BFL WILD CARD REGIONAL?………..” Going PRO”

First off I woulod like to start with the question…..does anyone know where the 2003 BFL wild card regional is for great lakes?

I also just wanted to take a minute to discuss something that has had my mind spinning for a while now. As you watch the FLW, BASS, you see these guys fishing for thousands of dollars every tournament. To get to that level you must compete with some of the best anglers in the world….just to get there!! Now, once you’re there winning those tournaments is a whole different story. My basic point I am trying to get at is how does one start his journey to becoming a Professional Bass Angler. In MN here we have a circuit known as Minnesota Pro/Am. Now to me this seems like a complete waste of time for an angler that is seeking a career in tournament fishing. From what I know you must jump into circuits or clubs that are either involved with the federation or the FLW. I have had a hard time figuring out why guys spend so much time involved in local tournaments and still are will to put stickers all over their trucks and boats and begin to call themselves pros. Maybe there is two levels to this “pro” thing. A state level and a national level. But if one were to want to become a national pro, what is the best route of getting started?

I would talk to as many real pros as you can and get the inside scoop on the pro scene. It is not all glitz and glitter. The guys that get to the top and stay there work as hard at their craft as any other professional. You need to be aware of the game and the rules that govern the game. You can actually start by writing letters to many of these guys and they will usually reply. Be prepared to get some hard facts and then be able to deal with the adversity that seems to follow most of us in our quest to fulfill a dream. But most importantly, be true to yourself and take an educated route to fulfill your dreams. Money and time away from work and family are important considerations also.

Good luck

One of the biggest considerations has got to be bankroll. Expenses can pile up bigtime, even if you are doing pretty well. I just fished an Everstart in Detroit a couple of months ago and talked to Chuck Economou. He’s finished runnerup at several FLW big-money tournaments and won a lot of cash on both FLW and Bassmasters, but he told me he’s almost $100,000 in debt because of fishing and is filing for bankruptcy! Only a select few can really succeed in tournament fishing, at least financially.

I don’t think i would call it a waste of time if your’re fishing the mn pro/am. The entry fee is about $1600 for 6 or 7 tournaments and the payout is outstanding, Usually 1.$10,000 2. $6,000 3. $3,200 and payout is 15 places i think. The BFL doesn’t come close to that, and the everstart has alot of travel time.

They won’t announce the WildCard til the end of the month after all the rest of the Regionals are done….Unfortunately I’ll be making the trip as I sit 31 in our division and all the Top 30 ARE going as of now…If any of the top 30 cannot make please call FLW so others can make…But I would guess someone again from the Great Lakes division will represent us at the All-American…Good Luck guys

The unfortunate truth is that Money and Luck will be huge factors in any success on the top of the national levels. Don’t expect to get anything significant from sponsors, don’t expect to make any money on the tourneys, and understand that you are only as good as your last tourney. In other words you need to assume that this is an expensive hobby.

Then if you are lucky enough to get real sponsorship, make a little money, and have some consistent tourney success, you may be able someday to call it a part time business or say you actually covered your expenses. I fish tournaments for personal pleasure and a test of myself for myself, and that’s about it. The only year that I had any serious income from national tourneys was 1999 when we finished 2nd in the national championship. And that was in a AAA series.

Now regarding MN PRO/AM and similar regional and local tourneys. I believe it is possible to make a modest part-time income staying away from all the travel and heavyhitters at the large national series. Is it as much of an ego rush…no but if your goal is to actually be able to fish and have fishing support itself , the regional and as I’ve always called it AAA leagues in my opinion are the ways to go. I have had to add guiding and some Winter consulting positions , to actually make a reasonable amount and raise five great kids. Oh yah did I mention my wife also works a full-time job,(her choice?????).

Thanks for all the information guys i appreciate it! As far as contacting pros….how does one go about doing that?

Contacting pros?

I’ve used http://www.google.com and searched on their names. If they have a Web page, it’ll come up. You can also find out the town and state they live in, call (your area code) 555-1212 and ask for their town’s area code, then (their town’s area code) 555-1212 and ask for their phone number.

It seems that every state or area has a circut of some sort; then main lesson to learn, in my humble opinion is this: how to cath fish consistently anywhere during any condition.

This is what I did: started fishing by myself and a numger of years later I joined a club; I fished with them for a year (also, during this time, I fished the BFL’s Great Lakes Division as a nonboater). I was a nonboater for two years, and had enough of that noise.

This year I went pro -as a boater. I was cathing fish and learning the Miss; my boat had other ideas. Let’s just say I fixed alot of stuff on that ride, and ofcourse, now at the end of the year, everything works.

Next year, I’m taking the boat/motor sponsorship that I pursued.

During the above entire time, I guided on hard and soft water which helped to fund my tournament season.

Now, let’s stop here.

If you’re single without dependents, then buy a dependable used boat, buy dependable gear (I use All Star rods, Quantum reels, Lew’s reels, Trilene and P-Line lines).

Get into a club and also fisn the BFL -the Great Lakes Division would be your logical division, but you can certainly fish anyone or as many as you can manage.

Let’s say your now at point where you’re good and you’re still single and you have some money. Fish the Everstarts, FLW or BASS or all of’em -just so you’re aware, be prepaired to spend minimally $50,000/year on the road doing the above. That doesn’t include the cost of your boat or truck.

What I’ve done to prepare myself financially is this: paid off my ’99 Chevy Truck, paid off credit cards, begun to purchase duplexes in Virginia (rent’em out as income properties), moving to Virgina in Dec ’04 and opened a savings account to fund my first year. I also am sponsored by Ranger Boats, All Star Rods, RC Tackle and Phil and Son Tackle.

So, I’ve tried to cover all the bases the best I could, but I’m sure I’ll strugle financially, but I’ll not spend to the point of puting my family into bankruptcy. I know guys on the road who are in it; all I say to them is: get a job in the off season -a man has to be responsible. Period-!

Thanks,

OnTheWater