I am having trouble deciding on what tournaments to fish next year.
I fished 5 major walleye tournaments as an amateur/co-angler this year and now my blood is hot!

These are the options I am considering:

Buying a RCL boat and fishing all the RCL events.
Buying a Patriot Boat and teaming up with them.
Using my current boat and fishing the PWT on my own.
Finding a partner and fishing team events with a mix of some major events as an amateur.

I am financially able to do any of these chioces. I have cut my teeth on Lake Winnebago and consider myself a good big water troller having spent many hours fishing trout on Lake Michigan. But I still wonder if I am ready for the riggers of a pro fisherman.

If you have read my post and have an thought to share, please do so!

Sounds like you have 2 key ingrediants to fish any tournament cicuit, Time and Money. I would suggest trying the MWC ciruit to cut your teeth in the pro walleye world. Or possible fish a State circuit like the WWA. Both of these are extremely competitive and it'll give you an idea of how you match up agaainst other tourney anglers. The upside is you'll gain alot of valuable experience. These are both Team circuits and you'd be wise to shop for an experienced partner. This would round out your fishing skills with someone that has experience in fishing methods that you may not have as much experience with, and it's fun sharing time with someone who loves fishing tourneys as much as you do. Just my 2 cents...


" Fishing is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope "

Rick,

If you are comfortable with making all the decisions in the boat, if you have the $$ for the entry fees, if you have the time to dedicate, if you have the equipment, and if you like competition, then you are ready. There are many more vairables I could write about, but, to me, these are the basics. As far as which circuit, partners events on the MWC are great for gaining experience. I know you fished the RCL as a co-angler last year so fishing it as a pro is an option. If you still have my phone number, give me a call and I can talk to you about this. Otherwise, email me at jrjr23@lsol.net.

J Ruffolo #583

Sounds like you have one of those good problems, where and when to fish. I don't recommend that you go out and find a partner to fish team tournaments. Pairing up with a stranger isn't a good idea. If you have a fishing pal to do that with then that is the best way to start and the MWC is a good circuit to do that. Fishing Pro/Am circuits as an amature you should already know which one to choose for yourself based on what you oberved; during the weigh-ins, meetings, the pro's on each circuit etc. Both the PWT and the RCL are good circuits, if you have any friends fishing one or the other and they are willing to share information, rooms, etc. that is where I would start. Friends like that will be a tremendous help during your rookie year. I have fished in all three and they all have ups and downs. Just remember it is you against the fish, not the fishermen. Beat the fish and it follows that you will finish ahead of most other fishermen.
Good fishing
Andy Kuffer

Oh man, oh man. I haven't looked in on this page for awhile. Thanx alot for the responses.

I am leaning towards more co-angler adventures in the RCL, and think I'll try myself as a pro in their junior circut.

Since I like walking up stairs one at a time this is probably my best bet.:-)

Even though I fish, guide or tournament fish hundreds of days a year; in my case I would opt for more Am trips myself, because your success as I see it is gonna depend a lot ,(in the big leagues), on how well a person does on big water for Walleye . I really need more experience on big water so that is why I would pick that option. There I think you have two good options, fish as an amateur or spend some time in the boat with a proven big water walleye guide for the Pro event waters. I'm sure you understand it, but the tournament mindset and the guide mindset are often two totally different approaches so both wouldn't hurt. When you add that to your current big water experience you should be well rounded.

I think that the RCL Minor league series, (or whatever it is going to be called), would be a great place to find out which you are more comfortable at "PRO" or co-angler. With you fishing as the Pro.

I don't think that I'm aware of a bad team series. All seem to fun, competetive, and a huge opportunity to learn. Both from your partner
and from all the teams around you. I still learn volumes everytime I fish a tourney. The thing that is best with the so called weekend fisherman team events is that there is an amazing opportunity to share info after and even during tourneys. I'm not talking about partnering up with other teams, although I do it and recommend it, but also how free competitors are to share info back and forth afterwards. If not in locations at least in presentation. Pat Werner and I had a complete stranger in a team tourney in Green Bay say "why don't you try this area". We were in a fight for top ten in yearend points and had a one fish day on Saturday after a pretty good week of prefishing.. It wasn't their number one spot, but a secondary one but it gave us the fish to finish solidly in the top ten for year end points. Guess what the team was competing against us for top ten????, and more importntly to earn a trip to the national championship. Thank God for a partner like Pat that everybody liked. I'm not so sure at that point in time that many guys would have given me what direction was north. LOL
Good luck whatever you do. Lawrence