Each spring as I tour the country attending boat shows and doing in-store promotions I am constantly bombarded with questions about how one might go about getting a start amid the professional bass fishing circles.

While most of the inquiries stem from curious minds, a few come from a serious interest in pursuing a career in one of the most highly-competitive fields in existence.

I always begin my testimony with a fact most of my colleagues are sure to agree with.

Becoming a bass pro is one thing. Becoming a successful bass pro is another. Take it from me, there is a very distinct difference in the two.

Probably one of the biggest misconceptions ambitious young anglers have is that they can fare well in a few local tournaments, submit their accomplishments to the right people in resume form, then kick back and wait for sponsors to start waving contracts and/or monthly retainers in front of their eyes.

Granted, starting on the bass club level is certainly a good place to begin honing your skills. But it won’t do you any good when it comes to attracting lucrative sponsors – even if you’re the Top 6 champion for 10 consecutive years.

Bass fishing is big business these days and big-name sponsors want more than fishermen on their payrolls.

They want promoters – reputable anglers with a favorable appearance and good communication skills to promote their products to the public.

Don’t get me wrong. The bottom line in becoming a successful tournament angler is being able to catch bass and subsequently wind up in the Top 10 on the B.A.S.S. tournament circuit on a consistent basis.

That’s how your name gets recognized by manufacturers within the industry. So unless a guy has the natural ability to find and catch bass on any lake under fair and bad conditions alike, he might as well save himself a bunch of time, money and frustration and pursue a more secure future.

With all these things in mind, here is a good lesson plan to follow for ambitious young anglers with their hearts set on being a bass pro:

CRAWL BEFORE WALKING

When people ask me how I got my start in tournament fishing I’m always quick to tell them I started small and worked my way up. I began tournament fishing as a member of a small bass club.

By starting out small, I was able to learn what tournament fishing was all about. It taught me to fish against a partner as well as the clock. Plus, it helped me build critical confidence to progress into larger semi-pro circuits and eventually into the big leagues.

FISH, FISH AND MORE FISH

If you were to quiz the current Top 100 anglers on the B.A.S.S. trail with regards to their past, you’d probably learn that many earned a living fishing before they began fishing tournaments. Some of the very best anglers on the circuit are former guides, many of which honed their skills fishing East Texas impoundments such as Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn, Livingston and Conroe.

Starting out as a guide establishes a good root system for tournament fishing because it teaches you to find and catch fish at different depths under a variety of conditions during every season of the year.

If you’re not in a position to begin guiding, get on the water every chance you get and fish as many different bodies of water as possible.

A BIG INVESTMENT

You could nearly build a house for what it costs an independent without any sponsors to fish the B.A.S.S. tour for a year. So you had best rat-hole some funds if you’re having serious thoughts about trying your luck on the pro tour.

Entry fees alone will cost you more than $10,000 per year, not to mention the cost of travel, lodging, tow vehicle, boat, etc… An independent B.A.S.S. study shows it costs anglers in the neighborhood of $30,000 annually to fish the trail.

BUILD SOLID BRIDGES

Finishing in the Top 10 consistently is one of the best ways to get the attention of worthy sponsors. But don’t limit yourself there.

Make a point to attend all the major sport shows and try to get to know some of the leaders in the industry. The more people you know now, the better your chances of landing good sponsorships down the road.

MAKING THE SALE

A lot of anglers think they need to solicit sponsors by making phone calls, sending resumes, etc… in order to gain their support. This is false.

Big guns in the fishing industry keep tabs on who’s doing what on the pro tour. Log in consistent Top 10 finishes and make the Classic a few times and the sponsors will be soliciting your business.

DO YOUR PART

Once you do land a good sponsorship or two, make a constant effort to maintain a good line of communication and look for opportunities to help them.

My sponsors count on me to keep them informed of what is going on with other anglers, how they catch fish and the products they use to do it. Furthermore, they look to me for input on ways to improve their products.

Another way you can help your sponsors is to promote their products every chance you get. Sure, there may be instances when another manufacturer’s product outperforms the competition. But whenever possible, you should always use your sponsors product and capitalize on every opportunity to put it in the limelight.