First "interview" type article- Featured in the American Bass Anglers Mag

Alot of people have known I was working on this article and wanted to see it. Problem is some dont get ABA book so I wanted to list it below. Hope you enjoy, it's the first one I have done which involved interviews.

Team that fishes together
Stays together
By Chris Jackson
Fishing together in order to stay together? That’s right the team of Damon Abernethy and Tonya Mayberry, who have been dating for almost 2 years now, not only fish together but they work together as well. This fishing duo has just hit the ABA Couples tour and is hard to beat. When they are not on the water, they are working in the same field. Though the both work for the State, they are in different agencies with similar goals and interests. Tonya works for the Aquatic Assessment Division for the State of Alabama, investigating water quality and biological indicators for the waters of the state. Damon, as the Fisheries Development Coordinator, also works for the State of Alabama in DCNR's Fisheries Development. Both Damon and Tonya have dedicated their life to improving our sport of fishing, by not only working to educate other people about fish and their behaviors but also by continuing to learn everyday how fishing impacts one of the best resources the state has to offer. Alabama fisheries are definitely better for their efforts. Tonya has been fishing most of her life and seems to be very passionate about both her career and her love of competitive bass fishing. She said that she began fishing with Damon after they met at an Alabama Fisheries Association (AFA) meeting two years ago and they have been together ever sense. When she asked him to get into the couples trail with her, it was only the beginning. He won’t be fishing alone anytime soon. But when you have a partner as good as Mayberry, would you want to? Though they are not married, as many other couples that fish the trail, they are just as strong of a team. They both agree they can read each other and both have different strong points that make them a hard team to beat.
They showed off their abilities when fishing their first ABA couples’ tournament together. They finished 3rd during the Lake Martin event of the ABA Couples Trail Alabama Central District. Getting a check your first time out is a feat most anglers cannot achieve. It is hard to figure who is the better angler as they tend to disagree on this point. They each give each other credit with the honor. When it comes to tournament fishing, both agree it is a team effort and not just one member catching fish. Damon admits she does a lot more than just pulling her fair share of fish in the boat. He says she also knows and understands fish behavior. She puts that knowledge to work when they are fishing tournaments together as she adapts to the always changing water conditions. Damon also adds, “She is one of the most patient anglers I have ever seen.” With both being employed by the state in the Fisheries Division they both study fish and their behavior which definitely helps them both adjust when things change on the water.
Tonya on the other hand likes to give a lot of the credit to her partner for not only his fishing abilities but also for getting her into competitive bass fishing. During an interview she says that Damon is the back bone of their team and helps keep her head n the game while on the water. Tonya had been fishing her entire life, including trips to Alaska, but it took Damon to take it from a hobby to an obsession. Damon grew up in North-West Alabama and when it comes to fishing, Damon is no slouch himself. He is a long time fisherman and tournament angler, fishing several other trails in his area along with the ABA Couples Trail and AFT. In tournaments, he is known for fishing for 5 quality bites as opposed to fishing for numbers. And like most true big tournament anglers, the jig and crank bait are two of his favorite weapons of choice. His favorite fishing partner is obvious.
While speaking with her I found Tonya to be a very humble angler, a trait a lot of good anglers have and need in order to be competitive. She recalled a time when she and Damon started fishing together. At the time, she let him do most of the work when it came to launching the boat and getting it back on the trailer. On one trip while Damon was putting the boat on the trailer, a gentleman asked her, “Can’t you back a trailer?” and she said laughingly, “Yes, but he never asked me too”. Damon states that she is now in charge of all the tow vehicle duties for the team.
While Damon may catch a lot of keepers, she is not afraid to add that he can “handle a net with the best of them” when she gets in a groove and starts catching more fish than him. Tonya says when they fish together, whether in a tournament or just fishing for fun, they always seem to have a competition in the boat. She added jokingly that when they are fishing together and he catches the last fish that he is ready to go home, knowing he would be the winner. This sometimes leads to them fishing long hours until someone concedes. When asked about her bass fishing strengths, she said that when all else fails she will go to the Shaky Head and worm. She states that it is her confidence bait and she knows she can slow down enough to always coax a fish in the boat. When asked, Damon says “Dewberry” (Tonya’s nick name in the fishing world) is one of the best partners he has ever had. When asked why, he told me she was always eager to learn new stuff and gets better every time they go out. During the interview he stated Tonya is one of the most focused anglers he has ever seen. He adds the first time they fished together he was very impressed by not only how much she knew but how much she wanted to learn. It is hard to tell who the better angler is as they will both argue that is their partner. I guess it is true. The couple that fishes together will stay together. Wow, what the ABA couples tour can accomplish