How To Go From Average To Pro

[thaddeusdowning]

I would consider my self an average fisherman when it comes to the quantity and size of bass I catch and I'm sure there are plenty of us on the site that think like this as well.  This question goes out to all the vetern and "pro" fishermen out there.  What are some tips to take our game to the next level?

 

 

[J Francho]

Spend more time on the water.

[Nitrofreak]

Spend more time on the water.

 

LOTS MORE ...X2

[Mike2841]

Fish with people who are better than you

[Catt]

Spend more time on the water.

Lots more...X3!

[slonezp]

If by pro, you mean an Elite, I'd recommend you go to a seminar, and see how the pros think. The thought process they have towards fishing is completely different than most of us. Maybe it's because fishing feeds their family, or maybe it's because they're just that much better than the rest of us. I consider myself a decent fisherman, and I'm a veteran fisherman. Nothing beats time on the water. As far as being pro, I don't think like a pro, therefore I will never be a pro. 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Become a student of the game, make yourself well-rounded and appealing to sponsors, fish.

 

If it's meant to be, it's meant to be.

[Dwight Hottle]

Spend more time on the water.

 

 

It's all about time on the water. Fishing with good sticks will help as well. 

[basscatcher8]

As far as the fish catching part of that game its all about confidence and time on the water. They use all the same equipment we can get our hands on they just have 10 times more confidence in it than we do.

[Loop_Dad]

If by pro, you mean an Elite, I'd recommend you go to a seminar or BASS University, and see how the pros think. The thought process they have towards fishing is completely different than most of us. Maybe it's because fishing feeds their family, or maybe it's because they're just that much better than the rest of us. I consider myself a decent fisherman, and I'm a veteran fisherman. Nothing beats time on the water. As far as being pro, I don't think like a pro, therefore I will never be a pro. 

 

What would you say the biggest thought process differences are?

[Nice_Bass]

time and money helps.

[rmcguirk]

All true answers so far, but one key element is probably missing:  you need to have a pretty special set of physical and mental skills, not the least of which appears to be marketing. 

 

An example:  if you're around my age (late 40s) you no doubt grew up playing baseball.  Almost every kid did it for at least a few years; most did it throughout little league, etc.  I enjoyed baseball.  I wanted to be good at it.  I practiced with my dad and my buddies and I played a lot of neighborhood ball.  I was ok but I was never a star.  Pracitce can make you better.  Perhaps even good enough to be the best in your town, the star of your high school team or even play in college.  But, to be a baseball pro, you need to be a supreme athlete and also be willing to practice constantly. 

 

The same applies to any sport/pass time/profession/job.  Practice will make you better.  In many cases a lot better (at least that's what I'm hoping with fishing).  But it is one thing in going from being average to being a good stick, but to jump to a "pro" is a big step, and you need to have those special abilities. 

[roadwarrior]

Besides a large dose of natural talent and drive, it takes a lot of money. 

Beyond the equipment that may be partially subsidized, you need a very

flexible job (time) and the means to pay expenses. 

[bighed]

Not that I think of my ability as "pro" level, but I will say that several years of tourney fishing has taken it to the next level.  I used to think I was pretty fair with a stick.  That was with me choosing the lake and the time of year to fish it.  When somebody else does that for you the first few times it can be humbling. 

[RoLo]

I may be alone on this, but I do not perceive 'time-on-the-water' as a key component  (we all know career beginners).
In my opinion, success depends on HOW MUCH you study when you're 'not' on the water,
and WHAT you study when you 'are' on the water.

 

Roger

[slonezp]

What would you say the biggest thought process differences are?

I guess it's like any job. There are guys who try but can't do the job, guys who can do the job and are happy just getting the job finished, and there are guys who are perfectionists. Every job is 100% correct every time. When they're not working, they're still working in some capacity. I feel I am the latter in my career.

I've seen seminars put on by Ike and KVD. The amount of thought and the amount of work they put into each presentation simply amazes me. Ike spoke for maybe 2 hours about fishing soft plastics and I was floored by the amount of science involved. From the rod choice, reel choice, line choice, weight, hook bait, color etc. for each specific presentation under each specific set of circumstances. When I saw KVD he was pushing the 10XD cranks with a run of the mill sales presentation. The Q&A after the presentation was when the real KVD came out. Answering the how and the why. There are a number of guys here that have a similar thought process when it comes to fishing. Although I love most everything about fishing, when it becomes work, it loses it's appeal. I've had the opportunity to qualify, travel and compete as a fisherman and to me it's too much like work. On the other hand I can work for hours and hours in extreme conditions on refrigeration equipment(it's what I do for a living) and don't see it as work, it's more of a passion. I'm just not wired to be a pro fisherman.

[Montanaro]

Some people just love sharing their knowledge and passion with others.  I know it's cliche, but it's true.  Ike can go for 2 hours because he loves it so much and he wants you to love it to.

 

It's a cult really.

 

I'd have no problem creating power points for fishing techniques when compared to powerpoints about the correlation of foot size to foot diseases.

[Mainebass1984]

It takes time effort and money.

 

Attention to detail

 

 You got to go early and stay late.

[Catt]

Average to good to great to Pro

There are a lot of good & great anglers that do not make it as Pros.

[slonezp]

Some people just love sharing their knowledge and passion with others.  I know it's cliche, but it's true.  Ike can go for 2 hours because he loves it so much and he wants you to love it to.

 

It's a cult really.

 

I'd have no problem creating power points for fishing techniques when compared to powerpoints about the correlation of foot size to foot diseases.

It's not about the amount of time but the amount of detail. When you look at them or any of the elites who are consistent, they have, and this sounds corny, "star quality" Not everybody has that, and I guess that wasn't the original question asked. How many pro fisherman are unknowns? Plenty. Same with pro ball players. I guess when I think of a pro, I think Ike or KVD or Clunn or Parker. Chris Lane gave a seminar at my clubs tournament of champions a couple weeks after he won the classic. I just didn't feel the passion from him as I did with the others. Like he's forgettable. I'm not knocking his talent, He's just not in the same ballpark as the other guys. So, I guess when I think of  "pro" I'm really thinking of the guys consistently at the top. 

[basscatcher8]

I like listening and reading anything ike does cause he does have a true ppassion for it. You need that. I know when he goes to a new water he buys every single map available for the place scouts Google earth with maps in hand and trys to solve every fishery to the nitty grity details. When iI was racing our motto was the race on Saturday is won on Monday through Friday in the shop going over the details. We won a championship with that kind of drive. Its an attitude and willingness to work.

[Brayberry]

Fish with people better then you, the better they are the more you'll learn.  When I was around 15 I joined a bass club.  I thought I was the next best thing in fishing.  Then I started fishing tournaments with those guys and felt silly. I started thinking of tournaments as seminars.  I'd watch every detail of my partners fishing, I studied where they cast, what they cast, lure colors, lure size, etc.  I saw some amazing things in those tournaments also.  I watched my partner one day win a tournament on 5 flips consecutively, each flip resulted in a 3 - 4 lb bass, he literally caught a 18 lb limit in around 2 minutes.  I fished with a guy that did go pro, and actually win a Invitational.  We were fishing a cove in the fall and small bass were schooling, busting shad all over the surface.  I thought I was in heaven, catching bass on every cast with a crankbait, but my limit was only around 5 lbs.  My partner on the other hand ignored the schooling fish, and immediately tied on big lures to fish under the schoolers.  He was going for the big lazy fish in the area.  

[Dwight Hottle]

I may be alone on this, but I do not perceive 'time on the water' as the key component (we all know career beginners).

In my opinion, success depends on HOW MUCH you study when you're 'not' on the water,

and WHAT you study when you 'are' on the water.

Roger

I think you just further defined time on the water! Well put RoLo.

[Sam]

Remember the New York tourist that stopped a native New Yorker and asked him how to get to Madison Square Garden?

 

"Practice, practice and practice" was the reply.

 

Good advice as is what is posted above.

 

Good luck.

[mjseverson24]

things it takes to go pro...

1) you must to have the ability to catch quality fish anywhere in the country at any time of year.

2) you have to be dedicated.

3) you have to be intelligent.

4) you must have a competitive nature or be a perfectionist.

5) a great family that supports you in your career.

6) good social skills. 

7) lots of money.

8) experience.

 

Being a great fisherman is the prerequisite to becoming a professional tournament angler, but every guy out on tour is a great stick, the things above are what sets apart the top tier guys from everyone else...  JMO...

 

Mitch