TWO WOMEN ’ S TOURNEY JOURNEYS
That Moreno ’ s historic breakthrough came on the Delta was fitting . She and her husband , Mike , live about 30 minutes away from the tidal river system and do most of their bass fishing there . Before her win , the fishery had played host to many of the “ aha ” moments and maddening days that comprise any fishing journey .
Moreno took up bass fishing upon marrying Mike in 2006 . He taught her everything , starting with the basics , like how to use a baitcast rod and reel . She remembers one outing on the Delta around 2007 when the learning curve felt insurmountable .
“ I get this big backlash , and I go , ‘ Okay , I ’ m done . I can ’ t do this ,’” Moreno said . “ So , I put myself in a timeout , had a cold beer , and then went back out and started doing it again . ( Mike ) really had a lot of patience , and he really encouraged me , ‘ You got this , you can do it .’”
PHOTO BY JOHN ZEOLLA
Deanna Moreno credits her husband , Mike , for getting her into tournament fishing and teaching her the ropes .
PHOTO BY ROB MATSUURA
Eventually , Moreno progressed to more advanced skills like flipping and pitching ( she and Mike would practice with targets in their backyard pool ) and matching baits to cover and conditions . The two started fishing team tournaments together , and in 2013 , Mike convinced Deanna to enter her first tournament as a co-angler with the California Bass Federation . She made her Toyota Series debut in 2017 and started fishing the full Western Division schedule in 2020 .
Uribe ’ s introduction to tournament fishing also came via family , albeit at an earlier age . She remembers first “ getting the fishing bug ” targeting trout from crystal-clear streams during summer vacations as a kid . Eventually , she joined her father , Joe Uribe , and her brother , Joe Uribe Jr ., in team bass tournaments . When her brother joined the FLW Tour Western Circuit in 2007 , she traveled and practiced with him , doing the same for Toyota Series competitions .
For the most part , Deanna Moreno and Rachel Uribe found the fishing community welcoming . But there were some hurdles that resulted from being among the few women on the water . Uribe remembers a few snide remarks , like male anglers asking if she ’ d packed her nail polish in her pink tackle bag . Both try to avoid using the bathroom while on the water , which Deanna takes a calculated approach to her diet and hydration .
The best solution , she ’ s found , is to be as prepared as possible .
“ It makes it a little difficult when you ’ re a female ,” Deanna said . “ I do have to prep more , I feel , than the guys do . The guys that we hang around with , they know I eat clean during tournament time . They all go out to dinner ; Deanna is stuck back at the house eating a sandwich before 5 . I know to hydrate very well the day before , and usually , when I fish , I don ’ t eat or drink anything when I ’ m on the boat . So , there are some restrictions as a female , but you have to prepare .”
They ’ ve also had to endure the challenges that all co-anglers face – namely , the luck of the pairing draw . After a frustrating 2023 season that saw her zero at Lake Havasu and fish alongside some inexperienced boaters on the Delta , Deanna got so frustrated that she vowed to never compete on the latter fishery again .
“ She was just beside herself ,” Mike Moreno said . “ She had a few rough weeks , not catching fish , drew some guys that have never been here before . And the Delta — catching fish is one thing , running the tides , understanding the wind , understanding the grass , the vegetation — there ’ s just so many variables when you fish the Delta as opposed to a lake . She said , ‘ I ’ m not doing the Delta anymore .’”
Overall , both Moreno and Uribe said they ’ ve had overwhelmingly positive experiences with their male boaters , forming enduring friendships . And Moreno ’ s luck came back
Rachel Uribe got her start competing alongside her father , Joe Uribe , and her brother , Joe Uribe Jr .
34 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2024