Hale

For starters we are both using computers to access this forum. Secondly I like to wear nice clothes and I like to eat (high end fashion and cooking items). Almost all of my fishing buddies have went on some form of nonfishing vacation in the last 12 months (I went to Jamaica, my neighbor went to Maui, etc). So I can not agree with your examples. In a sense, what you did was stereotype fisherman. I know several anglers that wear high-end clothing, watches, footwear etc. both on and off of the water. I think only one guy in my group of close fishing buddies is a hunter. The rest of us like other things. The point I am trying to make is that not all fisherman like the same things. However, we may fall within the demographics of a non-endemic company. For example: Movado watches might have a target market of men between the ages of 25 and 55. There are a lot of guys that age that fish. Granted there will not be a large percentage that are willing to spend $750+ on a watch, but there are those of us that will. Even if only 1 out of every 1,000 anglers would buy a Movado watch, we are still talking some serious coin that can be earned by the company. In a nutshell, you shouldn't rule out any company as a potential sponsor. All of them have the potential to reach their target market through the fishing community. Just make sure you get your fair share when you close the deal. JT Bagwell Just take a look at Nascar and the driver's sponsors. There is a lot that have nothing to do with the sport itself. And its easy to assume that Nascar is the blue collar, southern man's sport...just like the assumption is made with fishing. But as JT clearly pointed out....fisherman comes from all walks of life! Im not only the person in the fishing world that lives a life that 'breaks the mold' for Bass fishing. I dont hunt, camp, or watch nascar. I only own a truck to tow my boat. My lifestyle is completely opposite of the typical stereotype. Now I know Im not the rare case and the big corporations could break into a huge market if they would just open their eyes. Why dont we see a boat wrapped with a Best Buy logo, or a Sprint/Nextel wrap? I really want to see a Victoria's Secret Wrap!!!! ;D

Im still in the preliminary stages of planning but Im going after one of the tours. Im going back and forth with the wife (she is supportive of it), the finances, and sacrifices. Im sort of in the same boat as JT as far as finances...unless I became an Ike or KVD I make way more money at my job than the tour could offer. But for me its not about the money, I want to compete against and beat the best in the world....simple as that. Im going to hit the Bassmaster Weekend Series and Opens in 08, so we will see how that stepping stone works out.

With all the talks of resumes, sponsors, pro's, etc. I am curious how many people on here are actually working towards being on the Elite Tour or large tour of equivelancy. This really goes to you guys over 18 that has do more than fish and say the words to make this kind of commitment.

I use MS Streets & Trips, Garmin's Topo Series, and Google Earth to pinpoint coords and locations. I'll then plug them into my Lowrance (LMS 339ci). Ill do the same vice versa with waypoints and trails from the unit. I havent tried the MapCreate but if it compares to the other PC mapping software by Lowrance I would throw it out the window.

No apologies needed! I just wanted to make sure that that people were taking that topic to be anything about ourselves.

If you even looked at that thread you misread entire thing. I dont think one person on that thread was deciphering the title of pro so they could deem it on themselves. That discussion was strictly about the format of our sport and what we feel makes someone have that title. But thanks for trying to make us look like jackasses.

You guys are full of crap! There is no way that the media would lie or decieve us...they are known for always delivering nothing but the truth! ;D ;D ;D ;D

Of all the talks about sponsors and sponsorships on this forum that is probably the smartest thing that has beend said/posted.

Anyone know of a good site to buy Motorguide TMs? Im looking for the W55 but I cant find any on-line sellers worth a crap. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Something Cool Xerox is Doing If you go to this web site, www.letssaythanks.com, you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our guys and gals over there need to know we are behind them...

I own a Springfield XD40, HK USP40 for carry. They are both very well rounded guns. Easy to carry, very accurate and most of all durable. Stopping power...who said "it would make the bad guys mad?" Have you ever seen someone take a shot with a .40 and be okay with it? Your watching to many movies! You should hit a local gun show...not always the best prices but you can handle many many different models and get opinions on each one face to face. You can pick up the XD40 for right around 500 right now, the HK's have seen a jump in price over the last couple years (I paid 500 for mine and was offered 750 for it recently at a gun show...I was looking to trade it for a 1911 model). And if you think you may sell what you buy, check out gunbroker.com and research what is moving and for how much. ---- Not new, just becoming popular.

For everyone that truly believes this....good luck with you careers and I hope your good at your regular job. You will never afford to fish the national level unsponsored, and you will never be recognized enough to be approached until you hit the national level. (Chicken or the Egg?) Okay now Im sure there is someone on here that will say but I got a sponsor form XYZ and they approached me.....first off we are speaking about a real sponsorship. Who cares if they gave you some rods, lures and you sport out their decals on your truck. Paychecks and entries fees. You think you have skills? Convince a company to write you a check each month!

This info can be taken the wrong way....wait and you shall not receive. If you want it you have to go after it! And what dictates a a 'TRUE' sponsorship? $55,000 worth of entry fees paid for each year? At that level you are picking and choosing sponsors. But ask them how they got to that point with sponsors? Did they just hope and wait someone would call becuase they know how to fish? You know the true answer to that.

Is this a trick question?? Beacuse the fish I lost with a witness on the boat was much smaller than the one I lost when I was all alone. ;D ;D ;D

A raccoon! A coon had gotten into our livewell for whatever reason (there was shiners in it). Our buddy/neighbor at the marina decide he would sneak up on it and close the lid on it (knowing we were heading out on the lake very shortly) Well we got out there and my grandfather popped that lid on the livewell and it was heart attacks for everyone!!!! We couldnt believe that we didnt hear it in there throughout the boat ride (which he wasnt once the lid opened). Now we have a ticked off coon on the boat that for some reason was not interested in jumping in the water. And of course at this time we still didnt know that there was a guilty party involved. This guy and my grandfather together was like watching the movie Grumpy Old Men in real life.....

I just bought a pair of Costa Del Mar's (Killer Waves) today and I will be needing to get prescription lenses. I dont know how the Solar Bats are, but CDM has an array of lenses that you can choose from to get Rx lenses for. I only mention this because I went through the whole speall today with the sales rep.

Where you fishing at Eddie?

Safety & Liability...a larger vessel is more likely to handle rough water conditions and be less likely to capsize under most any circumstances.

Each set of tournaments / series by BASS is different about this rule too. For instance, The Bassmaster Opens allows boats 16' and greater to enter.

What has me concerned is that I have made this run many times over the last two weeks and I was eating up only around 7-8 gallons. I run it the same way each time the only difference may be if there is a passenger or not. Yesterday no passenger. Thanks for the feedback on this, Im not near as worried about it as I was.

Im having a huge problem with the new Mercury. First off its a 90 2 stroke on a 17' nitro. I filled the tank today before I went out and I ran approximately 25 miles roundtrip. I hold her at about 5400-5600 rpm steadily. I ran through 13-14 gallons of gas in this 25 miles..I don't understand? Anyone have any ideas or suggestion of why this has occured before I drop it off for repair? She runs good except some racket she makes at idle in gear (thats another issue).

nah I wasnt offended. You know how it is on here, its hard to put in words in any humor or 'tone of voice' were all good.

Somewhere on another forum someone is complaining about fisherman. They believe,,,hey they have the whole lake to fish and we just want to use this one area. We had to keep slowing down to not be rude but it made our day very difficult. I waited all week to get out there and it was ruined by a fisherman... Im not busting your balls, I m just pointing out that its a no win situation and there is no right way of going about making everyone happy when it comes to recreation on the lake... Lets not start in with the a**hole jet skiers that do seek out to be nuisance. A few weeks back I had a kid throwing 'spray' and wake onto us while we were fishing from shore..but I wont get into it!

http://www.marineusainc.com/parts/trackerparts.htm These guys can get you parts if you dont want to call Tracker directly. 6, 1/2 dozen one or the other.

Not my worse miss, but this just happened Tueday afternoon: I was fishing a pumpkin seed worm off a rock ledge. Water is somewhat clear (for Florida standards - 3' stained). The worm got hooked on the lip of a rock in about 1.5' of water. I danced the rod tip and line trying to get it loose..when it did come loose the worm darted off the rock and out of nowhere I watched this hawg annihalate that worm. I got a good hookset and played her to the boat. Now im down on my knees And I bring the rod up with one hand to lip her with the other. Just as her head starts to break the surface, the lure pops out! My hand was inches from having her landed. Ready for the good part? Not only did this fish see double digits in the weight category, but my PB is 11-10 and I was confident that she was my new record. Im sure any human being within a 5 mile radius of that spot heard my yells and profanities. I will get her again no worries about that!