Recently I was digging through some archives in search of some information on a particular bait made by Ditto Manufacturing (Bobby Ditto). That’s when I came across one of their ads from 1980 mentioning Claudette Tircuit, and their baits being responsible for helping her win a Bass’n Gal Classic. That got me digging around even further, eventually leading to today’s Throwback Thursday pic(s).
Here are a few excerpts and details from a 1980 story on her in The Paducah Sun by Steve Vantreese:
- She started fishing husband-wife events in a local club in 1974. When Bass’n Gals formed and staged its first all-female bass tournament in 1977, she fished it and placed eighth.
- She was 1978 Bass’n Gal Angler of the Year (finishes: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 14th)
- She won the 1979 Bass’n Gal Classic on Lake Dardanelle in Arkansas.
- She reported fishing about 80 days a year, mostly in relation to bass tourney events. “I enjoy competition. That is the way I can gauge if I’m improving.”
- She attributes much of her success in tournament fishing to the determination to concentrate and the ability to notice details.
- Favorite bait: spinnerbait; “It’s faster and you miss fewer fish.”
- Claudette passed away in 2013 at the age of 73.
If any of you lady anglers out there fished the early Bass’n Gal or other circuits and you’re interested in having a place to tell your story, please hit us up in the comment section below or email us at terry@bass-archives.com. We’d love to give you a space to tell your story.
See below for the Ditto Manufacturing ad that took me down this rabbit hole.
Hi Brian. I hope you continue down the “rabbit hole” and do a more in-depth feature on Bobby Ditto and Ditto Mfg. There was a time back in the day when the gator tail and whip worm were tournament staples, especially in Florida. They were both very unique and effective plastic worms. Though not produced for years by Ditto, Zoom still makes a good imitation of the gator tail with it’s G-tail worm. Yum also produced a worm several years ago designed by Terry Scroggins that was very similar to the whip worm.
I also believe Rick Clunn mentioned at one of his recent BASS Florida victories, that he dug out some old gator tails he had hoarded and put them to good use in securing his win!