The BIG Question.

[Walleye Express]

[b]O.K. Gang.

After reading the post about RCL amature experiences, I want to poke at the hornets nest just a little. And without airing my personal views on the subject, which might draw some unwanted flac, I'll state it this way. And I'm only fishing for honest viewpoints, while keeping the sympathetic or sarcastic answers to a minumum, If possibe.

Heres the Honest Question.

Is there any other Professional Sport, Contest, Vocation or any Big Money endevor, that simply takes the Support of Big Business, Sponsors or simply having the time and Entry fee money to be dubed a PRO?

Every single BIG MONEY professional sports event I can think of, (even the major BASS fishing events) takes many qualifying events, while slowly working your way up the latter to compete with the very best in that field. Why do you think the professional walleye fishing events have skipped this qualifying effort in most cases?

I can write a check and be qulified as a Pro in virtually every walleye contest scheduled this year. Is this right? Wouldn't the sport be better served if all the events were called amature, until the final events in each circuit, to indeed see who qualified to be called the best and Pro?....Fire at will.

[Fish_on]

"I can write a check and be qulified as a Pro in virtually every walleye contest scheduled this year. Is this right?"

The answer to that one is no. Really only two tournaments call their anglers pro: the PWT and the RCL. In the RCL you have to not only have the money but the right boat. In the PWT you would have to qualify and if you have never fished a PWT as an amatuer you would probaly not be invited to fish as a pro unless you have a great resume and other recommendations.

But in a more general answer to your question, I think it is because this is such a young sport. Imagine what baseball, football, and basketball where like in the first few years that they were offered on a professional level. Heck if you were a decent player and could afford to do it, you were probably in. Over time, it got harder and harder to get in. I think we'll see that in pro walleye fishing (it's so in pro bass fishing now) and you'll have to work your way up the ranks. Consider events like the GNWC sortof like a farm team of the PWT as a loose comparison.

Another part of the equation is this. I had a nephew from Arizona who was a terrific baseball player and he was invited to a tryout with the Minnesota Twins but went away from the tryouts very disillusioned. He felt that it was more important who you knew than how you played and the thing was more of a shoulder rubbing than a test of skills. He felt it was not how good he was but who he brown-nosed that made much of the difference. This guy's not one taken to sour grapes so I think he's giving an accurate picture of it. Maybe the pro sports aren't really all that different than the way the pro fishing tournaments are run.

[Rippin_Eyes]

There is something to be said about your question. I think there are exceptions to the norm of a "PRO" tour. The NBA has the most noticeable exeptions to the norm, La Broan James, and Kevin Garrnet. Those two both came straight from high school. For the most part you are correct in that ALL Pros have come from college, the minors, the canadian football leauge, and the truck and busch series in racing.

Ok I'll problably get blasted for this comment. Isn't fishing more luck than skill. I mean it takes skill to find the fish and the know how of different bodies of water and what should catch them. Just think about it, a six year old kid can catch a 10 lbs walleye, but can't play pro football. The first walleye I ever caught was a 7 pound walleye on a old school johnson rod and reel with a chumin minnow.

I don't know many of the pros on the tour only a few, but the ones that I do know have guided and still do quite a bit before they went "PRO" I would have to say that there guiding would be there minor leauge to the "PROS". But the guys who have never done that would be in the KG ranks. Maybe there is a better way to state that but I can't think of one. Good question Dan!!

[Fish_on]

Saying fishing is more luck than skill is like saying Kevin Garnett is really lucky because it seems like a lot of time when he throws the ball at the basket it goes in.

>Saying fishing is more luck than skill is like saying Kevin
>Garnett is really lucky because it seems like a lot of time
>when he throws the ball at the basket it goes in.


You are way off on that analogy. Actually it should be like this: It is like saying that Kevin Garnet needs the basket to open the rim to allow his shot to drop through the basket! And that is the point! If it was the same as fishing, who would know if or when that rim would open?

Kevin is a pro, tournament fishermen are not!

Say what you like, but by the definition of the word a lot of the guys fishing tournaments are professionals. If you wan't to make up your own definition, fine.

LOL! Don't get upset. I didn't mean to pop your ego! The "pros" are legends in their own minds. That is their business.

Remember, you can BS everyone else, but when you start to believe your own BS, you are in serious trouble!

[Rippin_Eyes]

I would have to not agree with the statment that Tournament fisherman are not Pros. Granted some arent' but I would love to fish with someone like Roach, Grey, Keith K., Parsons, McClelland, Juls, Good, and the Linders for a day or two. Those people are the ones who are the true pros, They represent the sport of fishing almost flawlessly and are such good ambassadors to the sport. Thank You!!

I would not consider Randy Moss a PRO!! He has lots of skill and talent, but what a poor example of Pro football player. He is no Elway, or Favre.

So you think "pro" is only about attitude? Attitude takes you a long way, but it won't get you paid! I agree on your analysis of those folks being great fishermen and women, however, they are not "pros", they are extremely knowledgeable about fish and lucky after that! (Nothing personal to you great fishermen and women).

Hammer,

What is your definition of a professional?