Well to start with, you need angling know-how. A good understanding
of the lifestyle and habitat of the fish
you want to catch, including feeding and mating habits. Then, you have
to think like a fish! These are just a
few of the prerequisites you will need before "stepping up to the
plate".
I began fishing in
London, England at the age of six on the banks of the river Thames. Ten
years later, I
was competing in local tournaments or matches against some of the best
in the country. Using the oldest
cliche of all " I was hooked". By the age of twenty, I was
fishing in championship competition in different
lakes, rivers and streams, all over Europe.
When I arrived in the
United States twelve years ago, I fished European style and kept
catching these
unusual fish called largemouth bass (they are not native to Europe,
however some have been found in Italy
and Spain). Four years ago I joined a local Long Island bass club and it
was there that I laid down the
foundation for what I do today. I began watching the senior club
member's catch bass consistently. I learned
and used their styles combining them with my own and formed a set of
techniques that I use today.
Once you have
established a track record in tournaments at a local level, sponsorship
is a great way to
start. When selecting a sponsor, use their product because if you like
it and it works for you, you will have no
trouble whatsoever promoting its benefits on the road. Remember if you
have no confidence in a product, you
will never successfully convince others to use it. Always contact the
marketing division of the company and
get a name to whom you can write a letter, attaching your resume and
relevant information about your fishing
capabilities.
Most sponsorship in
the beginning will be in the form of product. Once you have established
a professional
track record, then dollars become part of the bargaining process. This
can be a lump sum per annum, or a
"salary" based on sales and seminar or trade show appearances.
A fact worth remembering is that there is
more sponsorship dollars in fishing today than golf and tennis combined!
While on the subject
of dollars, this sport, like so many others is not inexpensive. A
typical tour of four,
one-week tournaments will cost you $2400.00 just to enter. Next comes
food, lodging, fuel and equipment,
plus "on the road" vehicle and vessel repairs. The amounts can
vary, but a general rule of thumb is between
$6000.00 and $8000.00 per annum for this one tournament trail.
One-day tournaments
are cheaper, but still require overnight accommodations, entry fees and
all the other
items previously mentioned. A weekend tournament (typically Saturday and
Sunday) will average between
$300.00 and $600.00 dependent upon location.
Travel and vacation
time play an important role in your decision to turn pro. You will need
a minimum 6
weeks vacation per year if you hold down a full time job. That can be
tough and you will need an understanding
boss. Virtually every weekend you will be on the water, fishing or
practicing. I was once told while fishing with
the legendary angler Woo Daves, "there is no substitute for time on
the water". How right he was.
When you begin fishing
from the back of another angler's boat, you must have the basic skills
to catch fish
from various locations regardless of who is in control of the boat. The
"back seat" angler's who does his or her
homework have won many tournaments.
As if all that was not
enough, you should be prepared to address large crowds and speak to the
press or
television crews who will come to you for comment and information. The
spectator and weekend angler is the
bread and butter of this $70 billion per annum industry. Without him or
her, there would be no tournaments,
no new lures, rods, reels or equipment, simply because there would be no
one to buy the goods or watch the
shows on the weekend!
Some of the touring
anglers can sometimes become aloof when dealing with the public. Their
success is
usually short lived and they pay the price for forgetting their
beginnings. When dealing with the press, they
can be your best friend, or your worst enemy. Personally, I prefer the
first of the two choices. Always make
time for them, tell them what they need to know and make sure you use
the name of your sponsor/s in your
conversations with them.
Well if that has not
scared you away from the tournament trail, then feel free to contact me
for further
information and hints on getting started. |
