Westernbass Magazine - FREE Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques - Winter 2014, Page 9

Westernbass Magazine - FREE Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques - Winter 2014, Page 9

instead of just paying for the rights to be a patch on a jersey, companies began to expect more of their pros. Show floors, radio and media interviews and television work all became a part of the job. of course, the job continues to evolve and so should the expectations of the anglers doing it.

Mike Iaconelli is Swarmed by the Media at a Bassmaster Classic Media Day

Pay ME to Fish

There have been several anglers in the past who have pursued degrees in Fisheries Biology, because it would help them more quickly identify what the current conditions do to a bass. But, in today’s world, having experience or degrees in marketing or business, or anything related to promotions would be a much better choice. Why? Because nobody gets paid to just go out and fish anymore. When interviewing prospective pro staffers over the years, many have commented that they are good fishermen, and sponsors are going to have to get on board because they were going to go out there and be something. Sponsors today are beginning to shy away from working with anglers with that opinion. The reason is that the job of being a professional angler has changed over the years, and with it, so should the way that anglers who wish to pursue a career in the sport should look at themselves and what their job duties are.

one of the best pros on tour this year cashed 10 paychecks worth over $140,000 in 2013 while that may seem like his expenses cost him more than $85,000 to follow the tours; that doesn’t amount to much of a living for anyone trying to support a family. With that being the case, anglers need to rely more on sponsor contributions and other business opportunities to enable them to make a living. Gone are the days of paying your entry fee, showing up at the lake, casting, cashing a check and paying for all of your expenses home and abroad. an angler needs to diversify.

a nEw ParadigM

This all may sound like doom and gloom, but the fact is there is hope; as long as the anglers coming up in the ranks today change their frame of reference. While running and scheduling our own lives - especially around days on the water - seems like a happy-go-lucky picnic. The truth is such that professional anglers may be running a self- employment enterprise on paper; but they have multiple bosses in actuality. each sponsor is a boss, and each one; depending on the size of their agreement, has a set of duties that the angler must live up to. There are a certain number of appearance days, a certain number of media

not Enough chancEs to MakE a living

one of the main reasons that anglers need to rethink their strategy is because there really aren’t enough opportunities to make a living by merely casting. With fewer tournaments, and the higher expenses of those upper level events, there is less of a chance of an angler cashing enough checks to win his income anymore.

winter 2014

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