| | 
Twenty Questions With Walleye Pro Robert Blosser
This week we continue our series of "Twenty Questions" with another young gun in the competitive world of Walleye fishing, Robert Blosser. Robert has been very successful in his three year carreer fishing Pro Walleye Tournaments, and is one of those people who always has a smile on his face and time to talk to anyone who approaches him.
He's funny and respectful, and a great competitor in the boat. His interview is off the cuff, and a good glimpse as to what makes him tick.
To learn more about Robert, please join us in the Walleye Central Chat Room on Wednesday night, February 3rd, at 7PM Central Time, to ask him your own "Twenty Questions".
The chatroom does not require registration or a password, so I hope to see you all there!
Juls: Who is Robert Blosser?
Robert: A laid back, high strung, easy going, quick tempered SOB.
All kidding aside, I am a happily married man of 9 years to my lovely wife Katie, and a father to my 16 month old daughter, Addysen. I have a competitive disorder that is cured by competition, whether it be traveling the country as a pro paintball player (retired) or Walleye fishing.
Juls: How old were you when you went fishing for the first time? And, who was it with?
Robert: My family has always been big into the outdoors, so I’m sure my first fishing trip was at a very early age, one I cannot remember
 Juls: As a child, what was it you wanted to be when you grew up? Did you always want to be a professional fisherman?
Robert: NO, I never even knew there was such a thing as a pro fisherman.
I wanted to be a fighter pilot, you know, like Top Gun. Who wouldn’t want to fly planes, ride motorcycles, play beach volleyball, get the girl, and be everyone’s hero. Man what a job…….Hmm, wonder if I can still apply for that position?
Juls: What is your most memorable experience while fishing? (Either tournament or fun fishing...doesn't matter)
Robert: It would have to be watching a king salmon spool my wife for the first time. Or, when her knees buckled the first time she saw a 50 inch Muskie boat side following her bait. It could also be at the 2008 FLW Walleye Tour Championship day 4 when I was able to stick 2 fish in the last minutes of the day to seal up 2nd place.
Juls: How long have you been fishng tournaments and which event is/was your favorite?
Robert: I have been fishing derbys since 04, starting with local and state wide events. Then moving up to the MWC in 06, and the national stuff like FLW, and AIM from 07 to the present. My favorite event would be anything on Green Bay, man that place and I have a great connection. In 6 years I have 3 wins and 2 seconds in just 9 events.
Juls: Who are your sponsors?
Robert: Ranger boats, Yamaha Outboards, Offshore Tackle, Mack’s Lure, Reel Grips, Berkley, Columbia Sportswear, Pro Mariner, Bushnell Ford.
I am very stoked this year to be in a new 621 w/ Yamaha’s new 300hp Offshore model. Along with that Offshore Tackle has some killer new products out this year as well, check www.robertblosser.com for a quick video on Offshore’s new products.
Juls: Your Father is also a competitive angler, was he your inspiration to become a competitive angler yourself?
Robert: Of course he was……wait he is a bass man, and doesn’t follow the Walleye Central, so he won’t see this?
Actually, there was a GNWC State Championship on my home water, Lake Wisconsin, and I was known locally to be a good stick on this lake, 2 of the competing teams had contacted me for help. Needless to say, they finished 2nd and 3rd. After seeing that, I decided to throw my hat in the tournament fishing ring too.
Juls: What do you do for a living, or do you fish and promote for a living?
Robert: I am the General Manager of our family business, MCS of WI. We are a pet cremation facility operating since 1980 with 2 locations, one in Anoka, MN and another in Poynette, WI. www.mcsofwi.com
Juls: Now that it's the "off season" what do you do?
Robert: Sponsor work, boat shows, seminars, and self PR. Oh yea I do get a little PS3 time in with Call of Duty.
Juls: When did you get your first boat?
Robert: My true first boat was a 14 foot semi v tiller with a 15hp mariner. I was so proud and wanted to deck this puppy out. So I put carpeted treated plywood floors in, front and rear anchor mates, pedestal seats, trolling motor + battery, and a cooler converted live well. By the time I was done the boat was so heavy it barely stayed afloat with 2 people. Let me tell ya, 4th of July weekend on the lake was a life changing experience with all that boat traffic….lol
Juls: Many anglers are all around outdoorsmen and hunt too...do you also hunt? And, if so, what kind of hunting do you do?
Robert: I just recently got back into bow hunting after a 12 year hiatus and had a great time this year. I actually killed my first Pope and Young buck that scored 138”
Juls: What are your plans for the 2010 season?
Robert: I plan to fish all the AIM events and do a lot of salmon fishing. Along with occasionally punching Joe Okada in the face.
Juls: How do you decide which tournaments to fish and why?
 Robert: From a business minded prospective I look for my best return on investment. With my total expenses, where do I need to finish in the tournament to break even. Over the past 3 seasons I have averaged about $1500 per tournament for expenses not including entry fee.
For 2010 FLW has $750 entry fee plus my $1500 in expenses = $2250. So in a 150 boat field I would need to place 8th or better to break even.
AIM has a $1500 entry fee plus my $1500 in expenses = $3000. So in a 100 boat field I need to place 20th or better to break even.
So by adding $750 to the total amount spent and fishing AIM, I have a 20% chance to break even. Whereas FLW I only have a 5.3% chance to break even.
Juls: Do you guide? If so, how can people contact you?
Robert: I do and can be reached from www.robertblosser.com
Juls: Who are some of your fishing idols? Who did you look up to when you first got into tournament fishing?
Robert: I don’t think I have any “Idols”….. There is no one I religiously follow or hang on their every word. But I do respect each and every angler for who they are and what they do. Just because I do not like someone does not mean I do not respect them and their actions toward the sport.
If I did have to pick someone it would be Tred Barta a man who always spoke his mind and did it his way!!
Juls: Do you do any kids events?
Robert: I do a few; including my favorite “Take an adult fishing” out of Sauk Prairie, WI. I will also be at the Moose Fest this May 1st and 2nd in Montello, WI. Where the kids will get a chance to fish with the pros in their boats. www.greatmoosefestival.com
Juls: What is your favorite presentation to use? What is the most fun for you?
Robert: I love to handline and pull leadcore……...you know for that matter, I like anything that does NOT include a jig!
Juls: How do you break down a body of water you've never fished before? How do you approach your prefishing?
Robert: See where everyone else is fishing, duh.
Just kidding, this is where having a team is so important. The water can be broke down into manageable sizes for each guy. Along with having a team my search starts long before I even get into town. The internet is a great place to learn all you want on a body of water, as is calling local bait and tackle stores, contacting the DNR fisheries biologist, and even asking for locals to fish with you, (where permitted). Everything you learn is a piece to the puzzle, granted some pieces do not fit, this is where you need to wade through the BS to find the truth and complete the puzzle.
Juls: What are you most proud of in your life?
Robert: Come on, wouldn’t the only politically correct answer be my wife and daughter? LOL I was very proud of my father when he got his FLW Tour win in 2007 on the Potomac River.
Juls: If you could only give ONE piece of advice to a new angler who wanted to start fishing tournaments professionally, what would that be?
Robert: Do not attempt it unless your heart and your drive are truly focused on being a professional fisherman along with having unconditional family support.
If and when you do make it, will $30,000 a year be enough to live on? If you answered no to any of the above, go to college get your degree and find a career that will allow the time off needed, and the financial support for you and your family.
While this is a great sport, and one I love very much, it has torn apart many relationships.
To read past "Twenty Question" interviews with other well known Walleye Pros, please click on this link or copy/paste it to your browser's address bar:
http://www.walleyecentral.com/articles/?author=18&c=65
To read past Chat Transcripts please click this link or copy/paste it to your address bar:
2010 Chat transcripts are posted on this page:
http://www.walleyecentral.com/articles/?c=69
2009 Chat transcripts are posted on this page:
http://www.walleyecentral.com/articles/?c=65
|
article search