What is a pro fisherman or is it a myth

[Tropicaltrout]

Hey Ausfishers :)

I was scanning the net and came across another forum :-/ but i was wondering what derives a pro fisho from you and me?

I have fished with guys that a brilliant fly casters, awsome lure men and know the science stuff but don't class themselves as "pro", Do you have to get your head in a mag or write a article or get on a tv show even Win a comp or two to get pro status. all a load to me. ;)

The way i see it a pro fisho is a myth, i will be learnig how to fish till i die with the ever changing climate, tackle, and fish stocks on the decline. Maby I am pickie but I just can't see why they are set another in another class? ::)

Cheers Ausfishers

[szopen]

I would say that if you can make living from fishing you can be classed as a pro.

Simple.

Not to say that a person must be great at fishing though.

[DaveSue_Fishos_Two]

It's just the same as we have amateur athletes and we have professional athletes.
If your livelihood is dependant upon it you are then considered to be a professional. Most pro fishermen are very, very good at their job. They have to be, as they usually have debts and mortgages and kids to raise the same as everyone else. They also have huge licence fees, maintenance etc etc. In my experience and contact with them, a pro fisherman is just that, professional. If they're not, the debt usually drowns them.

Cheers
Dave
Ps: Professional doesn't necessarily mean they know everything, it means they derive a living from what they do know whilst continuing to learn.

[Leo_N.]

What they said

[Tropicaltrout]

Good on ya Dave, good point but whats a commercial fisho pro or commercial, I think hes a fisherman not a pro fisherman, you don"t call a builder a pro builder or a glazier a pro glazier, so why is a fisherman a pro fisherman?

We all are professionals at our jobs but without pro infront of our title.
cheers tt

[DaveSue_Fishos_Two]

The 'pro' is to differentiate between a professional who makes a living from fishing and amateur who does not. Hence we have 'pro fisherman' we have just fisherman. A commercial fisherman is a professional fisherman.

Cheers
Dave

[Feral]

My defination - A Pro fisherman has a licence to catch and sell fish.

A fisherman whom makes money from comps etc etc is not a pro fisherman in my book. They are just the idle rich ;D

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

in regards to commercial fisherman I thought "pro" was short for prostitute because of what they did to the fish stocks ::)

[theoldlegend]

I think Reel Nauti and Feral just about have it covered; "A licence to derive an income from catching and selling fish".

Just like there are pro golfers and amateur (recreational) golfers.

TOL

[ssbayguide]

Hi All

There is a difference. Professional or commercial fishermen are those who have a licence to catch and sell fish for a living.

In recent years, I've heard people mention that they are "Bass Pros" or "Bream Pros" in tackle shops. These people call themselves this because they have fished in a competition. I guess some of these people call themselves pros to get attention other than that drawn to their suburban tanks (4WDs) and their US-Style boats.

There are, of course, excellent anglers who may or may not fish tournaments who do not need or wish to draw attention to themselves. I would class these people as specialists rather than pros.

Hmmmm....

[fish2eat]

I first thought its straight forward.....catch to sell.

Then I got thinking about people like Steve Starling, Kaj Busch etc

As far as I know the don't sell fish, but do earn a very good living from fishing. If you go back to the golf analogy, there are teaching pro's and touring (or tournament) pro's...

So I guess Starlo is a pro even though he does not catch to sell

[fish2eat]

I first thought its straight forward.....catch to sell.

Then I got thinking about people like Steve Starling, Kaj Busch etc

As far as I know they don't sell fish, but do earn a very good living from fishing. If you go back to the golf analogy, there are teaching pro's and touring (or tournament) pro's...

So I guess Starlo is a pro even though he does not catch to sell

[sf17fisherman]

yeh i would say a pro is someone that makes a liveing from fishing
weather that be a pro working his boat and selling the fish or a fishing writter or tv personlaty
or even a fishing guide
all makeing a liveing from fishing so there for a pro fisherperson ;)

[Boz]

I agree withsf17fisherman.

If somebody was to pay me to fish 5 days a week I guess that would make me a professional fisherman.
If I only caught three fish all year I would be a sh!# fisherman, but still a pro!

Next time someone tells you they are a pro there is a good chance that they could be, but that doesn't nessacarily mean that they are good!!!

Just a thought ::)

Boz.

[fish2eat]

I agree withsf17fisherman.

Next time someone tells you they are a pro there is a good chance that they could be, but that doesn't nessacarily mean that they are good!!!

Just a thought #::)

Boz.

Yes, I'd like to hang around with the film crews from some of the TV fishos to see how long and how many takes they shoot to get that one big fish that makes it to TV.

[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/bassmaster/nst/news/story?page=tourn_06_SouthernTour_FL_Okeechobee_day 3

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/bassmaster/news/story?page=b_tourn_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 #;Dplenty 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. 8-)...note that a tourny pro must derive his whole annual income from the sport to be considered pro.The odd comp dont cut it. :o

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 ;D
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.
:o ;D

[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.