# I Need Advice



## Joe kish (Dec 11, 2006)

Hey im trying to get on a circuit i am 17 and live in parma just south of cleveland. I dont care were in ohio i can make the trip anywere. But im trying to find a 2 man team circuit for ma and my friend can any one give advice to were to start on. Note this is going to prittymuch be my full time job ..


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

Joe don't get to upset if you find you'll need to get a real job. Fishing a tournament circuit isn't going to pay your bills. At 17 years old I really hope you stay in school and get a college degree. I understand you wanting to be a "Pro" fisherman but as many. many on here will tell you unless you have someone that will bankroll you to cover expenses your in for a big shock. 
There are several good circuits all over the state, check all over the site and you'll see many listed. I don't mean to burst your bubble just trying to give you some heads up. 
I fished tournaments for years and believe me you really have to start at the bottom and work up. Find a good club to join, that's the best advise you can get. Most clubs are Bass federation members and that's where you need to start. Good luck to you and your friend.
But again, I hope you stay in school and get an education, nothing beats that, NOTHING!!


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

Check out the tournament forum on this site, plenty of links to area tournaments. 
Lakes Trail, X series, Dobass those are the bigger ones in Northeast Ohio.


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## lakeslouie (Jan 11, 2006)

Kudos to Dale!! Thats the smartest thing I ever saw him post on this forum. He hit every point and it is definitely good advice. If you want to look at some Fed clubs, PM me and I'll give you the region 3 directors number. If you want to look around, go to www.dobass.com for some ideas.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

> Kudos to Dale!! Thats the smartest thing I ever saw him post on this forum.


   


never mind.i ain't sayin' nuttin'  


well,except to add........................listen to him and others who know what it's about.


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## Nickadams (May 1, 2004)

Even Iaconelli has a degree in (and experience) in marketing, and he is as "full time" as it gets.


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## Joe kish (Dec 11, 2006)

thank you i am new to this site and it is nice to see hgow helpfull all the members are ... i did find two circuits i am going to try and contact..and i did not mrntion this in my last post but i am attending hockeing college in the upcoming fall


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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

Joe- I vote for scrapping the college crap, max out the credit cards on gas,lodging and entry fees, fish everyday all day...and marry rich.  

Go for the gold man- peanut butter and jelly aint so bad!

Hope you make it up our way for some opens!!!

nip


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## lakeslouie (Jan 11, 2006)

Stay in School. Fish later!


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

SCHOOL VS. FISHING... man it's a delimma i have to face all to often, sometimes school wins, sometimes fishing wins, either way i am broke


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

Nip, I really hope your not serious. Bad advise to give to someone only 17 years old. 
Nothing beats a good education, NOTHING!! Fish when you can, get an education WHILE you can. Take my advise Joe you'll never regret it.


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

Coming from someone who is 24 and in his third year of law school (7th year post high school), if you ever want to take a shot at it, now is your time.

I wish all the time that I had tried it right out of high school....given it two years and then gone to college if it didn't pan out. I still have dreams of fishing for a living, but I will now have to work for a pretty long time just to pay off the loans on school. And realistically, by the time they are paid off I will have a wife and kids and a job that needs me there 50 hours a week. 

You have very little holding you down at the present time I assume (no wife, no kids, no mortgage). If you really want to fish pro, why not give it a year or two? I AM NOT SUGGESTING FOREGOING AN EDUCATION. But college will always be waiting for you (as will a wife and kids). 

It takes a LOT of money to fish BFL/Stren/FLW or BASS in entry fees, travel, gas, hotels, equipment etc. etc. etc. But the way I look at it, during these winter months one could work two jobs and save every penny of it. By the time the season rolls around you would have a decent bankroll to work with, at least enough to get you through the season.

Just one man's opinion. You only live once, live your dreams,

Mike


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

I agree with redhawk, follow your dreams. Time is on your side. I bet the percentage of pro fisherman who have a degree is small. They had to take a chance to get where they are.


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## Fish4Fun (Apr 6, 2004)

I agree with fishingredhawk to a degree:

Ok Joe kish what is your fishing background and have you ever fished any tournaments?

Ok here is what i agree with redhawk on when your young you should chase your dreams, like he said once you have the bills and the family the likely hood of getting there will fade and age will catch up with you. 

But stay in school. If your going to Hocking you can get a 2yr degree so you will have something to fall back on. In the two years that you are going to school join a circuit fish and see how good you are and were your heading.

Lay the ground work for your future in fishing and your degree. Take something at college like marketing or fish biology something that will help you to further your fishing career.

At 17 with out college you either better be a born prodiogy or one heck of a fisherman or have rich parents to think you will go pro fast.

That is why you do the college and the tournaments at the same time and try to get your name out there and see were it leads.

Like i did say though if its your plan start on it now and stick with it but have something to fall back on. Because before you know it you will be 30 married kids mortgage. And at that point weather you want to go pro or not you will have to put a lot on the line at a roll of the dice.


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## PITCHNIT (Nov 2, 2004)

If I had to live off of what i caught I'd be broke and hungry.


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## fishin4five (Dec 2, 2005)

...and once you graduate immediately buy a new bass boat and truck. live with your parents until they kick you out. toys now, mortgage later, wife and kids - not even in the picture yet. it's great. get home from work dinner is ready and my laundry is done. thanks mom. oh yea...and you need to find a girl that likes to fish. preferrably one that is proficient with a baitcast. give it a try! it's working for me!


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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

I figured the reality of what I said clearly pointed to the side of sarcasim...
unless maxed out cards and pbj's really dont sound too bad... or if you really can marry rich!!!!  

I do beleive though that a transistion is occurring in our society. I feel "higher" education is raping the middle and working classes offering little more than a federal trap of interests rates and mothly debts. Which also leads to maxed out cards, pb&j's and often marrying your college sweetheart who has similar loan debt! 

See ...fishing full time doesn't sound so bad again!~

This is more humor from an Asst.Chief JV probation officer who had it not been for college could still be living at home expense free with his parents,no worries...

Your danged if you do and danged if you dont, but fishing will always get you through it!!!!


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

WOW, I remember being 17 and saying to people in school I want to be a Pro Fisherman, dude it's not going to happen, for one at 17 you don't have enough gear, boat, money, or nothing to even start. It's not all fun and games and it's very expensive and very hard work. Next year I will take you on Lake Erie and put you through a day of tournement style fishing in a tournement walleye boat I live in Parma by the way, after one day of the water with me and me telling you what is required to fish a tournement trail, the money you probably don't have to spend on this type of fishing the first thing you will say is where is my pencil and books at. Your too young to even comprehend how much money is involved to fish on a higher level. My best advise to you would be to get a sweet little boat with 2 electric motors a nice fishfinder a handlful of rods and reels and fish the Ladue series, this will give you a small taste of tourny fishing without the sornness of high speed runs across rough big or small water. 

I admire your fire to do this as I had the same type of attitude, I am 27 now and do fish tourney's and now that I have my Ranger boat of my dreams I will be fishing them alot more. I make a good living but also have a partner FISHON and we do everything together and split most of the cost of fishing so it makes it allot easier but it is still very expensive. So go get your feet wet with some tourney fishing that won't break the bank and see what you think. Ohh by the way it's a extremely tough to complete with some of these guys that have been fishing some of these lakes for 10,20 or even 45 years, these guys know there stuff and I bet you will not even place you just simply don't have enough fishing time on the water, these guys where pulling monster stringers of bass and walleye before you where even born.

If you want to talk about any of this call me or pm me. 440-289-6837 I can let you in on some fishing tips and a taste of the tourney world from an amature standpoint. I am nowhere near pro but have fished the FLW circuit as a amature I can tell you some things about it and how it works if you want to know. 

Yeah anothe thing how do you plan on financing a fancy boat and truck with not even being 18 yrs old, banks don't lend 35-50k for new boats or trucks with no credit, boat loans are the hardest loans to get approved for because they are for recreation.let alone the vehicle to pull it with. 

Unless your parents have more money than god then that's a different story I don't know your deal so I can't comment on that I can only assume.


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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

Man were scarn' the peediddle out of this admireable young man...

All the dude said was he wanted some advice on where to start fishn some team tournies, and he could fish a lot-as he's off all summer after high school!

We are all just envious of a 17 year old with time on his hands- don't let any of us scare you off. 

Here's some advice for you about tournament fishn':
http://www.dobass.com/THEENEMY.html

Get 'em kish- I hope you whoop our tails at ladue this year and go full time at 18!!!!

Nip


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

Nipididdee said:


> We are all just envious of a 17 year old with time on his hands- don't let any of us scare you off.
> 
> 
> Nip


That's almost as funny as your run up your cards post  
Envious? Not at all, take that from someone that HAS been there and HAS done that. As many have said on here, It is expensive, very expensive to tournament fish. I'm not talking these litte evening and weekend tournaments, I'm talking fishing with the BIG boys. Get a good sponser (or sponsers) that will bank you. If you can do this you have a good start. Start with a club that is B.A.S.S. chartered, that way at least you have a chance to get to the federation finals. I made it to a regional one time and thought I was good. After 3 days of pre fishing and 2 days of tournaments, you become real humble FAST! 
No where did I say not go pro, I said get your education first. Yes you can try it first but as has been said at 17 years old, you have a lot of time to look forward. No matter what others have said here, education is important. In todays world a high school diploma isn't enough to secure your futher. Nothing and I mean nothing beats a good education period. Someone show me or prove me wrong if you can. Sure there are those that have made it big w/o it. but not many. 
My kids are 33 and 35 and they know I am right, and I believe most of our members would agree also. At least that way you'll have something to fall back on. There are 10's of thousands of fisherman that want to go pro, and only a small handfull will ever be good enough or financially able to reach that goal. I truely hope if you go that route you make it to the big time, but be ready for a lot of hard times before you get there. If you can with stand that and work your way up to the pros, I'll be the first in line to say Good job!!


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## josh617 (Jan 28, 2005)

hey may be the kids parents are rich and can afford to pay for the truck, boat, gas, lodging, food, entry fees, and equipment necessary to fish as a pro. If i could afford to i would do it but i m stuck in school and fishing as a co-angler.


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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

Again- the poor kid has only solicited advice on fishn' some team events and commented that he'll be able to fish full time this summer! He's only posted 3 times on OGF as well!

He aint never not said nothin' about "going pro" or all the other goofy stuff everyone keeps advising him on.

Just go fish Joe Kish!!!

Nip


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Note this is going to prittymuch be my full time job .<<<< I think this added addition to his post is saying I am going to fish ffull time which IMO constitutes fishing and making money for his job, I don't know how else to take except he wants to fish the circuit and this will be his job. 

Yes I think we can all agree he does and want fish and be on a circiut but come on take the joint out of mouth it's not that easy, and for sure easier said than done.


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## CShaver8 (Jul 12, 2005)

Being 17 myself, and also fishing tournaments for a job, i know whats going on. i have sponsors that pick up all of my entry fees and most of my accomidations and travel costs. i fish tournaments, and all of the winnings go bakc into my bank account. It does take up alot of time and money, though, to keep my equipment in check, boat in check, and most importantly, keep my grades up.

i would say, start small, and work your way up to bigger tournament trails. first, find a junior or adult club you can join. check out www.ohiobass.com We are FLW affiliated, and these guys will work thier butts off to get you in a club and fishing.


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## josh617 (Jan 28, 2005)

hey its ohiobass.org


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## Joe kish (Dec 11, 2006)

im just trying to get into a circuit and know my parents are not rich lol i have spent the last 3 years working my but off to buy a truck and a boat just to follow threw with my plan to fish a circuit ..i thank people for advice and especialy Nip i got the info on the ladue torny thank u very much for all the outhers i hopee u now know were im coming from


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## fisherf17dc (May 19, 2006)

1st please encourage this young man in his quest.2nd it doesnt take bookoo money to fish weekenders locally.my son has been my partner since he was 15 and he has more than proven himself on the water.age does not determine the effectiveness of a fisherman. all this kid is asking for is some sound advice. if its in your heart to fish tourneys than by all means GO FOR IT. what ever happened to the saying TAKE A KID FISHING? someone please think hard about giving this kid a chance and some GOOD advice instead of negativity.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

hey joe I would like to take you walleye fishing on Erie in a few months, every do any walleye fishing? you know they say Bass are for guys who can't can't walleye, it's also very addicting, I have been a fishing junky all my life like you man, you sound like me exactly 10 year ago. I'd like to take you fishing for eyes off Cleveland I live in Parma as I said before, if your up for it let me know.


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## fishon (Apr 20, 2004)

ahhh i remember kev 10 years go.....memories..... Kid follow your dreams but have a back up ... and be smart..... your still young...which can be both an advatage as well as a disadvantage.... start off with the advise from the others... but be smart...


Good luck kiddo.... take kevin up on his offer and i see ya there too..


Frank


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