BONNIE BROWN (left) and Mark Brown (right), shown with the winning trout entry (25-7/8") for the Texas Lady Anglers Summer Madness Fishing Tournament. Participants from around the state took part in the annual online fishing tournament. Bonnie placed first in the five-month long state-wide tournament.Tournament. Participants from around the state took part in the annual online fishing tournament. Bonnie placed first in the five-month long state-wide tournament.Tournament. Participants from around the state took part in the annual online fishing tournament. Bonnie placed first in the five-month long state-wide tournament. With participants from around the state, local resident Bonnie Brown was announced as the winner of the Texas Lady Angler's Summer Madness Tournament on Sept. 15. The tournament started Apr. 15 and ran through Sept. 15, with each Round spanning a month.

During each round, participants fished for their largest speckled trout, redfish, and flounder for a month, took photos on a measuring stick, and submitted the photos to the Tournament Moderator via the Texas Lady Anglers¿ website. The moderator and a panel of judges determined the exact number of inches and kept a running total of the three fish. All contestants fished during the first two rounds, and the top 12 advanced to Round 3; as total inches accumulated for each participant who submitted all three species of fish. "Upgrades" could be posted each month, but legal limits were observed. At the start of each round, a validation object to be placed in the photo with the fish was announced; and each fish photo during that round required that object. For example, one month, the validation object was a key; another month, a knife-all objects easily accessible. Many tournament participants released their catch after photographing them.

After Round 3 totals were assessed, six participants progressed to Round 4; and finally, the top three progressed to Round 5, ending Sept. 15 at midnight.

Brown's three entries for the last round totaled 70" (Redfish - 26-7/8", trout - 25-7/8", and flounder 17-1/4"), with the second place winner's totaling 67-7/8"; and third place's, 67-1/ 8". She placed in the top three in all five rounds.

Along with husband and fishing guide, Mark Brown, various fishing strategies were used, including artificials, live bait, and cut bait. During Round 2 in June, while Bonnie was wadefishing to try for a redfish to enter into the tournament, she was stung by a stingray, starting a several-week treatment and a new habit of wearing ray guards.