The Girls Ruled and the Boys Drooled
by Ron Presley
Photos courtesy of Mississippi River Catfish Trail
The growing number of lady anglers in tournament catfishing is a welcome occurrence. Selena Magness and Shiela Powers took it beyond fishing to winning as they set an example for other ladies on how to enjoy catfishing.
David Magness has been chasing the whisker fish for more years than he likes to admit. Selena, his wife of more than 40 years was not so inclined. She grew up in a family that didn’t hunt or fish so it simply wasn’t on her agenda. But all that changed.
“The Only time she went was when we dated and the first couple of years of marriage,” recalled David. “She was catching crappie on Lake Grenada one day. She was hoopin’ and hollerin’ and having a good time. I made an inappropriate statement and hurt her feelings. She did not fish with me for 28 years after that.”
David didn’t give up on fishing with Selena. He asked her hundreds of times to go fishing and each time she refused until a life-changing illness stepped into their lives.
In September 2012, Selena was diagnosed with breast cancer. That experience changed her outlook on a lot of things. Then about a month later, in October of 2012, David asked her to go fishing and she said, ‘Yes let’s go.’” David and Selena packed the truck, loaded the boat, and headed to the Mississippi River.
“We drove to Memphis and launched at Mud Island,” reminisced David. “We set up to drift and wait for a bite. We had a lazy day of watching the rods and catching a few fish.”
Four hours of meditation and relaxation had passed when Selena turned to David and asked an unexpected question.
“This isn’t about catching fish is it,” Selena asked. “ It took me 28 years to figure out why you do what you do!”
“Since that day, she has fished with me a lot,” David said. “In the last couple of years, she has fished tournaments with me too. I am extremely proud of her and for her. We have been together for 40 years and looking forward to 40 more!”
That experience and that recognition were just the beginning for Selena. She was enjoying the fishing trips, learning the ropes, and becoming a good angler in her own right. 
“I recall that morning well,” verified Selena. “As we left the Mud Island boat ramp, I remember the beauty of the river, the eagles flying above, and seeing several deer playing along the river banks.”
When they got to the first fishing spot David deployed buckets off each corner of the stern to slow down the drift in the Mississippi current. Once set up it became a slow relaxing experience.
“The trickling of the water through the buckets was so peaceful and relaxing,” recalled Selena. “After about 4 hours of fishing, I said to David — I get it. This isn’t about catching fish! I hadn’t thought about work or housework at all. I was so relaxed and feeling peace of mind.”
Since that day of discovery on the Mississippi River Selena has gone fishing with David as much as she could.
“I began learning to read the graphs and asking a ton of questions,” Selena said. “I have also been learning to bump and learn other fishing techniques. I have fished several tournaments with David and I absolutely love it!”
Fast forward to October 2024 when Selena met Shiela and her husband Keith Powers. David and Keith had been catfish pals for about one year. David invited Shiela and Keith to join him and Selena for the Mississippi River Catfish Trail tournament in Vicksburg.
“Keith entered the tournament separately to help with the boat count,” explained David. “So Shiela joined Selena and me in our SeaArk Pro Guide. Paige Cook, a friend of Shiela’s also joined the team. She didn’t fish but took pics and got us anything we needed. She was a big help in keeping the girls fishing. I was with them for support and help as needed.”
Keith fished in his boat with a friend who brought a deaf child for a Mississippi River adventure but that’s another story. Keith is an AG pilot and also an airplane mechanic. His business is Omega Aviation, thus the name they fish under is Omega Fishing.
“My husband has always been into catfishing,” explained Shiela. “When our son was in his teenage years I figured that if I wanted to be part of their lives and if I wanted to do things with my husband after our son left home I needed to start going with them and learning. So I did. I came to really enjoy fishing and it gave us time as a family to spend together. Now it’s just the two of us and this is what we do.”
When naming the new team, David thought back to a video he did on Facebook where he promoted women anglers and discussed their struggles in the fishing world. So the new team name became the same as that video, “Just Let The Girls Fish.” 
With the teams assembled it was time to fish. Selena and Shiela met for the first time on Thursday before the Vicksburg tournament. They went prefishing on Friday and both caught fish which gave them confidence for the tournament.
“We began the tournament at a spot where we prefished on Friday,” reported Shiela who was fishing her first tournament. “We just knew we would catch them there, but to no avail. We caught a couple in our second spot but couldn’t get on a good one.”
With that slow start to the morning, they just started fishing without an exact plan. They continued to catch one here and there and cull a few but the bite was tough.
“We finally decided to go to the grain elevator,” continued Shiela. “Selena caught the first one and we had more bites. Finally, I hooked up with my big fish and we all got so excited.” 
David turned off the trolling motor and went to the fish. It was a 31-pounder that would give Sheila the Ladies Big Fish honors and lift the team into their first tournament win with a total weight of 78.65 pounds.
“We asked David if we could holler and yell to celebrate, and he approved,” noted Shiela. “We continued fishing for about 20 more minutes and only caught small ones. The fish Gods let us hook up with the big fish just in time. It was a blast. It was a great joy and blessing to be able to fish this tournament.”
“When they landed the 32-pound blue all patience was lost,” recalled David. “They hooped and hollered and every boat within a mile heard them! These ladies baited hooks, removed old bait, and helped get their rigs un-hung. They put fish in livewell and kept watch to ensure their fish were healthy. These ladies had a great time, laughing, talking (a lot!), and even dancing in the SeaArk!” 
“Selena and I set out to win this tournament,” concluded Shiela. “We both said we were gonna’ win and by goodness we did! I have made some great memories. It was relaxation at its best with lots of laughs, picking on David, and dancing in the boat. Lots of confidence was gained by fishing this tournament.” 
“Just Let The Girls Fish was perfect for our team name,” concluded Selena. “Shiela and I are very competitive and gritty. It’s good to see women getting into the sport of fishing and giving the guys a run for the money!”
Final Thoughts
David is the owner/operator of Cat’n Aroun’ Guide Service and tournament director for the Mississippi River Catfish Trail. He encourages ladies to get into catfishing and discover the camaraderie it offers.
For more stories on women in catfishing visit the CatfishNOW website and use the search word “Women.” The magazine has been publishing stories to highlight the ladies for 8 years and you will find more stories to enjoy there.
For more information on the Mississippi River Catfish Trail visit their Facebook page. Da
