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The lady of the lake

Mary Satterfield, nicknamed Lady of the Lake, does most of her fishing for species such as largemouth bass, white bass, walleye and crappie.

By Don Gasaway

Guide Mary Satterfield has lived around and fished Lake Shelbyville, Illinois her entire life. Her experience as a tournament professional winner and guide give clients a unique opportunity to enjoy the angling of the lake to the fullest. Her dedication to the sport and the Lake Shelbyville waters has earned her the name, Lady of the Lake.

A regular site on the fishing scene locally, Mary survived a serious auto accident in the early '70s. It nearly cost her life. Four years of operations and serious rehab led her into the fishing business. One of the few things she was able to accomplish during rehab was fishing. Her love of the sport prospered and grew during those years and led to her becoming one of the few women guides in the state.

Satterfield has been a two-time winner of the Midwest Bass Association Champion and Bass'N Gal Champion titles. She has qualified for eight Lady Bass Classics, seven Bass'N Gal Classics, and for the 1991 Red Man Regional. In 1986 she was Lady Bass Angler of the Year, 1987 Lady Bass Classic World Champion, and 1989 Lake Shelbyville Bass Bonanza Champion. Additionally, she has won countless local and club championships.

In addition to guiding, Mary has appeared many times at boating and fishing shows where she taught fishing classes and seminars. She also has been involved in Becoming an Outdoor-Woman programs for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

More recently Mary has cut back on tournament competition due to health problems and to spend more time on her guiding business. Today, she spends time with her family and writing a fishing report column for a regional publication.

A structure angler, Mary does most of her fishing for species such as largemouth bass, white bass, crappie and walleye. On an average day, she catches as many as 150 white bass. Her success with crappie and largemouth bass tends to run along the same lines. She is, however, quick to stress that there are no guarantees in fishing.

According to Satterfield, most of her clients are repeat customers that come from as far away as Wisconsin and Missouri. About 70 percent of them are from the Chicago metropolitan area.

Mary can be reached on the web at: www.EagleCreekGuide.com or by calling 1-888-761-8933.

Don Gasaway is a free-lance outdoor writer from Marion, Illinois who specializes in hunting and fishing stories related to the upper Midwest. He publishes 150 stories a year in an effort to help people enjoy these activities. You can reach Don at: DonGasaway@aol.com