One Million Reasons To Bass Fish

Very soon now, someone will win one million dollars for winning a bass tournament.  Irwin Jacobs, the Owner of the FLW Pro Fishing Tour has made that pledge and over the last couple of years we have watched as the prize money awarded in bass tournaments has grown dramatically.  In August, we watched, breathlessly, as Luke Clausen claimed the FLW Tour Championship and $500,000.

Professional Bass Fishing is a fast growing force.  And it is difficult to determine which is growing faster, the learning curve of today’s bass pro or the attention that corporate America is paying to professional bass fishing as an advertising media that grabs the interest of millions of anglers throughout the world.

In the recent past, companies that would spend money in support of bass fishing as a marketing vehicle were those traditional companies that wanted to sell crank baits or worms or boats.  But guess what!  Someone figured out that the millions of fans of professional bass fishing, also eat, they have bank accounts, they love their dogs, and they a have to buy their goods somewhere.  As a result, many non-traditional companies have come into bass fishing looking to brand themselves with the sport that so many American’s love.   Major newspapers have begun to assign writers to cover bass fishing events, heck there are even radio shows that devote their air times to covering pro tours.

Yes, bass fishing is creating its own demand.   Right before our eyes this sport is growing and it is growing because fans are taking to it the same way fans cheer for NASCAR, the same way fans follow their favorite golfers.  Oh bass fishing is not a spectator sport yet,  but there is a gallery and it is growing, and this growing legion of fans is beginning to drive the market.

It was good to see long time Tennessee Pro, Charlie Ingram in the finals at this year’s FLW Tour Championship.  For his eighth place finish, Charlie earned $22,000.  Compare those winnings to his 1985 BassMaster Classic where, finishing in sixth place, Ingram earned a modest $2,000.  Its also good to see guys like Paul Elias, who comes from “yesteryear” having a chance to cash in on the growth of this sport.   Elias won the BassMaster Classic in 1982 and was awarded $15,000.00.  Last year, his tour victory at the Chafalaya Basin earned him $100,000.  When Georgia angler Bill Wicker won the Mississippi Association Of Bass Club’s Mississippi state championship in 1983, he earned $250.00 and some lures.  This sport has come a long way in just a few years.

Now, there is still a common thread that links today’s angler with yesterday’s.  Today’s pros are just as passionate about the sport as yesterday’s pros were.   In fact, just about all of these guys would be doing this even if the award were just a trophy or a plaque.   Here is the problem.  If they were only fishing for a trophy or plaque the intrigue would not be there.  At this very moment there are half a dozen guys fishing a pot tournament at a lake somewhere with you.  These guys, got to the lake, each put ten dollars in a hat and the winner will cash out sometime later this evening when, exhausted, they haul themselves off the water and try to get some sleep for the work day that is tomorrow.  Are you interested in their results?  Of course not.  Why?  

Money.  Its all about the money.  When you add a one million dollar first prize, to that little derby, it is no longer a little derby.   15 thousand people crammed the Birmingham Auditorium to see a guy win $500,000 dollars.  When a guy wins a pot tournament and earns $50 bucks, we are not interested, but when real money is involved, now we are interested.

The modern pro tour offers hungry anglers a chance to make it on tour.  Many of today’s pro events pay $10,000 down to 50^th place.  The average cost of a season on tour is about $20,000 to the pro.  But today, with a couple of top 50 finishes, an angler can make it without destroying his or her credit history.  The more money that is involved, the more interest.  The more interest, the more money that is invested in the sport.  Bass fishing is creating its own demand, and tomorrow's pro will stand to benefit by all of the excitement that is being generated today.  It kind of reminds me of that old, worn out cliché that says, “take a kid fishing.”  Hey, think about it,…..now you have one million reasons.