Question 44: I was curious about your thoughts on wearing a helmet while operating or riding in your boat. I am nervous about being a non-boater in another tournament, as I have been involved in a boat accident which resulted in me going to the hospital while a non-boater in a Red Man tournament. I am now entered into an upcoming BASS Top 150 as a non boater, and I suspect the pro's I will draw know the limitations of their boat better than my Red Man partner did, but I'm still concerned. I have fished with these guys before and remember that they were very aggressive operating their boats but I wasn't really worried. But that was before the accident. Now I am considering purchasing a helmet to wear as a precautionary measure, but to be honest I don't want to be laughed at. I have not seen many guys use helmets, but I believe it may have protected me from some of my injuries during that crash. What do you think? Answer: You're right in thinking that most of the top pro's are better boat drivers than the average guy, but you're also right in thinking that they are more aggressive, and this tends to offset their better driving skills. Read about our boat trips on the Pascagoula River from either our February 2000 or February 2001 journal, as an example. On the other hand, I'm surprised you haven't seen them but there are LOTS of guys out here, pros and amateurs alike, who wear a full-face helmet. I can assure you that you will NOT be laughed at. Most guys won't even take a second glance at it, because it really is quite common, especially in the cold and/or rain.

The only reason a pro may not want your helmet in the boat is if it's going to sit on the floor all day and be in the way. It wouldn't hurt to tell your partner when you meet him the night before that you plan to bring a helmet, and that you don't want it to be in the way so it would be great if he kept a space available in a compartment for you to stash it in. Then, if he doesn't, it's his own fault if he's tripping over it all day. Dan

Question 43: Dan, my boat of choice is a RANGER, and I presently own a 1997 519 with a 225 on the back. It's a big boat, 21 feet, and is great for rough water, but I'm thinking of stepping down to a smaller one the next time around. If you don't mind, what types of boats are used the most by the pro's, and what type of engines? Answer: I'm glad to see that you're in a Ranger. That of course is my choice too. The best boats I have ever driven are: number 1 - the Ranger 520 with a 225, and number 2 - the 519 with a 225. I have driven literally dozens of smaller boats in the past five years (18-19 footer's), and can tell you that once you've become accustomed to the big boat, you don't want to step down. Many of these smaller boats fish great, and handle well in flat water and smaller lakes, but if you ever get onto big water you want the big boat. The majority of pro's now are fishing out of 20-21 footer's with 225's on back. Personally, I'd buy another Ranger 520 in an instant. Dan
Question 42: Hello Dan, I've always wondered how bass pro's get health insurance (medical, dental, vision) for themselves, especially if they travel full-time without a spouse who can get it through a 9-5 job?
Also, what kind of insurance is required on your boat and all your equipment since you are using it in a professional manner - as a business? 		Answer: I don't know of any way to get affordable health insurance which pays for basic medical expenses with a reasonably low deductible. The best we could find, a "catastophic coverage" plan with a $5,000 annual deductible, costs $2,000 per year and is through an organization called NASE - National Association for the Self Employed.

My boat insurance I get through Boater's Insurance Agency (www.boatins.com). They insure a great number of full-time pro's, at a reasonable price.
Question 41: Dan, do you use braided lines on all your lures, or do you use monofilament for lures like crankbaits and topwaters? If so, what size do you like to use? Answer: I use Spiderwire braid on all my baits, except my leader when Carolina-rigging. I am so used to the no-stretch characteristics of braid, that virtually any mono now feels like I'm fishing a rubber band. As for line size, I use 30 lb. Spiderline ninety percent of the time, though I may throw a spinnerbait into heavy cover on 50lb. line and I may even flip heavy cover with 80lb. Spiderline. This is not because I think I'll catch an 80lb. fish, but because the 80lb. Spiderline handles so well and has a silky-smooth feel to it. I've been using the same spool of 80lb. line for 3 years now, and I think it'll last me forever. Dan
Question 40: Dan, I was wondering what kind of sunglasses some of the pros rely on to get the best visibility. The waters I fish are anywhere from gin clear to murky, but with the price of good glasses I'm only looking to buy one pair. Could you give me some insight? Answer: Yes, good glasses are not inexpensive. For the last two years I have been wearing H2Optix (by Serengeti), and have been very pleased. The best thing about them, aside from having good polarized lenses, which is a must, is their light weight. I can wear these glasses for 12 hours straight and not feel the weight of them on either my nose or my ears at the end of the day. I like them. Price is around $99.00 - about average, or a little less. Dan
Question 39: Dan, what type of footwear do you use in cold, rainy weather. I had found out the cold way that when your feet are cold the rest of you is miserable. Answer: I have a pair of waterproof boots, like hiking boots, for cool, wet weather. I also have a pair of extreme cold weather boots for extreme cold - like 20's & 30's. My feet get real cold, and if I'm frozen before I even take off in the morning then I'm useless until I warm up. The best thing I have ever bought though for my boat is a pair of GoreTex waterproof socks. You can't carry your big cold weather boots around in the boat all the time - they take up too much room and would just get moldy anyway. These socks take up virtually no space, so can be packed easily in with your rainsuit. They are 100% waterproof, and extremely warm as well. For those days when you're caught out in the rain without your boots, put these socks on under your sneakers and you can spend all day splashing around in the puddles and your feet still stay warm and dry. Dan
Question 38: Dan, after reading your journal, I'm curious about how expenses are shared in a tournament like the Memphis FLW. I have fished plenty of tournaments, and $20-25 has always been adequate compensation, but I have never made a run approaching the distances you ran on the Mississippi. If you were burning 90 gallons of gas (at $1.50 a gallon), did you ask, or did your partners offer, $60-70? I realize that in the grand scheme of things (entry fee, hotel, etc.), this is small, but I'm curious as to whether some non-boaters might refuse and how a tournament circuit would deal with that situation. Answer: This is a good question, and one that was hotly debated at the Mempis tournament. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to ask a number of my non-boater friends how they felt about it before the tournament started, so I knew what to expect from my partners when the time came. Normally a $20 bill is adequate compensation. I have never asked a partner for more than that, and quite often I'll take less or even none from him. In Memphis, before the tournament I suggested to my non-boater friends that I might ask for $40 instead of the usual $20. Surprisingly, they thought that that was too much. I understood that they didn't want to open their wallets that wide, but on the other hand I was burning 80 gallons per day at $1.50 per gallon, plus a gallon and a half of oil each day, that's $140 it costs to drive down there and back. So come tournament day, I didn't ask my partners to split it evenly, but I did ask for $40. One of my guys even thought that wasn't enough, and gave me $50 instead.
The best way to deal with a situation like this is to talk about it ahead of time. At the registration meeting the night before, I told my partner that it was going to cost me $140 and I wanted only $40 from him. If he'd refused, then I could have talked to the tournament director and maybe he would have tried to reason with the guy. If he still refused, well then at least I'd know whether or not I should be making any effort the next day to help this guy catch fish. Dan
Question 37: Dan, could you let me know how you lay out your stuff in your boat? I just received my new RANGER and aside from the rod boxes, I don't have a clue on where to put stuff. Answer: Standing in the center of my boat and going around, here's the way it's laid out:
The port-side rod locker is just that - it has rod storage tubes up front and stores 7 or 8 rods with reels, as well as 2 or 3 extra rods without reels.
The center-forward compartment stores a spare prop for the big motor, as well as most of my tackle boxes - I can fit something like 25 or 26 Plano 3700's up there, and it's packed pretty tight but it's still easy to get at everything.
In the starboard-side rod locker I keep the rest of my tackle - 3 spinnerbait boxes, worm hooks, extra line, marker buoys, lead weights for worm fishing and Carolina-rigging, etc. This compartment is packed a lot looser, and can be used to throw your junk in throughout the day, and then cleaned up and re-organized each night.
Under the back deck, behind the driver's seat, I keep my life jackets, my motorcycle helmet, my rainsuits, and any extra clothing.
The ice chest is used for miscellaneous items like ropes, sunglasses, pliers, measuring board, scale, tools, and the all-important box of tissues. (The ice chest never stores ice or food - I use an insulated carry-on bag for these things instead.)
In the battery compartment obviously there are batteries, the battery charger and oil resevoir, but also extra gallons of oil, a funnel, my drift sock and rope, and a pair of jumper cables (strongly recommended).
Finally, the storage compartment behind the passenger seat I always keep empty. Whenever I have to fish out of someone else's boat, I expect to find room under-cover for my stuff, and I do the same for them. In fact the first thing I do when a partner gets into my boat in the morning is I put as much of their stuff away under the cover as I can, including tackle boxes - I want as little gear out on the floor of the boat as possible. If a guy is in and out of his tackle box all day, then it can stay out. Otherwise, I like to see it put it away.
Well, that's my boat. Hope you like it. Dan
Question 36: Hi Dan, I would like to know if you pro's use anything special to keep your boats so clean. Is it just elbow grease or a special coating or wax? Answer: I use nothing special to clean my boat - the key, we have found, is just to wipe it down every time you pull it out of the water. Fish blood, overspray from your fish attractant, and the scum line around the outside of the hull all come off with nothing more than water and a cotton towel so long as you wipe it down the same day you go out fishing. Aside from that, every month or so you may want to apply a coat of Mother's wax to keep it shiny and smooth. Be careful with the bottom though - I know of more than one pro who has waxed the bottom of their boat only to have it slide off the trailer and right onto the launch ramp the next time they go out! Dan
Question 35: Dan, what kinds of spinnerbaits do you like in the spring? Do you prefer Colorado blades in the spring? How about tandem or single blade models for springtime fishing? Answer: Depends upon the conditions, of course, and where I am. Regardless of season, Colorado blades will thump more and create more attention than willow-leaf. Willow-leaf will present more flash and a more realistic baitfish shape, on the other hand. I honestly don't know that one is prefered over the other in springtime, except to say that the size of the baitfish in the spring is smaller than later in the year, so downsizing any spinnerbait might be a good idea. Also, though I don't know why, I must say that 2 of the 3 biggest fish I have ever caught were fooled by a double-Colorado spinnerbait under early spring, clear water conditions. Dan
Question 34: Went out this morning fishing and the wind was kicking up pretty good. What do you do when this happens to you in a tournament? How does this affect bass behavior? Are they still going to feed, but just not as aggressively? Is down-sizing and slowing down the answer? Answer: On the contrary, most anglers "in the know" will tell you that windy weather, while making boat control and casting control more difficult, tends to make the fish more aggressive and less spooky than under calm conditions. The wind stirs up the food chain, making everybody want to eat, from the baitfish on up to the biggest bass. It also breaks up the surface of the water, making it harder for predators above water to see down, and this tends to make fish less wary about moving about in shallow water areas. As for baits, any fast-moving baits like a crankbait, a Rattletrap, and especially a spinnerbait should be tried on windy days. In fact, instead of downsizing and slowing down, you might just try upsizing and speeding up under windy conditions. Dan
Question 33: Annie, what do you and Dan use for sun screen when out on the water all the time? Answer: When we go out fishing we always wear hats and sunglasses, that helps with the sun. We are not fair-skinned people, so we use an SPF 15 sunscreen, and on my face I use an SPF 25 after a couple of days on the water. I also use lip balm that has sun screen in it. Also, we go to the skin doctor once a year now to be checked, and have any questionable spots removed. Annie :)
Question 32: Hello Dan. When you are fishing B.A.S.S. Invitational tournaments and you are fishing out of someone else's boat, how much gear do you bring? That is, number of rods, tackle boxes and other stuff? Answer: I bring 5 or 6 rods, and one tackle bag (a nylon bag with 4 Plano 3700 boxes). I also bring a lunch bag, and a rainsuit bag. If I know it's going to rain I bring my motorcycle helmet too. Along with my lifejacket, that's as much as I can carry around in the parking lot, and as much as anybody's boat is going to accomodate comfortably.
Question 31: Dan, I'm 20 yrs old and want to tackle the pro tour someday. What do you think is a better set up for tournaments - the Everstart Series or the Bassmaster Invitationals? Answer: There are pro's and cons' to each trail, but to be a pro you have to learn to fish both types. The Invitationals are a "draw" format, where you draw a partner to share the boat with, and each of you get half a day running the trolling motor and fishing your fish. Some people thrive in this format, other don't. The EverStart Series and FLW Tour are a pro-am format, where pro's run the trolling motor all day and make all of the decisions. Personally, I like the pro-am format much more than I do draw tournaments. Dan
Question 30: How difficult was it to get in the FLW? I have heard that it is very difficult unless you fish the Everstart or Redman first. Is it better if you can commit to fishing all the tournaments? Answer: In order to get signed up ahead of time for the FLW trail, you must qualify first through the Redman and EverStart series, and even after you do qualify you cannot sign up for just one event - it's all or nothing. If you do not qualify this way, or you sign up for individual events, you will not get in unless someone who is already entered into all tournaments decides not to go to a particular one, and this you don't know until perhaps two weeks before the event. Dan
Question 29: Dan, I have read several times where you drive the camera boat if you're not fortunate enough to make the top 10 cut-off in FLW tour events. Question: Do you get paid for driving the camera boat, or is voluntary? Also, how does the FLW go about selecting camera boat drivers? Answer: They are very particular about who they select to drive a camera boat. You have to be an FLW pro, number one, who just finished fishing the first two days, and you have to be someone that most everybody knows, including both the tournament director and Jerry McKinnis. Next, it is a voluntary thing, or at least it needs to be thought of that way. Sometimes there is a token payment involved, but you need to be looking at it as if you're just doing them a favor. Dan
Question 28: Annie, did your husband have any fears going out for the first time on a pro tournament trail? All I hear is that there are going to be so many pros and guides, etc. I don't know what to do to help my husband feel more confident about his fishing capabilities. Any suggestions from when you were in that situation with your husband way back when would be greatly appreciated. Answer: When we look back on it now, we laugh, but we would get very nervous even when going to the registration meeting before the tournaments! It is just because it is something new and different, and you tend to be intimidated by all the "PROS" who are there. That will pass before too long though and you will get to know that they are no different than you. You always have the few (very few) pros who think they should be treated differently, but for the most part they are very nice and great to talk to. I can tell that you are very supportive of your husband. Staying that way is the best thing you can do to help him out. The one thing he should remember though is to not set his standards too high. This is very different from local tournaments. You are basically starting over again. It is like when you were in 8th grade and the big guy in junior high, and then you moved up to high school and you were starting at the bottom again. I hope you see my point. It will take a few years of "paying your dues" before it pays off, too. Dont get me wrong, he could do great the first year, but if not and it takes a while, you need to just keep supporting him. Annie
Question 27: Hi Dan, I am new to fishing Redman tournaments, but have fished 15 years on club and buddy circuts. How do I go about getting a sponsor to help fund these tournaments? Answer: Remember, any business or any company exists for one purpose only, and that is to make money. Ask yourself this: "Why would such-and-such a company want to sponsor me, when they are in business to make money, not give it away?" The answer can only be that they expect to make more money as a result of sponsoring you. In order for you to get the sponsorship deal, you need to convince the company that their business is going to increase if they sponsor you. Don't waste your time trying to convice people that you can catch fish - focus instead on coming up with ideas to help increase their business. Dan
Question 26: Hi, dan , My question is how did you go about getting sponsered when you first began fishing pro and who was your first sponser? Answer: Write a resume', prepare a portfolio (resume', photos, newspaper clippings, etc.), mail dozens of copies to prospective sponsors, make followup phone calls, and never, ever mis-spell a word or make a mistake in punctuation or capitalization in any of your written correspondence. Read Q & A questions 9 and 10 for more info.
My VERY first sponsor was Horizon Lures (they now make Terminator spinnerbaits), though don't expect much from sponsors in the beginning - a discount on price is about all you'll usually get. Dan
Question 25: As a pro fisherman, what do your sponsors do for you? Answer: Sponsors do different things for different people. Most sponsors do nothing other than provide free or reduced-price product to thier pro-staff. The next step is getting them to help pay your tournament entry fees, and after that it's getting help with travel & expense money. It took over two years before I found a single sponsor who would give me a dime in cash money. When you find one of those, you'd better work to keep them happy. There are hundreds of anglers out there who'd love to take that sponsorship away from you, if you give them the chance. Dan
Question 24: If a fisherman doesn't make money in the tournament, how does he afford to keep going? Answer: Even now, after four years as a pro, I still lose money every year. I'm losing less and less each year though, and this year I think I'll actually cross the line and, between sponsor assistance and tournament winnings, make more than I spend - Yahoo! Unfortunately, my advice is that you'd better have money in the bank, a good cash sponsor, or some kind of natural talent that exhibits itself very quickly out here, before you make the move to go pro. Dan
Question 23: One last question: Can you send me a sample resume of your so I can see how to put it together? Answer: Everything I learned about fishing resume's, and sponsorhip in general, I got out of Professional Angler. You'd be far better off subscribing to that newsletter and reading the back issues, than just looking at one resume' example. Check it out by clicking the link, and tell them I referred you, if you like it. Dan
Question 22: Annie, I was wondering how you got to be so invovled in fishing with your husband? Answer: When Dan and I met he was a full time fisherman, traveling, but still had a house in NH. I was working the regular 40+ hours a week and he would usually be home for about a week, then gone for 2. That was not very fun and niether one of us could stand to be away from each other that long. So, 4 months after we met Dan said "Why don't you quit your job and come with me?" It was a very difficult decision, as I had my own apartment, a job, and basic security. I decided that I would do it and now I do not regret that decision at all. I feel that this is "our" career. I may not fish the tournaments, but I definitely go through all the emotional stress. I also have got my first official sponsor, which I am very excited about. I have signed a contract with CITGO and am part of thier Pro Bass Fishing Team - not for my fishing, but for my involvement in our career, our "Life On Tour" journal, and the TV commercials we are doing for them. Annie:)
Question 21: Dan, when and what made you decide to fish pro, and who were your role models growing up? Answer: I guess I'd have to say that I just got bit by the tournament bug. I fished my very first tournament when I was in my mid-20's, but immediately enjoyed the competition aspect of the sport, and over the course of 10 or 12 years it grew to the point where I couldn't get enough of it fishing locally, and fishing only 6 months out of the year in the northeast. As for role models, I didn't even know bass tournaments existed until I was way past "growing up", so I guess that means I didn't have any. Dan
Question 20: Dan, what circuits did you fish and how did you do before you went full-time? Was there a goal you had to reach in the smaller tournaments before you went pro? Answer: I fished at the local club level for about 12 years, made it to the state team qualifying event most years, fished on the state team in the B.A.S.S. regionals once or twice, and fished Red Man for about 2 years (6 events each year) before going at it full-time. I did not have a spectacular fishing career through any of this, not like some guys I know, but just felt that I wanted to do more and more tournament fishing. In New England though, fishing is limited to about 6 months out of the year, so I didn't have the opportunity there. B.A.S.S. never comes to New England with an Invitational tournament, and even the closest Red Man division has at least 2 out of their 6 events where I'd have to travel 600 miles each way. I had never even fished a B.A.S.S. Invitational before going full-time into pro fishing, but I figured if I'm going to travel that much I may as well do it in the big-time and for big money. That's what prompted me to sign up for the FLW, back when it was just starting out and easy to get into. I'm sure glad I got in when I did. Dan
Question 19: Dan, when fishing multi-day tournaments do you try to have a different primary spot for each day, or do you stick with your best spot till it starts going unproductive before moving? Answer: Some things that would make a good spot go bad from one day to the next include weather, wind, fishing pressure, and baitfish activity. In multi-day tournaments, if I've got a spot that produced numbers of fish one day, and we haven't had a major weather change, and I don't think that hole's been fished-out yet, then it's almost a sure thing that that's where I'll fish first the next day also. One exception to this is when I'm in the position where I'm playing catch-up, based on my standings after the first or second day. If I need to catch bigger fish but don't feel that particular hole has bigger fish, then I will abandon it and gamble on catching bigger fish elsewhere. Dan
Question 18: Dan, I have been bass fishing for a while now, but have never entered a tournament. Can you give advice on how someone like me should get started fishing tournaments? It all seems somewhat intimidating. Answer: First, if you haven't already, join B.A.S.S., the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. Second, join a local bass club, and preferably one that is affiliated with B.A.S.S. so that you can advance through the B.A.S.S. federation ranks as your skills improve. Third, fish local club tournaments and attend the meetings of your local bass club - these are the guys who will teach the newcomer the basics of tournament fishing. That is, they'll answer questions about tournament rules, explain take-off and weigh-in procedures, award prizes and trophies at the end of the season, that sort of thing.

Tournament fishing at the club level usually does not involve payment of an entry fee, and therefore tournaments do not pay out cash prizes to the winners. Instead, these guys just like the competition aspect of the sport, and perhaps have as a goal to be their club's "Angler of the Year" at the end of the season. Many clubs also field a team at the end of the year composed of the top 6 or 8 guys, to fish in a state-wide tournament against the top guys from other clubs. Often after a tournament like this, the top guys from the state will advance even further, to the regional level, and from there on up to a national level. This is considered "grass roots" fishing, in that it is made up of weekend fishermen, and does not involve a huge expenditure of money in order to participate.

If you find that this level of competition is not enough, then the next step up would be to "money" tournaments - where you pay an entry fee in order to participate, and try to win prize money back. One of the more popular money tournament trails is the Red Man trail, hosted by Operation Bass. There are Red Man tournaments held all across the country, and for a modest entry fee ($75) anglers can get their feet wet, so to speak, and take that first step towards professional angling. Advancing from club tournaments to your first Red Man, which may draw as many as 400 anglers from hundreds of miles away, can be an intimidating experience. If there is anyone in your local area who fishes these tournaments, it would be a great idea to tag along with them for your first time, so they can "show you the ropes". Even if you go by yourself though, just approach any fisherman out there and tell them that this is your first big tournament, and chances are they'll be more than willing to help out and answer all your questions. Good luck! Dan.
For more information about joining B.A.S.S. and getting involved in a local club, click on: B.A.S.S..
For more information about joining Operation Bass and getting involved in Red Man tournaments, click on: Operation Bass or on Red Man tournaments.
Question 17: Dan, do you use any top water?? The reason I ask is that you stated in your "Pro Tips" that you use the Palomar knot exclusively. I like that knot too, but for top water or stick baits I like a loop knot. I think I get better action on sticks and "walk the dog" type baits. Answer: Yes, I use topwater, and Yes, I use the palomar knot on these too. The difference is that I always attatch a split ring to the topwater bait, and tie my line to that, as opposed to tying a "hard" knot directly to the eye of the bait. I don't believe that a loop knot is as strong as the palomar either, and it is definately more difficult and time consuming to tie. Dan.
Question 16: This question is for Katelyn, Dan's daughter. Kate, do you travel with your parents during the school year, and if so, is it hard on you? The reason I ask is that my daughter is 9 years old now. We are wondering if we should take her with us or not when my husband turns pro next year. Thanks. Answer: Before I can thoroughly answer your question I need to ask you what your daughter is like...is she a social butterfly? Or is she more likely to keep to herself? When making a decision like this the most important thing to do is ask her. You need to take into consideration whether or not this is going to affect your daughters ability to have good social skills. By taking her along with you while you travel, in some ways it will help her social skills by meeting new people, but on the other hand, most of these new people will be older than her, and so she might loose out on the oppurtunity to be a kid and have close friends. If you are always traveling this will be very hard for her. Also I can almost guarantee that once she hits the teenage years she will want to settle down so she can be a kid, and have real friends and do what every other teenage girl does. I hope that this helps you make your decision...let me know how things turn out! And feel free to write back if you have any furthur questions. Katelyn.
Question 15: Dan, do you ever get to do some fishing just for the fun of it, and not have to worry about the pressures of being a full time tournment pro? Answer: We get to fish for fun in the summer in New Hampshire. One of my favorite types of fishing is bed fishing for Smallmouth bass, and right around June 1st is just an awesome time for this on Lake Winnepesaukee and all New England waters. Topwater fishing over the Smallmouth beds is about exciting as it gets, or if you prefer soft plastics, with Smallmouth you can watch 'em eat your bait, catch 'em, release 'em, and catch 'em again 5 minutes later. It's also a great time to get the kids hooked on fishing, because the action can be fast and furious. Dan.
Question 14: Dan, in the pro-am tournaments, does the amateur chip in for gas and drinks, and also when you fish with another pro do y'all split the cost for these sort of things? Answer: Yes, proper etiquette in any tournament is for the non-boater, whether pro or amateur, to offer to split the cost of gas & oil for the day. In practical terms, this comes down to handing the boater a $20 bill at the end of the day - this is the accepted norm now. Don't try to calculate the exact amount of fuel used, just offer a flat $20. There are days when this is too much, yes, but most boater's will acknowledge this and not let you give them that much, but it's nice to have been offered.
As far as food and drinks go, each person is responsible for bringing their own, unless discussed and decided upon otherwise. Obviously, if each person is bringing their own, there is no splitting of cost. Dan.
Question 13: Dan, when you first started fishing tournaments, how did you place ? Answer: There are different levels of tournament fishing - starting with just the group of friends who get together informally and call it a tournament, up through the local bass clubs, then state-wide and regional tournaments, and onward and upward. Every pro in the big-leagues had to have started somehwere, and everyone, including myself, had to have realized some measure of success at each level or it would not have made sense to advance further. Dan.
Question 12: Annie - My husband is wanting to start on the pro circuit, along with being a fishing guide. How hard as a wife of a fisherman is it too handle? I'm terrified that I will loose my husband to fishing - what advice can you give to prepare me for my husband turning pro? Answer: Thank you for your question, and I understand your concerns. This is a difficult career both mentally and physically, and it takes a toll on you and your family, just as any job would. The best advice I can give is for you to become as involved and as supportive in his career as possible. I try to give Dan as much support as possible - this is his dream, and I am going along with him. We are together a lot more than we would be if we both had a normal 9-5 job at home. This has it ups and downs, but I feel the more you can do together the better your marriage will be. I feel very strongly that the more you can travel with him the better it will be for your marriage. Good luck. Annie.
PS: You didn't mention whether you have kids or not, but there are a few families on the pro circuit who travel with thier children, and "home school" them on the road.
Question 11: Dan, I was wondering if you could give me run down on the rods and reels you carry with you traveling across the country? Answer: My rod and reel selections are influenced heavily by two factors: 1) I reel left-handed, and there are not many left-handed reels available, and 2) I fish no-stretch Spiderwire braid almost exclusively, so therefore fish softer (more limber) rods than may be appropriate for monofilament.

My reels are virtually all Shimano's - I have 7 high-speed Curado's (6.2:1) and 1 Chronarch (also 6.2:1). I also have two slower reels (5:1) that I may rotate into the lineup if I'm fishing a deep-diving crankbait, or a big heavy spinnerbait, or when I feel my retrieve just needs to be slowed down and I don't want to have to think about it on every cast.

For rods, I have been fishing mainly Falcon rods, mostly 6 1/2', medium action (stiffness 3), but use 7', medium action rods for Carolina rigging, deep cranking, and throwing a spinnerbait in open water or windy conditions. I have recently added a few G. Loomis rods to my arsenal also - I like their 6 1/2' MBR rods for worming, I have a 7 1/2' flipping stick, and also a couple of 6' soft, short rods for throwing baby crankbaits and smaller topwater lures. Dan
Question 10: Dan, what is your best advice for someone considering bass fishing as a profession? What steps need to be taken to get to that level? Answer: First, fish pro-am events, like the FLW and B.A.S.S. Top 150's, out of the back of the boat for a year or two. There are more than a few guys doing this, who fish every tournament in the FLW, and who make more money out of the back of the boat than some of the pro's do out of the front! It's a great learning experience as well, you get a feel for what "life on the road" is like, and you get to meet and hang around with the guys who eventually become your "road family".

Second, pack up the family and bring them with you. I hate to say it but countless marriages have been jeapordized by the fact that one spouse is gone from home 3 weeks out of 4, while the other is left to fend for themselves. Make it a joint venture - get your spouse and family involved, for having their support while out on the road is simply invaluable.

Third, prepare a GOOD resume' - remember that every pro out there already has a resume' and portfolio, and if you want yours to even be READ by potential sponsors then it has to be BETTER than those others. Don't let this scare you off - just do your homework on this. Contact Professional Angler Sponsorship Newsletter and order backissues dealing with resume's and portfolios. Remember that pro fishing is a business, and where sponsorship is concerned, the business is NOT catching fish, it's promoting product. This needs to be the focus of your pro fishing resume'.

Fourth, read the next question regarding finances and your financial commitment to this career.

Good luck, and look us up out there on the trail! Dan
Question 9: Dan, can you give some advice to those of us who are thinking of turning pro, especially in regards to finances? Answer: Fishing for a living is essentially going into business for yourself, and as with any business venture, it involves a huge financial gamble. Thanks though to recent increases in tournament payouts, which can now be in the range of $100,000 - $200,000 per win, there is now the potential to cover 3 or 4 years-worth of full-time fishing with just one tournament win.

As with any other business start-up, you simply must have "venture capital" to get it going. You may acquire venture capital by convincing sponsors, family, or friends to invest in your dream, but otherwise you’ll have to have money already in the bank to get started, and you must be prepared to spend it.

Beyond the venture capital, unless you maintain some form of "outside" employment (I include guiding in this category) then I count 3 avenues from which money may come into the business. These are: tournament winnings, sponsor contributions (including product endorsements), and personal appearance fees (i.e. speaking engagements). The venture capital is a requirement in this business simply because, as a new angler attempting to break into the pro ranks, you have to "pay your dues". You have to make a name for yourself before there will be any demand for your endorsement or personal appearance services, and at the same time you will still be learning how to fish against the big-boys, so you should not expect to make any consistent money from tournament winnings.

As far as the expenses involved, as a full-time pro fishing at least one of the two major tournament trails (FLW or B.A.S.S. Top 150), you must be prepared to spend $25,000 - $35,000 per year on fishing alone. That does not include any other aspects of normal life, such as rent or home mortgage, food, clothing, automobiles, taxes, or support of spouse and children.

A general breakdown or categorization of pro fishing expenses might look like this:
  • Tournament entry fees - may be $15,000 - $20,000 per year;
  • Gas & oil for the tow vehicle and the boat - $5,000 - 7,000;
  • Boat expenses - purchase, registration, insurance, & maintenance;
  • Tow vehicle expenses - again purchase, registration, insurance, & maintenance;
  • Tackle & equipment - rods, reels, line, lures, lifejackets, rainsuits, etc.;
  • Food - you’ve got to eat while on the road;
  • Lodging - either campground or hotel/motel charges; and
  • Misc. expenses, such as fishing licenses, lake maps, and launch fees.
As you can see, fishing at this level can be an expensive sport, which is why it's important to plan ahead financially and be prepared for a slow start. There are exceptions of course, but few people that I know have accomplished anything significant in their first or even second year as a pro. This is a breaking-in period, and you must be prepared to pay your dues, both literally and figuratively. Dan.
Question 8: Annie, I love to fish and am currently fishing our club circuit and travel to the regional tournaments to help my husband. I would also quit my job and support my husband if we made the decision to tour full time. Money-wise, how do you know what to start with, to be able to prepare some kind of budget? Without getting too personal, can you describe your business plan? Answer: I am glad to hear that you are supportive of your husband. There are many wives out there who do not understand that this is not just a hobby, and who are not supportive of thier husbands.

As for budgeting, for Redman tournaments we spend between $400 and $500 for each; for BASSMASTER Invitationals we budget $800-$1200 per tournament (depending upon how far away it is), and for FLW tournaments it's $2,300-$3,330 per tournament. These numbers include the entry fee, which for B.A.S.S. is $600 and for FLW is between $1,800 and $2,500 per tournament.

The best advise I can give to anyone who wants to pursue this dream is to save, save, save! A lot of fisherman live by credit cards and are constantly in debt. During our first year on tour we realized that it was going to be a long haul, so we committed to it and sold the house and a lot of our personal belongings, and then lived basically off of our savings account (better than credit cards).

You should also prepare a good resume and get it out to as many companies as possible. Hopefully there are companies who will offer you free or discounted products, which you will use a great deal of, but that is just the beginning. Establish a relationship with these companies, and do not set your standards too high when starting out.

You need to dedicate yourself fully, and get all the support you can. Not everyone will understand what it is you are doing, and you need to focus and just know that YOU made the right decision. Also, do not give yourself a time limit of, say, one year - that does not work. You need to give yourself at least 4 years. It is a lot, but the first few years you are mostly doing what they call "paying your dues".

The last advice I can give is to do it in a motorhome! It does not have to be a big motorhome, but you will save so much money in the long run . I hope this is helpful and GOOD LUCK! Annie.
Question 7: Dan, can you give me some tips for handling a boat in rough water? Answer: Here are a few things to remember about bass boats in rough water:

A 4 blade prop is usually more responsive, and keeps a better bite, in situations where a 3 blade prop may tend to catch air or cavitate.

Keep the nose of the boat UP, by trimming the engine up higher than you normally would at the same speed.

Don't try to go too fast. You simply can't run a bass boat at 60 mph in 2-3' seas. (If you think you can, please don't ask me to ride in your boat with you.)

Always tie your rods down and secure anything else that may be apt to fly out of the boat. It is much more difficult to locate floating hats and tackle boxes in rough water than it is calm.

Running upwind, or into the waves, will always be the rougher boat ride, but 9 times out of 10 you are running downwind when you end up "spearing" a wave. This can be a very frightening and dangerous experience, and one that you are not likely to forget once you've done it. Consider yourself lucky if you do not lose any of the following when this occurs: fishing rods; tackle boxes; coolers; depthfinders; windshields; and your partner. (Also, once you've hit your partner in the chest with a 500 lb. wall of water, don't expect a great deal of gas money from him that day.)

Finally, always WEAR your life jacket and attach your kill-switch. I mean ALWAYS, and not just in rough water. In the last year alone I have had one friend whose life was saved because he was wearing his life jacket, and another who almost drowned because he wasn't. Both of these instances, by the way, occurred in CALM water. Dan
Question 6: Dan, do you think color, in say, jigs and soft plastics, makes a difference, or is confidence in the color I am using more important? Answer: True, color oftentimes can make a big difference, but what is more important, day in and day out, is confidence. If you believe on every cast you make that you are throwing the right bait, and the right color, then all you have to worry about is throwing it in the right place. If you believe also that you are in the right place, that there are fish nearby and in fact there is a 5 lb'er looking at your bait right now!, then you are going to pay very close attention, concentrate very hard, on every cast. This will help you catch fish when others don't, because they are doubting themselves, changing colors, fishing too fast, and not paying attention. Think about this: doubtless you've been out there before, perhaps practicing or fishing a tournament, when you thought you had it all figured out - the fish were really wanting a watermellon red eye blue fleck 6 1/4" chartreuse tail worm with a rattle and a 9/32oz. weight. At the end of the day though, it turned out that the other fishermen had been catching them just as good on something totally different! That day you'd had confidence in your color, but it wasn't the color at all that was catching fish, it was the confidence you had in it that allowed you to fish effectively. Dan.
Question 5: Dan, can you comment on the physical stamina involved in pro fishing, and what differences do you see between the younger and older guys in this respect? Answer: I'll discuss three types of stamina, but before I do let me just say that the difference between physical stamina and mental stamina is often blurry. In many of my comments, you could substitue the word "determination" or "drive" to get an equally accurate picture.

The first type is short term, is mainly physical, and involves the ability to handle a long, hard day in the boat, under less than ideal conditions. Picture this: air temperature 35 degrees, wind perhaps 20 mph, waves 2-3'. Throw in a little rain (dare I say snow?), and lets say a 30 mile boat ride at 7am in order to get to your fish. Oh, and don't forget the full 5 hours of sleep you got the night before, and the fact that you lost the coin flip and you have to ride in your partner's single console, 75mph boat. Now, start fishing for eight hours. Hands cold? Too bad. Can't stand up because the water's too rough? Too bad. Don't want to move to a new spot when the fish aren't biting? Well just remember, every time you put your hands in your pockets, every time you sit down, every time you hesitate to make a move that you know you should make, you are giving the advantage to your competition. The competition that is "tougher" than you are. That's the combination of determination and stamina required for one day of fishing, under nasty conditions.

As for a second type, I can remember not long ago when I was club fishing, at the state team qualifying level, where tournaments would involve fishing two long days in a row. I remember how tired, how beat I was, along with most of the other competitors, at the end of those weekends. Looking back now I find that somewhat amusing. At least then, after 2 days you got to go home and rest. The difference, I suppose, is conditioning yourself to it. Though I'm 10 years older, I feel much more able to keep this up for 9-12 days straight now. And since all of the major tournament trails have eliminated the "off-limits" period prior to a tournament, there are very few competitors who show up to a lake for less than one full week of practice. If you are competing against, say, Rick Clunn, and Rick shows up to practice 8 days before a tournament, do you honestly think that you can figure out how to catch fish better than he can, with only 2 or 3 practice days? I know I don't.

The third type of stamina is actually more mental than physical, and is perhaps the most important of all to the long term success of a touring pro. It involves the ability to string these two-week tournament periods together, one after another, often with no break in between. It involves the ability to put a bad finish behind you, to deal with disappointment and the inevitable self-doubt that will surface, and to not let long hours of driving between tournaments get you thinking negatively. It is the ability to stay on the road for weeks and sometimes months at a time, to be away from home and family for extended periods, to run the business end of the career out of a hotel room or a phone booth. Finally, you must be able to function as self-employed, with no guaranteed income, no credit rating, no retirement plan, and no health insurance. Without a doubt, it is this third set of requirements which thins the ranks of professional bass fishermen more than either of the other two.

Regarding the differences between older and youger guys when it comes to stamina, I'd have to say that the younger guys probably have it over the older in the short-term, more physical categories, though as I've said I personally am more conditioned now, and can handle the day after day after day fishing better than I could when I was 10 years younger. On the other hand, I suspect that the older guys are better equipped to handle the mental and financial stamina requirements. Most likely they have developed better time-management skills, they don't have young families, they're not applying for mortgages, and perhaps they've even got some money in the bank to fall back on in tough times. Regardless of whether you're young or old though, anyone who's been out there knows that professional fishing is far from from being a "leisure" activity. Dan.
Question 4: Dan, what is the average age of FLW / B.A.S.S. tour professionals? Are there many 45+ year old competitors? Answer: The average age of touring pros is probably mid-30's, and remaining fairly constant. On the other hand, the average age at which a new individual joins the ranks of the pro circuit is going down. There are guys out there now who've been there a long time, they're good fishermen and have proven themselves, but like everyone else they get older every day. The combination of thier aging, and the fact that they're staying in the game vs. retiring, tends to skew the average age upwards and belie the fact that the typical rookie pro is a much younger guy. Many of the new pros these days are fresh out of college, and many have been planning to make a career out of bass fishing since they were high school age or younger. At 18 these guys go off to college, they study and get a degree in fields like business, marketing, or communications (which will help them on the business side of a fishing career), and they embark in earnest on the pro trail before the age of 25. Dan.
Question 3: Annie, you have travelled, and must know lots of malls, so tell me... if I want to go on a huge shopping spree, where is the best place to go? Answer: What a great question! I did not even have to think about the answer. It would definately be the MALL OF AMERICA, in Minnesota. We actually had a weigh-in right inside the mall. Of all the weigh-ins we have been to, that was by far my favorite. In order to go on a shopping spree there you would need to make sure you had enough time and money! The mall is at least 4 stories high and it even has an amusement park right inside. If you are a shopper (and it sounds like you are), you have to plan a trip to see this mall. Annie.
Question 2: Dan, do you guys have to buy a fishing license in each state when you go there to fish the tournaments? Answer: Yes, we buy a license in each state we fish. This is perhaps 12-15 per year, at an average price of $30 per license. I usually ends up with an annual license; Annie sometimes gets them a week at a time, since she doesn't always fish every day. Dan.
Question 1: Annie, Y'all really met through a newspaper ad??? Answer: Yes, we really did meet through the personal ads! Dan responded to an add I had placed. We corresponded by mail for a while, then we finally decided to meet for ice cream (it's a safe date, in case you don't like each other). That, however, was not the case with us. He left a message on my answering machine before I returned home that first night, and we have been together ever since. That was August 10, 1995, and life has never been better!! Annie.