Off the Hook: Couple shares passion for sport

Must have been love at first bite.

Since then, it's been a joyous life of matrimonial bliss and bass fishing.

And success at both.

Susan and Craig Owens recently were named Co-Angler of the Year and Angler of the Year, respectively, for the Virginia Bassmasters largemouth bass fishing club.

In the overall Angler of the Year race, Susan finished seventh out of the club's 38 members. She is one of just two women in the organization.

Co-anglers are those who fish from the back of a boat owner's vessel, where they are at the mercy of the lead angler.

"You can't fish the same as the person in the front of the boat," Susan said, "because if they are any good, they've nit-picked every good location that comes along.

"You have to fish differently and see if you can get fish they've missed."

Susan didn't miss with her husband.

As any self-respecting bass man would do, he wanted to share his passion for the sport. So he took her fishing, where she was immediately hooked on both the sport and the man.

The two have been married nearly 30 years.

"He took me to Back Bay back when it was so hot," Susan said. "And I managed to catch a few fish. I found it pretty interesting... a lot of fun.

"But I think if I hadn't caught fish... I don't know what would have happened."

Their first trip was followed by others and, eventually, Craig asked Susan to marry him.

"I told him yes, but not until he taught me how to tournament fish," Susan said. "It seemed that that was all he did on weekends and I wasn't about to become a fishing widow. If I wasn't able to do this with him, I don't know if I was going to go any further."

Craig must be a pretty good teacher, since Susan has managed to hold her own either from the front or back of the boat.

Both said that winning Angler of the Year titles the same season is pretty special.

"We started fishing the old Chesapeake Jaycees tournaments when she first got started," Craig said. "I don't know that winning these the same year has ever been done by a husband and wife before.

"I think God meant for us to be together and showed us through fishing."

Susan has rarely been the co-angler on her husband's boat.

"I don't think he takes it as seriously when he fishes with me," Susan said with a laugh.

The couple's competitive nature will rise to a head next season, when Susan splashes her new boat and no longer competes as a co-angler.

"I've done it before, but I wasn't as experienced," she said. "I'm really happy about being a boating angler again and can't wait.

"I think I'm going to give my husband a run for his money."

This love at first bite might have some teeth to it.

Lee Tolliver, (757) 222-5844, lee.tolliver@pilotonline.com

Twitter @LeeTolliver