what exactly does it take?

[ChazfromVA]

Ok so i have been fishing for quite some time now and placed well in several local tournaments. Im only 16 but i really want to pursure a career in professional Bass fishing possibly during and hopefully after college. As i said i have performed well in several small scale tournaments but i cant seem to attract the attention of local companies and pro shops despite my performance. You guys have any tips or suggestions that could point me in the right direction?

                                             Thanks, Chaz Carrington

[Grey Wolf]

Fish the federations tournaments , you've got to get exposure.

[etommy28]

Im close to your age and know exactly what you are saying, first work hard in school, for many places the first question they will ask is what are your grades like, second get to college and fish the college series, and finally, the federation tournaments are a good way to start a fishing "career" i started fishing them this year.

[Bass Dude]

IMHO:

Fist, local/club tournaments don't draw a lot of outside attention, therefore companies don't get any "bang for their buck" and don't want to spend time and money on supporting a fisherman with such limited exposure.  Also, because you do well against the local guys doesn't mean that you will stack up against a larger pool of fisherman.  This isn't a knock on your talent, but something to consider.

Secondly, no offense intended, just a small slice of reality--Why would a company put their efforts into supporting a 16 old kid.  Not many fisherman, especially seasoned tourney fisherman, would put much credence in what a 16 old kid is saying about a specific bait.  Again, making the returns for a company very minimal.

Lastly, you really don't need sponsor money to fish the Federation, BFL, or the Weekend Series, which should be your next step.  Although additional monies would help, these series are designed to make it possible to fish without this need.  I would suggest you fish those series and see how you stack up against those fisherman.  If you stand out among them, you will start to gain some exposure and be able to use that as leverage for gaining sponsorship.

In short, keep fishing and don't spend your time chasing sponsors!!

[Tin]

In short, keep fishing and don't spend your time chasing sponsors!!

They will end up coming to you....

[ChazfromVA]

i appreciate it guys... a little tough advicebut its all good... ill just have to step up my game a little bit haha ;D

[Sam]

I give you $100.

How much additional sales will it produce for me to recoup the $100 investment and make a good profit?

What is your market?

Kids?  Teenagers?  Sports kooks?  Old people? Fishing guys?  Hunting guys?  Woodworking people?  Car enthusiasts?

How many people will see my company's name?

On shirt at tournament?  On boat?  On car?  On cap? In magazines?  On TV?  On radio?

What geographical area will see my company name?

Local folks?  Out of towners who will not visit my store?  

YOU GOT TO SEE YOURSELF AND SHOW A BUSINESSMAN HOW YOU CAN TAKE HIS MONEY, ADVERTISE FOR HIM, AND GIVE HIM A RETURN ON HIS INVESTMENT.

If I have a men's clothing store, featuring nice quality goods, are you going to places where the people shop Walmart and Sam's Club for clothes?

If I have a shoe store, are the guys who see my name wearing sneakers and work boots and not the products I sell?

See the problem?

Think about being in the shoes of a business person when you call or walk in their store to sell yourself.  Who are you?  What do you want?  What can I expect to get back?

And then plan your course of action.  

[preach4bass]

I give you $100.

How much additional sales will it produce for me to recoup the $100 investment and make a good profit?

What is your market?

Kids? Teenagers? Sports kooks? Old people? Fishing guys? Hunting guys? Woodworking people? Car enthusiasts?

How many people will see my company's name?

On shirt at tournament? On boat? On car? On cap? In magazines? On TV? On radio?

What geographical area will see my company name?

Local folks? Out of towners who will not visit my store?

YOU GOT TO SEE YOURSELF AND SHOW A BUSINESSMAN HOW YOU CAN TAKE HIS MONEY, ADVERTISE FOR HIM, AND GIVE HIM A RETURN ON HIS INVESTMENT.

If I have a men's clothing store, featuring nice quality goods, are you going to places where the people shop Walmart and Sam's Club for clothes?

If I have a shoe store, are the guys who see my name wearing sneakers and work boots and not the products I sell?

See the problem?

Think about being in the shoes of a business person when you call or walk in their store to sell yourself. Who are you? What do you want? What can I expect to get back?

And then plan your course of action.

This is the best post I've seen in this section of the forum!  Thanks Sam.

[ChazfromVA]

thanks guys i appreciate the insight into the business part of fishing.. i actually did end up getting a sponsorship.. as u can see below. but i think these posts can help make me a better angler and business man at the same time haha

[bigbaitfisher]

You mentioned that YOU havn't attracted the attention of sponsors/pro stores/etc.  At your level, they won't walk to you.  Go out there and chase them.  Develop a resume, post it on here and get it nit picked, and then post the revisions.  Until it is perfect.  Act professional at all times (especially on the internet! It's hard, but sponsors WILL be looking at internet posts).  Find out how YOU can help a company.  The company knows how it can help you...but what are YOU bringing to the table?

I would not be going after the "big boys" in the industry.  Find a local tackle store that is willing to give you a discount.  Promote them.  Start small and work your way up.  Never forget the small guys and what they did for you.

I know a few 16 year olds who work SO HARD for the companies that sponsor them.  They are a RARITY and showed initiative early.  These guys are a HUGE ASSET to the company if they continue down this path (which I hope they do).  It's tough.  But it's do-able.

[Chris]

If I sit down and talk about a lure or presentation or product I can go into great detail as to why it works how it works and why I use it. I have a great deal of knowledge about lures and equipment with a background of tournament wins or top finishes to back up that I know what I am talking about. I am able to communicate techniques in a easy to understand language and also understand the science behind fishing and why fish bite. When I start talking about fishing people want to hear what i have to say because they learn something new. I have a large base of fishermen that I speak to and teach how to fish. I write articles that are published in print and websites which highlight techniques and tips. when I say product xyz is a good product people who know my background take a look at the product. Why because I don't promote garbage. I have built a strong reputation and following because I take the time to teach people how to fish and give good information in the process. I don't just say buy this lure its my sponsor I use this lure believe in the product and company and can explain why it helps me catch fish. The network that you build or following and how many people want to hear what you have to say or the amount of people that trust what you have to say exposes the product and company to potential sales. Smaller companies are in a bad position and getting worse because of companies like BPS. It is like the lure business equivalent to walmart. BPS imports a product line and controls what it sells and has a network engine that cuts out outside lure makers. It picks winners and losers and highlights generic lures as its own label with a group of pros who say fish this I do. There is a big niche there because of BPS and large tournaments. If you control what is promoted, control what you sell, buy it for nothing, create shows, you drive what people buy and you cut out competitors. That is what BPS does and opens up a door for smaller companies who want to get their product in websites and distributors hands. That is where you the tournament guy comes in. If you can get products in stores and or drive people to the company website or distributor to buy the product then you stand a good chance to get picked up. A small company is fighting against an system like bps or other import companies and if you hold the key to putting products in stores or bring in customers that want lure xyz you have something to offer a potential sponsor.

[whittler]

The only thing I can add to what has already been said is spend your time around the people can help you. Tournament fishing results are great but your words and actions are just as important before and after the fishing event. to any potential sponsor.

[Sam]

May I ask why you want to be a professional bass fisherman?

There are more rewarding careers out there.

You need to get a college degree and then decide what you want to do.

Professional bass fishing is not a fun career. It is very stressful and difficult.  

[SirSnookalot]

May I ask why you want to be a professional bass fisherman?

There are more rewarding careers out there.

You need to get a college degree and then decide what you want to do.

Professional bass fishing is not a fun career. It is very stressful and difficult.

Couldn't agree more.  Being a pro sounds like a fun way to make a living, it's tougher than you think for very little dollars unless you are one of the 10% that earns 90% of the money.

If I had a 16 year old that wanted to be a pro fisherman, I'd lock him in the house until he got a medical or law degree first.

[ChazfromVA]

haha well i dunno guys... i just love fishing more than anything in the world..  its all i do.. i just purchased my first boat(a 93 20' gambler with a 200 merc) and i plan on jumping into the large scale tournaments very soon.. and dont worry.. college is first on the list of things to do

[CSB]

May I ask why you want to be a professional bass fisherman?

There are more rewarding careers out there.

You need to get a college degree and then decide what you want to do.

Professional bass fishing is not a fun career. It is very stressful and difficult.

Although I believe the number of people who truly want to become pro anglers is much lower than the number of those who say they want to become pro anglers, I think they want to do so for the same reason someone chooses to become a pro golfer, bull rider, or bridge player. They love it.

Define "rewarding".

Being a trauma surgeon likely is not fun either, lots of hours, lots of stress, probably isnt easy making so many decisions that change lives daily.

I guess my point is that everything is relative. Not everyone wants to be a truck driver, teacher, doctor, lawyer, or cop. That being said, being a pro angler without side income or sponsorship revenue is an unsustainable strategy in the long run.

[erau618]

haha well i dunno guys... i just love fishing more than anything in the world.. its all i do.. i just purchased my first boat(a 93 20' gambler with a 200 merc) and i plan on jumping into the large scale tournaments very soon.. and dont worry.. college is first on the list of things to do

Please stop starting or ending all of your posts with haha.  Why are you laughing???

[bassattackerdad]

Don't let any of these guys comments deter you from your dream. That's the beauty of it, it's a dream. And youthful dreams are small seeds. Tend the garden carefully, see what grows. And practically speaking, first join The Bass Federation and The Federation Nation. Fish in any and all junior qualifiers. Win some and you'll get some press coverage and some recognition, then sponsorship will come. I reccomend to stay in the juniors as long as possible. This doesn't mean you can't fish in adult club tourneys, but stay out of the adult circuit fishing as long as possible. The competition takes an exponential jump.

[ChazfromVA]

wow how the time has flown... that post was almost a year ago and so many things have changed. Im off to college in a few short months pursuing a career in medicine. But hopefully ill be fishing in college too if I play my cards right.. still working a deal with a college in TN. Maybe dreams can come true.. only time will tell.