Do You Need To Go To Collage?

[BassMaster17]

I have heard that you do need to, and i have also heard that you don't need to. So do you really need to go to college to become a professional fisherman? or is it just recommended. 

[Matthew2000]

You do, lots of business involved that requires a good education. And if it dosent work out you have a degree.

[flyfisher]

Well i am guessing you meant college and not collage so i will answer accordingly.  It is ultimately up to you to make that decision but a professional fishing career is something worth striving for but as in any career, it is nice to have a fall back plan and finding one that is complimentary as to being a pro fisherman like marketing or something else.  I know of a few pros who are day traders which helps to supplement their income.

[Catch and Grease]

No it is not absouletely needed.

I mean I'm about to graduate highschool so I don't know anything but thats my opinion anyways...

[C0lt]

I would say yes. With the climate of completion and lack of jobs in our economy, it would be foolish to forgo college if you have the opportunity to attend.

[scaleface]

I think to be a pro fisherman you have to be able to sell fishing products. The competition is fierce .   Marketing might give you an edge .

[basscatcher8]

College isn't for everybody but it was the best thing I did. It's nice to have a fall back "when" things go south chasing the dream you got that degree in your back pocket. I only use when and not if cause only the small percentage make it and the majority have their run and then join the rest of us working. Anymore it's like NASCAR its not about your talent its about how much money you show up to the table with before fishing. Seems like most of the bottom tier guys in BASS or FLW are just guys who own their own businesses and can afford to pay the entry fee every year regardless of their skill.

[Dyerbassman]

Go to a college with a fishing team. Get the experience and a degree.

[F14A-B]

Definitely go to university.. Get yourself a degree.

Fishing careers are elite, ( elite series )

George Cochran owned a appliance store

David Fritts a farm ( his father & him )

Thing is, most of these guys had substantial resources before they became pro.. Not all though, Zell Roland stated he never had a normal job, ever.. He started fishing at 15

KVD may be another example, he got started fishing very young as well.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I was never really good at art so....

[Cgrinder]

If you go to college, someday someone will pay you to make collages. 

[Ratherbfishing]

Being a professional fisherman requires considerably more than simply knowing how to fish well.  It requires communication and marketing skills, time management skills, accounting skills, business savy, etc. etc.  How one acquires those skills can vary considerably-some of which can be acquired during one's public school years.  Some can be had with post high school education and some can be acquired by simply being curious, and a lot can be had by just living and "doing."

 

I feel I would be remiss if I didn't add the following:  While having an education is (or can be) very useful, I have to add the caveat that many institutions (like governement) thrive and have gotten fat (and wasteful) with the notion that we can't live without them-in EVEN their present form.  There needs to be a "rethink" of what colleges ought to be for and if those goals being met.  A person can spend a lot of time and money with an education and come away with very little to really show for it.

 

 

[DogBone_384]

You should get a college degree no matter what, unless you're striving for a career in the trades (UNION) or are planning on military duty (opens up tons of opportunities).  Geeze I sound like a parent....

 

Best of luck to you!

[Catt]

Professional anglers do not have to be able to market anything; large corporations have marketing departments that can sell anything or anyone.

The professional angler has to have the talent to consistently place high in tournaments which in turn makes him marketable.

[SirSnookalot]

A requirement, no.  All that is needed is to know how to fish and be able to sustain yourself until you start making money.  That need applies to any business.

 

I'm of the ilk that college is for an education, not basic training to become a professional fisherman, unless there is a draft like football where you can get signing bonus for millions of dollars.

Success if defined as financial stability, is attainable with our without a degree, which is always up to the individual. 

 

Catt is right, companies market and top fisherman merely endorse products.  

[J Francho]

Pretty sure no one in this thread is a professional angler. I'm not sure there have been enough professional anglers to clearly define a career path along with all the prerequisites - like education - that go with it. It's like asking if you need guitar lessons to become a professional musician. Yes, but maybe no. Or maybe yes. Just fish, pro angler is not a reasonable goal, so you'll want a fall backin case that doesn't happen.

[corn-on-the-rob]

The biggest things you need to be a professional fisherman are money and the freedom to do so. With out those two things, even if you are very talented, you won't have the opportunity.

 

While it is not impossible to find a decent job with out a college degree, a college degree will hopefully give you more options in salary and location. Until you are a fully supported professional you need the means to get there.

 

There are only a couple good reasons that you shouldn't go to college. One of them shouldn't be money. You can attend a cheaper school or even a community college. The government loans through FAFSA might seem scary but the support is there if you/your family can't support you financially.

 

The two acceptable reasons that I can think of for not attending are mental/health issues and if you are of very below average intelligence both of which I believe not to be true so far.

 

I personally would find a major that fits your strengths first then if nothing else then look into business/marketing degrees. Good at science and math? maybe engineering. Get a BS in nursing and work three 12 hour shifts a week making good money, fish the rest. You get the point. Also careful to not get suckered into a "useless" degree. For example a 4 year psychology degree will not amount to much (not always) unless you go to graduate school and get your PhD.

 

Also a ton of colleges have fishing clubs/teams so you can get tons of great experience and exposure at this level.

 

In short, regardless of your intentions/desires for fishing, unless you have a d**n good reason not to, go to college.

[RSM789]

Since professional fishing is like other competitive arenas where only a few make it, you should have some kind of skill or marketable ability to fall back on.  Most pro's did double duty in the beginning, both their job/career and fishing until they were making enough money with the latter to quit the former.

 

Too many people go to college as a way to forestall the process of being responsible for themselves, basically giving them another 4-6 years of late adolescence.  Therefore, I believe the question isn't 'Should I go to college?, but rather "What would I go to college for?".  Professions such as attorneys, doctors that require specialized knowledge most definitely require a degree.  Nearly all the rest of the degrees are ways for colleges to keep themselves in business.  There is more value in the networking done at college than the actual degree.

 

Don't get me wrong, I am not anti-education, I am anti-fooling-yourself.  I have a Bachelors in Marketing and was on my way to a Masters when I got my first job outside of fast-food/retail.  I had to quickly unlearn many things I had learned in school, for they were theory & had zero application in the real world.  Years later when I started my own company, I further realized how unprepared college had made me for running a business.  There was learning involved and the things taught in a classroom just didn't apply (short of Accounting 101a).  There is a reason why business classes talk about selling "widgets", its because they don't know how to sell anything tangible.

 

In short, be smart & be educated and if that requires college to achieve, then do it.  Otherwise, learn a trade or skill and keep learning while you are working.

[.ghoti.]

Being a professor, I have to say you need to go to college. It really comes down to what you're willing to do to stay fed and out of the rain.

 

What you need, if you're planning to take a shot at fishing professionally, is a back up plan. Unless you happen to be that one-in-a-million, fishing is not going to be your path to prosperity.

[geo g]

College is certainly not a requirement to be a professional fisherman.  Since the chances of making it to a successful professional career fishing  is slim at best, it would be great to get some training, and possibly a degree in something you would enjoy doing, if the fishing career does not pan out.  Remember it costs a lot of money to fish, to have a wife, and to raise a family in today's economy.  A good career in a field you would enjoy,  would allow you to accomplish a lot throughout life.   .Read Ike's book, if you want to learn about the journey to a career in Professional Bass Fishing.   College, or a good trade, is a sound piece of advice for any young person during these competitive times.  Good luck whatever you do!

[thomas15]

Corn-on-the-rob (#17) and RSM789 (#18) I think have summed up my opinion on the matter quite well. You don't have to know anything about being a pro fisherman to know that one should have an alternate plan B.

 

Having a college degree is very useful provided that it is in something....useful. There are some really dumb and expensive degrees that you can buy. Just because a University offers a certain major doesn't mean that company X is going to hire you because you have that particular degree.

 

I recieved my BS degree 4 years after graduating HS and I don't regret it one bit. However, what was expensive 35 years ago is now off the charts expensive for kids today. So some thought and planning is advised.

 

Not that I'm the personal measure of all things academic or I own all common sense. But, I, in my old age decided to attend classes at my local community college for "personal enrichment". I'm just about finished with my 7th semester taking classes after work and at night. I will have earned at semesters end 35 credits, 3 of those are in English composition, the balance in Math and Science. Next fall I'm taking Organic Chemistry 1. I take challanging classes!

 

The point that I wish to make is that you can take some very hard classes at community college and at a considerable lower costs. If you work you can still go at night and while it may seem like forever, time marches on and a degree will come. You need to do your part though. I see students at school and in my classes that do not belong there. Waste of time and money. But most PT adult students are really motivated.  

 

To use the example of my son, he went to welding school and has worked as a welder for about 4 years. Now he takes evening classes. Someday he will get a drgree and will not have a lot of debt doing so. Thing is, even if you don't have it nailed down what you want to do, take some general education classes now, even one at a time. 5 years from now you might still be dreaming of if/only/maybe. You can have 5 years pass and have nothing earned towards a degree or you could have a great head start. Your choice.

 

End of lecture.

[Choporoz]

I recently read...maybe here....that if you think education is expensive, try ignorance....or maybe they said "life is hard if you go to collage....but its a lot harder if you papier-mâché"

[Senko lover]

Like a picture collage?

[Senko lover]

Honestly the most important thing (or so I've heard) is being able to sell yourself to potential companies (not in a bad way ). If a business degree will help that cause, and I think we're agreed that it will, then by all means go for it. 

College is a good idea for most professions, and certainly not a bad experience in and of itself. 

Plus, you can get on a collegiate team if you're good enough. 

[RF813]

Ultimately, I'd say no, you don't HAVE to.  But I am sure being a well spoken, well rounded and educated person can never hurt. If you have the means, I would go. If you end up being that special angler, then at least you were prepared if it didn't work out.