A buddy of mine told me that many pro's on both trails run their own business......... Which ones?

The first one that comes to mind is Boyd Duckett. He owns more than one company in the trucking industry.

Charlie Hartley owns his own signage company.

Many of them guide on their home waters between tournaments...

Big O

www.ragetail.com

Most of them own their own business in one form or another, whether it's in the fishing industry or outside of it. If they don't outright own business, then they're partners with somebody.

For some of the really big names, their "identity" (i.e. "brand" or "personality")is a business unto itself (endorsements, appearances, books, DVDs, product lines such as rods, reels, and lures.....the list is endless). Despite what many people think, these guys don't have "agents". They do most of it themselves or in rare cases, in conjunction with a PR consultant.