FDC and other fishermen

[PAChicky]

You talk about fishing in all these tournaments. The guy I subbed for in bowling Thursday night just bought a $40K boat with another $10k in accessories. He said for most of the summer he took time off his job with no pay to fish in New York. Apparently he goes to the Bass Masters Tournament. He had a picture of the last tournament he was at and there were over 300 boats there. Other pictures I saw of his boat showed that he had approx. 20 fishing rods.....he also said he was getting two tv screens installed on this one for all his GPS, Depth finder stuff, and all that.

Is there really a chance to make a lot of money in this kind of thing?
Do people really do this just as their jobs? He said he would like to quit his job as a dump truck driver and fish full time.
How far do you travel to fish? I know there are some other MJers on here that fish too.

Just curious as I did not know that this was such a big thing. He said some days he spends 15 hours a day on his boat fishing. If I throw my line in and don't get a bite I quit!! lol

 

[MadJack]

You talk about fishing in all these tournaments. The guy I subbed for in bowling Thursday night just bought a $40K boat with another $10k in accessories. He said for most of the summer he took time off his job with no pay to fish in New York. Apparently he goes to the Bass Masters Tournament. He had a picture of the last tournament he was at and there were over 300 boats there. Other pictures I saw of his boat showed that he had approx. 20 fishing rods.....he also said he was getting two tv screens installed on this one for all his GPS, Depth finder stuff, and all that.

Is there really a chance to make a lot of money in this kind of thing?
Do people really do this just as their jobs? He said he would like to quit his job as a dump truck driver and fish full time.
How far do you travel to fish? I know there are some other MJers on here that fish too.

Just curious as I did not know that this was such a big thing. He said some days he spends 15 hours a day on his boat fishing. If I throw my line in and don't get a bite I quit!! lol

FDC is such a good fisherman, if you go with him all you feel like doing is watching him.

It's like playing a round of golf with Tiger.

 

[Penguinfan]

He said he would like to quit his job as a dump truck driver and fish full time.

You just described every dump truck driver in the history of ever.

 

[MadJack]

You just described every dump truck driver in the history of ever.

:lol:

 

[kneifl]

FDC is such a good fisherman, if you go with him all you feel like doing is watching him.

It's like playing a round of golf with Tiger.

I have heard this many times, and seen some of the huge fish he catches. I think he's sponsored by some brands (Bass Pro Shop?) too? I'm sure he'll chime in soon. If I make it down to Dallas in the future, I will definitely give FDC a ring to hang out.

kneifl

 

[MadJack]

I have heard this many times, and seen some of the huge fish he catches. I think he's sponsored by some brands (Bass Pro Shop?) too? I'm sure he'll chime in soon. If I make it down to Dallas in the future, I will definitely give FDC a ring to hang out.

kneifl

Yeah, they give him a boat and the damn thing will do 70MPH on the water. Messes your hair all up. :facepalm:

 

[The Joker]

I have heard this many times, and seen some of the huge fish he catches. I think he's sponsored by some brands (Bass Pro Shop?) too? I'm sure he'll chime in soon. If I make it down to Dallas in the future, I will definitely give FDC a ring to hang out.

kneifl

FDC is funny as shit too. Lots of fun to be around. :toast:

 

[MadJack]

And if I'm there when he let's Sportsaholic drive the boat, I'll just wait at the dock. :0003

 

[MadJack]

FDC is funny as shit too. Lots of fun to be around. :toast:

He has a lot of energy.

 

[The Joker]

He has a lot of energy.

No shit.

 

[fatdaddycool]

Thanks to all for the kind words, they are always appreciated. Right back at ya big guys!!


Jaek has lots of energy too, right up until around 830p or after about 6 double stolis on the rocks.


Bonnie,
There are several people I know that make their living just fishing tournaments locally in the DFW area. They will fish all the working man and weekend tournament trails sponsored by any number of tournament trails. Bass Champs is a rather large one and regularly has more than 300 entrants and also has team tournaments for two man teams that has well over 300 entrants. Both payouts usually include a new boat and a cash payout for first place. When I did nothing but fish it was not that out of the ordinary to fish 200 tournaments a year. As you get better you fish bigger tournaments circuits FLW, Elite Series, Stren, BFL, Triple T, Redman the list goes on and on. I usually fish BASS sponsored tournaments and no longer have to qualify for them. Most big circuit tournaments require a qualification of preliminary and satellite tournaments that you have to win. Once you start fishing them you accumulate points etc... I have had anywhere from 13 to 32 sponsors at any given time. The trick is to get sponsored and sign a multi-year or lifetime contract with a good sponsor. Ranger boats, Mercury marine etc.... If he wants to take the year off and fish in New York he will only be fishing about 5-7 months and will have to travel to fish. To make good money he will have to drive. I would generally put well over 32,000 miles on a vehicle in any given year. I would spend twelve hours a day on the lake, six days a week.
If he only has twenty rods and reels he only has about half the number he will need to compete effectively as well. He will also need a tackle sponsor. G-Loomis is my rod sponsor. I get twelve a year and get a reduced price and any more I may need. All have a lifetime warranty and all cost around $400-$600 each if you have to pay retail. In other words, he better be damn good and if he has never fished outside of New York and surrounding area, he is about to get his ass strapped for a few years. I have been on Okeechobee probably 75 times in my life and I still can't figure the big bastard out consistently. Imagine it being his first time and paying the $5700 entry fee just to have a guy like Bobby Lane triple your weight the first two days.
Yes, you can do very well but you better be able to pretty much call your shots and find fish on any body of water in two days.

Also, 40k is nothing for a good boat. I have three graphs on mine and two 17 inch screens with 3D imaging and side imaging.

Hope this helps,
FDC

 

[PAChicky]

He said he has a lot more rods that what I saw on the boat after I told him I was shocked he had so many. I think he usually has another guy that goes with him. He said the one tourney was a payout of half a mil if you won. I don't know if he has any sponsors or anything like that. I'll have to ask some more questions. I was just really shocked that there is so much money involved in something like this. I guess when you have something you love to do money is really no object and to be competitive you have to have good stuff. It's not like you go to Wal-Mart and buy a $15 rod and a few spinner lures and enter a contest like this lol

Thanks!:0074

 

[Old School]

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=bassmasters

 

[Skulnik]

And if I'm there when he let's Sportsaholic drive the boat, I'll just wait at the dock. :0003

Nuff Said

:0008

 

[Skulnik]

He said he has a lot more rods that what I saw on the boat after I told him I was shocked he had so many. I think he usually has another guy that goes with him. He said the one tourney was a payout of half a mil if you won. I don't know if he has any sponsors or anything like that. I'll have to ask some more questions. I was just really shocked that there is so much money involved in something like this. I guess when you have something you love to do money is really no object and to be competitive you have to have good stuff. It's not like you go to Wal-Mart and buy a $15 rod and a few spinner lures and enter a contest like this lol

Thanks!:0074

He said he has a lot more rods



Better not tell the Penguin.

JMHO

 

[bleedingpurple]

Thanks to all for the kind words, they are always appreciated. Right back at ya big guys!!


Jaek has lots of energy too, right up until around 830p or after about 6 double stolis on the rocks.


Bonnie,
There are several people I know that make their living just fishing tournaments locally in the DFW area. They will fish all the working man and weekend tournament trails sponsored by any number of tournament trails. Bass Champs is a rather large one and regularly has more than 300 entrants and also has team tournaments for two man teams that has well over 300 entrants. Both payouts usually include a new boat and a cash payout for first place. When I did nothing but fish it was not that out of the ordinary to fish 200 tournaments a year. As you get better you fish bigger tournaments circuits FLW, Elite Series, Stren, BFL, Triple T, Redman the list goes on and on. I usually fish BASS sponsored tournaments and no longer have to qualify for them. Most big circuit tournaments require a qualification of preliminary and satellite tournaments that you have to win. Once you start fishing them you accumulate points etc... I have had anywhere from 13 to 32 sponsors at any given time. The trick is to get sponsored and sign a multi-year or lifetime contract with a good sponsor. Ranger boats, Mercury marine etc.... If he wants to take the year off and fish in New York he will only be fishing about 5-7 months and will have to travel to fish. To make good money he will have to drive. I would generally put well over 32,000 miles on a vehicle in any given year. I would spend twelve hours a day on the lake, six days a week.
If he only has twenty rods and reels he only has about half the number he will need to compete effectively as well. He will also need a tackle sponsor. G-Loomis is my rod sponsor. I get twelve a year and get a reduced price and any more I may need. All have a lifetime warranty and all cost around $400-$600 each if you have to pay retail. In other words, he better be damn good and if he has never fished outside of New York and surrounding area, he is about to get his ass strapped for a few years. I have been on Okeechobee probably 75 times in my life and I still can't figure the big bastard out consistently. Imagine it being his first time and paying the $5700 entry fee just to have a guy like Bobby Lane triple your weight the first two days.
Yes, you can do very well but you better be able to pretty much call your shots and find fish on any body of water in two days.

Also, 40k is nothing for a good boat. I have three graphs on mine and two 17 inch screens with 3D imaging and side imaging.

Hope this helps,
FDC

Do you think I have a shot? :mj07:

 

[fatdaddycool]

Do you think I have a shot? :mj07:

Hell yeah!

 

[Cie]

You just described every dump truck driver in the history of ever.

lol

 

[Penguinfan]

I do not fish, I do not have the interest or the patience. My biggest memory of Bass fishing was seeing a highlight of a guy who would break dance when he caught a fish or if he got a high weight at the weigh in.

I have no idea what happened to that guy, but to this day I still hope it was something horribly disfiguring.


Otherwise, I would be curious as to what makes one fisherman better than another. How does one acquire the skill to catch more/bigger fish than some other guys with similar equipment on the same body of water?

 

[krc]

Otherwise, I would be curious as to what makes one fisherman better than another. How does one acquire the skill to catch more/bigger fish than some other guys with similar equipment on the same body of water?

Time on the water with the ability to learn :0008