Do you know how to fish like a pro? Though many of us have the potential to “fish like a pro”, few of us will ever attain that level. Having the ability to potentially do it and having the means to make it a reality are two different things. It’s not just a matter of “turning pro“, as is so common these days among guys who seemingly have no business doing it. It’s going to take more than the decal and discount you get from one of the many dime-a-dozen “pro staffs” out there. I’m talking about becoming a real pro, not just a “30-Percenter” Facebook legend.
“Living the dream” is more than dreaming, it’s actually living it. A few things have to be in place first.
1. Supportive family and work situation – Don’t “turn pro” if it leads to a broken home or strife within the household. Priorities first. Your family needs you a lot more than Captain Sizzle and Walmart. Your job will likely be worth more to you in the long run than a season of hopping Walmart parking lot weigh-ins and following the Eh-LEET sizzle around the country. “Don’t quit your day job” applies to 99.9% of the people who contemplate “turning pro“.
2. Time on the water — You can’t go from fishing 15-20 days a year (primarily on the same lake) to being a full-time pro. It just doesn’t work that way. If you’re the occasional weekend angler or Memorial Day “wakemaker”, buzzing around the lake with a few yellow or white sizzle sticks on your deck, forget about it. You are light years away. You might be able to catch a few fish every month by homing in on the bent poles of your local fishery, but being a pro angler is a different game. Most guys who want to “turn pro”, have never spent more than two consecutive days on the water. Try going six or seven consecutive days, dark to dark.
3. Versatility – Can you drop shot? Can you fish deep? Can you find fish on your own in a variety of lakes you’ve never previously visited? Can you crank, drag, jig, walk, and flip your way into Day 3 and Day 4? That’s what it takes to cash checks consistently enough to avoid the red in this pay-to-play system, where too often credit cards are maxed out before you ever make the first cast. Read on to see the rest of the “Fish Like A Pro Tips”….