Fishing Colleges or Carreers?

[Fishin4bass]

are there any carreers in fishing or related to fishing? are there any colleges or courses that relate to going fishing?

[earthworm77]

I don't know about specific degrees based on fishing but it couldn't hurt to study towards being a fisheries manager or biologist. Likely close as you can get to your favorite sport.

[fishguts]

Yes, there are lots of jobs related to fishing, but few allow you to actually fish on a regular basis. The obvious, professional angler, is a very tough way to make an honest living. As you probably know, a lot of people try but only a handful succeed. A better route might be to try to get a job as a regional sales rep for a tackle company or even work on the corporate side. You may put in more desk time than you would like, but at least you'll be in the industry. I don't know where you live, but Cabela's, BPS, Gander Mountain and other major sporting goods stores need knowledgeable staff at the lower and upper management levels. Again, you'll be connected to the industry, and doors often open through connections.

You could always work as a guide. Many do work full-time and make a respectable living, but many, many more don't. How much work you can get depends on where you live, the available fisheries and the potential client base. Of course, your business and people skills can make or break you, as well. A good guide, however, spends more time watching others fish than fishing himself.

As earthworm suggested, a degree in fisheries biology is a great start and working as a biologist is a great career. I know many and they love their jobs, except for the red tape that goes with working for a government agency. Expect to spend lots of time in college--you'll probably need a master's degree to get a better-paying job as a biologist. A degree in marketing or business managment isn't a bad idea, either.

Or you could marry an ambitious wife who makes lots of money and sponge off her.

[Sam]

Careers in the fishing industry run from research to sales to fishing to advertising.

Are you college material?  Are you strong in sciences? Do you like biology or physics or engineering?  Do you have the funds to obtain your Masters Degree in a fisheries or oceanography major?  Is there anyway you can earn your Ph.D. and go into research?

Check out "Sea Grant Universities" on the web and then go to the university that is the closest to you for details.  Check out a few of these schools to see what they offer, from fresh water to salt water programs.

Or, you may want to major in a Business Administration major, such as marketing, management, accounting, etc.  Something that the manufacturing or sales companies would be interested.

If you are a "verbal" person you can get  a degree in English or history and then go on to law school and work for a fishing industry related company in their legal department.

And the list goes on.

You do not have to fish all the time to be involved in the fishing industry. Check out the ICAST 2006 web site and see the various products and services that were in the show last year to obtain an idea of what is available and what interests you.

Then, check out the university programs in your area, or in your region, to find the programs you can succeed.

Good luck and be sure to get that college degree. It is worth $1,000,000 to you over your lifetime.

[Fishin4bass]

Careers in the fishing industry run from research to sales to fishing to advertising.

Are you college material? Are you strong in sciences? Do you like biology or physics or engineering? Do you have the funds to obtain your Masters Degree in a fisheries or oceanography major? Is there anyway you can earn your Ph.D. and go into research?

Check out "Sea Grant Universities" on the web and then go to the university that is the closest to you for details. Check out a few of these schools to see what they offer, from fresh water to salt water programs.

Or, you may want to major in a Business Administration major, such as marketing, management, accounting, etc. Something that the manufacturing or sales companies would be interested.

If you are a "verbal" person you can get a degree in English or history and then go on to law school and work for a fishing industry related company in their legal department.

And the list goes on.

You do not have to fish all the time to be involved in the fishing industry. Check out the ICAST 2006 web site and see the various products and services that were in the show last year to obtain an idea of what is available and what interests you.

Then, check out the university programs in your area, or in your region, to find the programs you can succeed.

Good luck and be sure to get that college degree. It is worth $1,000,000 to you over your lifetime.

ICAST?

[Sam]

Opps!

I tried that link but the ICAST info has been removed.

I sent an e-mail to the web master and asked him if he could put it back.

[Sam]

You can also "search" this site for the ICAST posts, too.

Give that a try.

[Sam]

Found it, finally!

Never give up.  Keep throwing that spinnerbait at that tree!!!!

Go to Google and search for ICAST 2006.

It is the fourth or fifth entry from the top.

It is the article I had put in my post but you now have to go through Google to get to it.

Enjoy.

[Isaiah527]

my major here at Clemson University was Wild Life and Fisheries Biology. I recently changed to pursue other interests.

I worked at a hunting club in high school and my boss's degree was the same, Wild Life and Fisheries from Clemson.

[Sam]

CU,

Clemson is an outstanding school.  You will go far with a Clemson degree.

Of course, Clemson has never won the College World Series as LSU has, but we won't go there.

Enjoy college.  It is the best 5 or 6 years of your life!

[c17Lat]

I attend Cornell University, and we have a biological field station right on Oneida Lake north of Syracuse. Scientists from Cornell and other universities have used this station to study growht and movement of smallmouths, hooking mortality evaluations on large and and smallmouth, and spawning and nursery habits of bass. These are just some of the publications that have come out of the station in recent years and i'm pretty sure these guys get to handle a lotta fish and are out on the water daily. Hopefully i'll be able to get an internship there one summer and do some fishin while im not workin

[luckyinkentucky]

I didn't read all of the replies, but I will try and respond the best I can.  There are several colleges out there that have collegiate bass fishing teams as an official chartered sport.  I looked for your state of residence, but I couldn't find it.  Here in Kentucky we have Murray State University, Eastern KY university, and I believe Northern KY state is starting a collegiate bass fishing team.  

As for the degree you should go for.  I would choose something to do with Wildlife Biology, like myself, or something in the Fisheries / Forestry area.  Auburn University in Alabama has the best Wildlife Biology programs in the country.  

[Sam]

Auburn is a great school and the girls are beautiful, too.

Just get that degree and then you can market yourself to the fishing industry companies in an entry level position.

Remember, the farther south you go the prettier are the coeds.

And the better fishing, too!

[bass89fisher]

this past summer i was involved in an internship with a guy named Greg Grimes. He runs a lake management company and we stock fish and did electoshocking. he said Auburn is the number 1 college in the south for a fisheries management/ aquaculture degree.  lakework.com

[KevO]

Sam, I just graduated Aug. 4th, with a bachelors in P.R./Journalism.  Other than writing local fishing reports for newspapers or for a magazine, got any suggestions for a job.  I know Triton boats has a factory or something here in TN, unfortunately the only position open at the time is VP of Finance. LOL don't I think I will be getting that one, fresh out of school.  Do you have any suggestions for other company's around this area that might have potential jobs?

TH

[Daniel My Brother]

Don't overlook television. It takes a lot of people to make a show on the Outdoor Channel, or Versus, or Foxsports, or ESPN, and it can be tough to find a crew willing to travel most of the year...even if that travel is fun and involves fishing.

Entry level jobs in television are numerous (especially in local news) for a willing videographer wanting to make a name for himself. SIU Carbondale has an outstanding television program here locally.

I've worked in local TV for 20 years and shot a few fishing shows back in the early 90s.

I will warn you, it's hard to run a camera all day just 3 feet away from people who are catching fish like crazy...but you'll learn a lot.

[Trent, B]

Yes some colleges have a fishing team

[Sam]

BackAsswards,

I sent you a PM with some information from an LSU professor.

Check it out.

[Sam]

c17Lat,

Did you know that Cornell University and Louisiana State University have the two best programs for ornathology, the science of birds?

Cornell is #1 in private schools while LSU is #1 in both public universities and football.

LSU's football team can beat Cornell's football team.

My niece and her daughter both went to Cornell.

The rest of the family, the normal ones, went to LSU.

Just thought I would let you know.