earthworm77

The bottom line is....just because you have a rod and reel, fish and like to get out on the water....it does not entitle you for a sponsorship. No intelligent company owner/Staff Rep is going to say..."Hey, what a great idea". Fisherman are a dime a dozen, consider yourself a penny. Make sure you're a shiny penny and maybe you will have a chance, if you do everything correctly. and you can quote me on that and use it in your avatars if you want! ;D

I am of the belief that in this business, you really are expected to dot the I's and cross the T's yourself because if you don't there will be someone else who has and they will get preference. I read about 100 resumes a week by anglers who try so hard to convince me they should be picked up by my program. Most are awful and show a lack of pride in their own work. In truth, because this is a business and it all comes down to dollars, I think there has been a shift from the hard work and dedication to the sport to acquiring someone who knows how to talk and rub elbows with potential consumers. I like to see fishing related accomplishments in resumes but really, is anything less than fishing a Pro Circuit important or credible?

All of the baits mentioned should work well. I personally pour my own baits and I prefer a 3 or 4" Roadkill Camo colored Senko style bait wacky rigged on a Gammie splitshot size 1 hook. On my favorite smallmouth creeks, I could fish this bait every day for a year straight and just kill on it.

I do not think that fish was bigger than 10 or 12lbs. Splashing water gives a fish the illusion of more mass. Looking at it I'm convinced it really is not even close to a WR. 12lbs tops.

Here you go Ain'tTex-

I did a shoot out that included that reel just before it was released to the public. It didn't fair too well. I wasn't impressed. The concept was good but the product they put together was not.

Some of you guys know that I have been tapped to write a bass fishing book. I pretty much finished writing it and it stands at about 500 pages in length. I'm currently doing the photography work for it. If anybody has any photos they would like to contribute and we use them, I will give the contributor recognition in the book as well as a copy of the book. I'm looking for scenic, action or release photos....or something different from the standard holding a fish up for the camera shot. Thanks in advance. Please email me any photos at micromunchtackle@yahoo.com

You can definately sell baits by being a consistent big fish angler. Long before I fished competitively I was what I considered a big fish guy...if you could be one in NY. I did it the right the way by having every fish over 5lbs documented by NYSDEC. In about 20 years of fishing I caught a tremendous number of fish exceeding 5lbs and became prominent in my locale as a big fish guy. That reputation helped me gain access to media such as writing for magazines, websites, newspapers, I guest hosted couple of TV fishing shows, I've done tons of seminars. Essentially I made myself marketable and it all started when I was your age. Lay the ground work now and keep it going and it will payoff for you. Decide why you really want to do it. Then approach it with honesty, humility and determination. It is all about marketability and how you sell yourself that ultimately sells your sponsors products. I personally am sponsored by 7 or 8 different companies and although I do have tournament experience, there is no doubt in my mind that this didn't play into the fact that I landed those sponsorships. Most of these companies contacted me because they read something I wrote online or in a magazine. Some simply sent me items to test or include in a shoot out article. Some actually picked me up after reading what I wrote about their products. Writing articles and books as I do gets products that I talk about a little publicity.

I appreciate that Eric. My point was that many of the bigger companies can give a certain few guys financial support. I would really like to be able to do that as well. I do what I can now, perhaps in the future I'll be able to. Of course, guys who deserve it are few and far between, I mean, only the best, most dedicated staffers should even qualify for that with any company.....I guess for the larger companies that also translates to the guys who have the drawing power like the big names.

You mean just because I bass fish, they won't give me a free boat?

I understand but if the sun and moon align, these California guys have the potential to bring in a 90lb bag for 5 fish. Reality and experince tells me that this is an extreme not a norm. I took a 32lb bag in NY when I lived there but that was not the norm. A 20 to 25lb bag is respectable where ever you fish. I fish places that have produced fish over 18lbs but that doesn't mean I can fill my livewell with them. Potential and reality are two different things in fishing.

fourbizzle 122lbs in 4 days aint that great, 25 lbs a day is average in Toledo Bend tournaments. A 30+lb average is much more significant than a 25+lb average which is common on even some of the NY lakes I grew up fishing. 25lbs is great but an extra 5+lbs a day is significant.

Matt, is that a 5 fish bag???...if it is, at almost an 8lb average, it ain't tournament squeakers we're talking about. When will Mike be writing a big bass only book? I've read Siemantels, Murphy's and Hannons, I'd love to read what a modern day big fish guy has to say. Also, it has been a year since the Weakley fish was caught...anybody see that fish out there this spring?

Do you know how to go out and get a good job? Getting a sponsorship is no different! well said Mr. Hale!

I totally agree with that rod thing...what crap. Anyway guys, you have to understand some things about thisindustry and who you are targetting for sponsorships. First, the bigger the company, usually the the more difficult is to get in but the payoff might be bigger than a smaller company. Next, there are so many anglers out there that think they deserve a sponsorship just because they compete...that is itself is crazy, you must understand the game totally in order to be successful in this area. I run a small handpour operation out of my home. It has grown larger every year since i started. I'm more apt to really pick and choose my staffers and I do. In a perfect world, I'd love to reallyu be able to take care of my guys so that everything they need is worked out through my compnay but in reality, unless you are a multi million dollar corporation that can't be real. I adopted a membership fee type of program for my field staffers starting this past winter. It has eliminated deadbeats and set me up with some quality people who may infact work out and become full Pro staffers for my company in time. It is no risk for me so I let them worry about there responsibilities and progress. So far I've signed up a bunch of guys and a few have stood out. It is a good thing. Again though, the problem is that almost all of the guys who fish think they are entitled to something and that just isn't the case.

What you are doing wrong is making long casts. The jig n pig is a contact bait, the more line you put between you and it, the less sensitivity you have and the poorer your hookset will be. Learn to flip or pitch. you shouldn't be pitching more than 25 to 30ft with a jig to remain consistent.

Good fish, I'll back Dan up, its about 6.5/7lbs or so.

Brother, run into a housing project building after midnight chasing a gun wielding maniac that just put 4 bullets into another crack dealer on the street.......adrenaline has you running up stairs and around corners blindly, you can smell the gun powder and the body odor of the dirtbag because you are so close. When he runs out of room to run and you come up on him and hear his gun click because it is out of ammo and when you realize what you are doing.......those are jitters, you have butterflies and nothing to worry about. I approach my tournament fishing as if it was just another day out on the water. Only I keep and weigh my best 5. Don't put pressure on yourself. If my wife knew what I really did when I was a cop, she'd freak!

Pretty much my home lake. I know exactly where those pictures were taken. Nice job. Bass have been hitting spooks and traps over there lately.

Nice stuff. Marty question.....I see a screw eye at the top of the photo, is that for size comparison, i would think you would be wiring the hooks in the smaller balsa baits to prevent them from being clobbered and breaking.

Gambler Swim Blade

There are a ton of LC baits available for club members in Japan, you see them on ebay a lot. I like the Sammy's and LV's and the newer Amrican released Pro cranks. One baitthat flies under the radar is the Malas. This is a popper but has an angled cup so that if you started to crank it, it dives under the surface and can be run like a shallow diver with a nice wiggle. As far as baits I don't care for...anything in the Live series...overkill.

You are correct, that is Eric. The letter looks pretty good, a lot better than most of the resumes I see and that is a plus.

Boring yes, little fish....no. This technique has the ability to bring in some of the biggest fish in the cold weather when most other methods goose egg.

It has Fluoro in it so it can be a little stiff and may take getting used to. As long as you stay with 8lb or smaller on spinning gear, you will be OK.