What is a pro fisherman or is it a myth

[HarryO]

And I thought Steve Starving and Bushie were
just journo's.

(popular ones, too)

My wifes uncle is a successful longtime guide up in
Hinchinbrook,
and he doesn't class himself as a pro...

Harry...

[DaveSue_Fishos_Two]

I would have thought people like Starlo and Bushy etc were reporters and presenters, nothing like a professional fisherman at all.

Just my opinion

Dave

[DaveSue_Fishos_Two]

And just to add to that, they do not make there living from fishing (as in catching and selling), they make it from sponsorship and contracts with the media.

Cheers
Dave

[fishsmith]

And just to add to that, they do not make there living from fishing (as in catching and selling), they make it from sponsorship and contracts with the media.

Cheers
Dave

The sponsors give them contracts and supply them equipment because they are successful fishing personalities..So i guess you could argue that they do indeed make a dollar from the sport..

[szopen]

A bit of the pro bass folks life cane be found here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/b...keechobee_day3

70,000 U$ for winning a 3 day tournament helps make a living.

[szopen]

And another one with the numbers:

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/b...n_payouts_2006

[DaveSue_Fishos_Two]

Maybe you have a point there fishsmith!

Without sounding like a smarty pants..........would that make them professional sportsmen as opposed to professional fishermen.

Just a thought
Dave

[sf17fisherman]

well i can tell you for a fact that kaj bush was a pro fisherman well before he ever wrote one artical or ented one comp

dave according to you does that mean porfesional cyclist are just profesional sportsman too
or any other profesional sport for that matter
as stated before a profesional fisherman is one that gets payed to fish weather it be selling fish or selling fishing gear vai comps and articals
or even selling fishing to other people

[side_show_cod]

We have plenty of guys doing surfing shows on TV and others making a living out of surfing charters, camps , surf schools etc and NOBODY calls them pro surfers.

I think professionals make money ACTUALLY fishing , being it tournament or commercial. They are paid to CATCH fish and get paid or rewarded {points lead to prizemoney} for THOSE fish. ...note that a tourny pro must derive his whole annual income from the sport to be considered pro.The odd comp dont cut it.

sponsored fishos who dont compete are' paid to advertise' or sell product, part of their contract would mean they have to catch fish too , but its not the basis for their pay. Charter guys are paid to fish as well in a sense , but what they are really being paid for is their boat , service and knowledge. He gets paid if he catches nothing. >
A dude in a tackle shop scoring cheap gear is not a pro
Journos , well , a sub human species scoring junkets to fish ,then to take a few happy snaps/video and throw a story together over a few bourbons back at the resort , are not pros.

[straddie]

I have only ever known of people that commercially catch fish (and prawns and crabs) and sell them to be referred to as professional fishermen. If I was to say to any of my mates there are pros in a certain area they would be expecting to see trawlers, netters or line fishos in a boat with an FXXX fishing rego. It's only in the last few years that a few people have started to refer to competiton fishermen, fishing journos and the like as pros.

If it's the case that a professional fisherman is anyone that makes a living from fishing then you can start to include guides, charter operators, and to stretch the point a little more even tackle shop operators.

I think if you are going to call them pros then 'pro anglers' might be a more suitable term, as it conjours in my mind at least someone fishing with a rod and reel.

[seatime]

You hit the nail right on the head there straddie.

"pro angler" is exactly the description needed for the sponsored types. The other stuff about pro fishermen deriving their living from fishing is also true.

[Tropicaltrout]

Me too fish2eat I heard tales of the putting fish on the hooks and all sorts yep there "Pros"? To me its not a deffernition its just a title to make em feel better.

How would you react if someone walked up to you and said hello i am pete the pro fisherman from bundy, i don't know i think i would walk the other way, but if he walked up and said hello i am pete the local guide in bundy he instantly drops the pro status and his ego, but sounds a dam sight better.

Thanks guys a great reaction to this topic.
It just bothered me when i was in another sight that these so called pro fishos where in a different class than you and me.
cheers tt

[Tropicaltrout]

yep so straddie So all those guys at BCF are pros if they work in the tackle depot? I hope not they think a 3 o is the emergency phone number.