Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Howdy and welcome.

  Here are a few of my thoughts about becoming a professional bass angler and some steps to take in preparation for a bass fishing tournament. I have always been a competitive individual. I've competed in archery events, bowling, shooting sports, softball and other sports. I really love to fish so entering a bass fishing tournament was just a natural step for me.  

My first experience in a bass fishing tournament was after watching and following a tournament when the American Bass Anglers (ABA) held their national final near me on the Red River in northwest Louisiana. Didn't know much about tournament fishing but was intrigued with the possibilities. It wasn't long after that event when I saw there would be a local ABA tournament so I entered.  

I hooked my little 17.5 foot metal boat with a 75 hp Evenrude and headed out to the lake the morning of the event. First thing I saw was all thse big nice 21' boats and huge 225 hp motors and wondered what I was getting myself into. That was a little intimidating at first but was confident in my abilities so entered the event. I know there were some very good fishermen....and women....in the tournament and a few of which have moved up to the ranks of a professional bass angler.  

It was exciting to finally get started that morning and though I didn't place in the money that day I did finish in the top 10. That showed me that I could be competitive with these anglers and that really helped my confidence. I did go on to win and place in several of those tournaments that year and started getting a little name for myself at the local level. Though I never made a career of a professional bass angler I guess I could be considered as semi-pro.  

Point is just because you don't have a huge boat don't let that stop you from entering into tournament competition. Remember it is not the boat that catches the fish but the abilities of the angler in the boat. The boat you are in doesn't matter. The only real requirement is having a good operating live well. That is a must and requirement to fish most tournaments.  

Preparing for a tournament - what a professional bass angler will do.

 

First I recommend having at least 3-4 rods ready to use for different fishing situations. This will really depend on your style of fishing. For me this would consist of one medium heavy rod for jigs, Another medium heavy rod for soft plastics. Another medium action rod for spinners and one more medium action rod for crank type baits. I also keep a medium action spinning rod rigged up for finesse fishing. As a professional bass angler you will need to learn and master many techniques for catching bass.

  If opportunity permits try to get out on the lake for a little practice and pre-fishing to local some bass. Study any maps that are available for the lake or river system. Check the tournament rules as there may be times the lake is off limits prior to your tournament. Those professional bass anglers that fished the 2009 and 2012 Bassmaster Classic on the Red River near me could not fish the river for months prior to the event. Try to find at least 3 or 4 areas on the lake that are holding fish. Don't try to catch too many. You don't want to mess things up before the tournament. After a few catches and bites then move on to another area and try to locate more bass.  

The night before the tournament I prepare my boat for tournament day. Check the charge on your batteries and other things to make sure they are in proper working order. Then I set up my rods with the baits I intend to use the next day. If conditions change it may be necessary to change tactics. These are the tools of a professional bass angler so they need to be taken good care of.  

Mentally prepare a plan for the tournament.  

....and stick with it. You don't want to get out on the water then decide where you want to start and what baits to use. Before I even get to the lake I know the first area I will fish and the bait I will use. This will give you a mind set for the tournament and more confidence while fishing the tournament. Pick your best area for the morning bite. Perhaps another spot for the mid-day and early afternoon bite. You my be in the same area all day. The fish and bite will determine how long you stay in an area. Most tournaments start at safe light the anglers need to be back at the weigh site by 3:00 as a general rule.  

Where to look for tournaments in your area.  

Check your local newspaper. Most will have a section in the sport pages at least one day a week listing the results of the local tournaments in the area. You can usually find some contact information there. Check with the company you work for. Many times someone within the company will be directing a tournament. Go around to any local bait shops in your area. They may have some flyers announcing a tournament trail. You can also check online for local forums on fishing and will likely have an area announcing a tournament. There are many larger trail a professional bass angler can fish and those can be found online also.

  If all else fails then just get up early one Saturday morning and head to a popular lake and launch area for that lake. Get there before daylight and if there is a tournament going on it should be easy to learn more about it.  

A little on courtesy on the water and sponsorship.

 

There will be those days when every spot you hit there will be someone else already there. If the area is big enough then no problem. Just maintain a respectable distance from other anglers and get to the business at hand. 50 to 100 feet should give all plenty of room to fish. Stay focused and not let those situations get you upset. If you want to become a professional bass angler you can't let these little things get under your skin.

  As you began to fish more tournaments start keeping a notebook of when you win or place in a tournament. This will become important in in the years to come as you start to look for sponsors to help with your career. Cut out any newsprint. Get copies of the tournament results. If posted online then print that out also. When approaching a company for sponsorship then you will have something to show. This will be your resume as you enter your career as a professional bass angler and seek to gain sponsorship.  

Dress the part also. Get some fishing tournament shirts and stay well groomed. You never know when someone will be taking pictures. This is important to someone looking to sponsor you. If there is a particular bait or product you like then have a patch of the product put on your shirt. Show those pics to the potential sponsor. If it is a bait company then talk about those baits when ever possible.  

Sponsorship doesn't have to be a bait company or other fishing related companies. Many small business are looking to advertise their business and may even purchase a few tournament shirts for you with their business info on the back. That's pretty cheap advertisement for most small businesses and win-win situation for all.  

In conclusion.

  The career of a professional bass angler can be very rewarding. After all the winner of the Bassmaster Classic took home a nice $500,000 payday. 25th place still had a $25,000 payday. Even at the local level there is good money to be made anywhere from a few hundred each tournament to several thousand. Entry fees and number of anglers fishing the tournament will determine how much is possible to win. Entry fees can vary from as little at $20 a tournament in small clubs to several hundred dollars in more organized local trails.

  Pick a trail out and get your feet wet in one. If you haven't fished a tournament then that's fine. You may even consider teaming up with another more experienced angler or even entering a tournament as a non-boater. That is an excellent way to get started fishing tournaments and much can be learned this way.  

Learn all you can about fishing tournaments to improve your fishing skills and learn what it takes to become a professional bass fisherman. Plenty of information can be found throughout the internet. One manual that can be very helpful is called The Pro-bass Fishing Training Manual  

Besides teaching you many of the skills and tricks to catch more and bigger bass it will also guide you throughout the process of preparing for a tournament. You will also learn what it takes to turn pro and steps to take to obtain sponsors.  

You will not only get The Pro-bass Fishing Training Manual but six other manuals to guide you through the steps to turn pro. They go into more detailed than what I've written here.

 
Here is a quick look at what you will get:


If you are ready to take your fishing career to the next level then I do recommend getting these manuals. You want find a more complete set of training aids and information to get your professional fishing career off to a good start.
For more information on obtaining these manuals then follow the link below and get started today.


  If you decide that you wish to become a professional bass angler then I do wish you all the best.

Tight lines and good fishing.     .              

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