KINGSPORT, Tenn. (July 28, 2016) – Shanna Aguirre learned to fish from her grandfather “Arnie” at an early age, but she is about to get another lesson in the sport from bass fishing legend Tommy Biffle.
This is unbelievable, it’s a wonderful trip for me and my family,” said Aguirre. “My husband and son go fishing a lot, so I’ll be taking them and my dad as my guests on this trip. A visit to Oklahoma will be fun for us, and then the time with Tommy Biffle makes it something really special.
In her contest entry, Aguirre wrote that her late grandfather E. Lloyd “Arnie” Arnold was the type of grandpa “they write stories about.” She recounted fishing with him mostly at Odell Lake in Oregon during her youth and said his pocket knife was a big part of her memories because he always had it handy.
Whether it was to cut a fish off a line, or to cut open a package, his knife was always the solution to our simple-to-complex problems. He was the stronghold of our family, and was someone everyone looked up to,” she included in her writings.
Aguirre said her grandfather is responsible for the activity becoming part of her family’s life. She knows they’ll learn even more about how to catch bass from the Oklahoma pro angler they’ll be visiting during the prize fishing trip.
Biffle has been fishing professionally for more than 30 years, winning more than $2 million in tournament earnings along the way. In B.A.S.S. events alone, he has weighed-in nearly 5 tons of bass, claimed seven first-place titles and finished in the money in 200 of the 311 tournaments he has entered. He’s credited with having introduced two fishing techniques to the sport of bass fishing, pitching and bottom bugging.
So if you’re wondering if the ‘Old Timer’ contest was named after me or the famous knife brand, I’m saying it’s the knife,” quipped Biffle. “It’s pretty neat having been chosen for this contest. Shanna, her family and I are going to have a good time fishing on Ft. Gibson. I can certainly relate to her story about family fishing memories.
The date for the fishing trip is yet to be determined. “We’re excited to get the dates picked that work for everyone and head to Oklahoma,” Aguirre said.
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON