when did you start getting noticed by sponsors?

When I started to make myself noticed.  Approaching them with a solid resume and gameplan is your best bet.  Big name sponsors have too much on their plate to investigate every angler's attributes and small businesses often don't have the resources to look outside their own stomping grounds.

Not trying to be disrespectful but you've spelled "sponsors" incorrectly, a big mistake on a resume.

-Good job in correcting that.