Super User DitchPanda Posted December 9, 2020 Author Super User Posted December 9, 2020 1 minute ago, mheichelbech said: Gotcha, I like Martens but not sure I’ve ever seen that guy look super happy. I may have jumped the gun on my interpretation of the comment! Quote
mheichelbech Posted December 9, 2020 Posted December 9, 2020 1 minute ago, DitchPanda said: I may have jumped the gun on my interpretation of the comment! Haha! I can understand the feelings on Martens. I always thought he must be super shy. I’ve known people like him(at least I think so...never met Martens either but just a perception I get watching him) and people thought they were stuck up or something when they were nice guys but just shy and introverted. 1 Quote
Super User DitchPanda Posted December 9, 2020 Author Super User Posted December 9, 2020 My girlfriend is very introverted...has been forever. I've actually had friends in the past ask it she's a B-word just because she doesn't talk to them..because she's shy and uncomfortable. I always tell them no she hates you...that's what you get for asking a BS question like that. My friends that have been patient enough to give her time to feel comfortable around them find out that she's probably the sweetest most loving person in the world. Lotta misconceptions about quiet people. 2 Quote
jtharris3 Posted January 5, 2021 Posted January 5, 2021 On 12/7/2020 at 6:47 PM, A-Jay said: Brett Hite has close to $1.5 Extra Large in career earnings. And you can probably guess what at least half those bass came on . . . A-Jay Drop shot?! ? ? 1 Quote
Fastbee Posted January 7, 2021 Posted January 7, 2021 Specialists do well when things line up for their specialty. They can catch them other ways as well but that is not how they start out. The Brauers, Biffles and others that are famous for a single technique caught fish other ways but they shined when things lined up for their deal. I bought into the versatility thing awhile back and am not so sure it was helpful for me. I spent so much time cycling through baits that I feel it had a negative impact on my catching. When I was a heavy tournament competitor I caught fish three ways: flipping jigs, squarebill cranks in laydowns or buzzbaits. I can't tell you how much money I won flipping jigs, many tournaments there were two rods out, both flipping stick just with two different jigs tied on. I only resorted to the other two when I felt I had to. The specialist will stay with his deal and figure out how to get bites other miss. I've often wondered if the versatility factor came about as a way to improve sponsor opportunities for pros. 1 Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 7, 2021 Super User Posted January 7, 2021 56 minutes ago, Fastbee said: I've often wondered if the versatility factor came about as a way to improve sponsor opportunities for pros. Interesting observation. Quote
Super User Team9nine Posted January 7, 2021 Super User Posted January 7, 2021 1 hour ago, Fastbee said: I've often wondered if the versatility factor came about as a way to improve sponsor opportunities for pros. Just my opinion, but versatility was about consistency, points, and cashing a check. Sponsorships came from making the Classic, and making the Classic came from weighing limits every day no matter the size. Specialists were the guys going for the win at every event, but that could fall back and put a few fish in the boat if they had to doing something else. Wins got you a lot of attention, a lot of money, and a good bunch of points (or weight in the early days) that would offset the mediocre events where your specialty didn’t play. Sponsors like winners, too, so the best guys at both types of approaches ended up with good sponsor packages that would sustain a career. 1 Quote
Super User J Francho Posted January 7, 2021 Super User Posted January 7, 2021 I'm waiting for the day when you don't even need to fish a tournament to be a pro. Look at action sports like skateboarding. It's more about their social media presence than results. I've watched that shift over the past 10 years or so. If you're reasonably good at photography, a little bit clever, and build a large following, companies will pay. Mark my words. 1 Quote
Super User Team9nine Posted January 7, 2021 Super User Posted January 7, 2021 30 minutes ago, J Francho said: I'm waiting for the day when you don't even need to fish a tournament to be a pro. Look at action sports like skateboarding. It's more about their social media presence than results. I've watched that shift over the past 10 years or so. If you're reasonably good at photography, a little bit clever, and build a large following, companies will pay. Mark my words. Aten’t we already there with guys like Googan’s and Fish the Moment, etc., primarily social media based entities? The lines of what defines a professional angler have always been blurred, and only getting worse, it seems. Quote
Super User J Francho Posted January 7, 2021 Super User Posted January 7, 2021 Or better, depending on who you talk to. Yes, it was always blurred, but it was tournaments that mainly defined what a pro was, and there was a definite path to that position. Quote
Super User Team9nine Posted January 7, 2021 Super User Posted January 7, 2021 Who is saying it is getting better/easier to define who is a professional these days? So many jersied wannabes running around my local lakes posting their fish catches on social media along with their poorly edited videos, hawking their tungsten sinker deal - ? Quote
Super User J Francho Posted January 7, 2021 Super User Posted January 7, 2021 1 minute ago, Team9nine said: Who is saying it is getting better/easier to define who is a professional these days? The guys that are quick to give you their IG handle, lol. They usually have a GoPro attached to their head. Makes 'em easy to spot. 1 2 Quote
Fastbee Posted January 7, 2021 Posted January 7, 2021 Here's my thoughts...I guess as the industry has changed the thought process of those involved has changed as well. The focus has started to move away from tournament victories in the direction of social media content and being a specialist would get boring...video after video of the same thing. Before everyone videoed every dang thing to post online, guys like Fritts (crankbait), Brauer and Biffle (jigs), Rowland (Pop-r) and Clunn (spinnerbait/crankbait) were usually all in on their specialty. Back then it was more important to win than to make a showing because wins got you exposure. I don't recall many mid-pack guys getting the cover of Bassmaster. It paid to be known for something then but not so much now and only having one thing to draw from limits your options. I've never been a pro, but during my tournament days I wasn't concerned about consistency...I fished to win every event, I was a specialist with the jig. When things lined up (and sometimes even when they weren't ideal) I was hard to beat. When it was obvious the jig wouldn't work, I fell back on the techniques mentioned above just to catch a few fish to weigh in but admittedly I was out of contention for the most part. It built my reputation though. The other competitors knew who I was because I won a lot. It's not like that now... Quote
Super User J Francho Posted January 7, 2021 Super User Posted January 7, 2021 It's still about selling you and me things. 1 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.