exciting. It's really exciting to see not only women entering, but women doing really well, said Madelyne Motsko Wainglass, White Marlin Tournament Director
For many, the growing presence of women in the tournament represents more than just a chance to win prize money. It reflects a broader message that anyone with a passion for fishing has a place on the water.
"I think it shows that we all have the same interests," said spectator Cammie Schniedwind. "If it's something that anybody wants to do, they can. As a female, if you want to do it, you can do it."
That determination is already paying off for anglers like Pamela McAteer, who made a last-minute decision to compete in this year's tournament and has already earned a spot among the event's top-ranked anglers.
"This was kind of a last-minute decision for me to be an angler," McAteer said. "So the fact that I'm up on the board is truly special. And all these women they're all fantastic. We can do it all."
As more women continue to compete and succeed at the White Marlin Open, they're helping redefine the face of competitive sportfishing and inspiring the next generation of anglers to cast a line.
The White Marlin Open continues this week in Ocean City through Saturday.
