Nearly 150 women compete in Redfish Rodeo

Women from around the state competed in the 12th annual Redfish Rodeo Fishing Tournament this weekend on South Padre Island.

A total of 144 women were invited to participate in the bay fishing tournament, which started Friday, founder and executive director Gina Nesloney said.

In teams of four, the women fished for trout and redfish in the Laguna Madre from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday. They weighed-in their catches at Louie’s Backyard.

Janice Hurst, along with her sisters Brenda Mitchell, Gay Powers and Sherry Jaimeson from Austin competed under the name “The Greene Machine.”

“The best thing about the tournament is the competition, camaraderie, companionship and all the good C’s,” Hurst said. “It’s good clean fun and we love it.”

Hurst and Mitchell said they also enjoy “mastering a man’s world,” because fishing is usually thought of as a man’s sport.

Last year “The Greene Machine” won first place, and Hurst said she’d be surprised if they didn’t end up among the top five finishers this year.

“We caught three big reds but no trout,” Hurst said.

The “Fintastic Four” and the “Pink Poppers” were among the other teams that competed in the tournament.

Festivities will end Saturday evening when sponsors, fishing guides, participants and their families gathered to enjoy a fish fry.