I'm coming to the age (15)
where i need to start planning what carrer to take, of coarse we would all like to major in fishing, i understant that I probably wont. I do beleive that bass fishing is a growing industry, and I am wondering what carrer choices I have that will keep me involved with the sport, like lure making, reel building, design, fisheries/ outdoor guide, etc.

I'm sure a few of you work for fishing companies,( pm me if you dont want to blow your cover), that know what career choices that involve outdoors/ fihing activities or design.


Thanks for any help!!

BEN

ps: i miantain a 4.0 gpa and am in many accelerated classes

god bless

Hey ben, I was in the same position as you a couple years ago. There's really two ways you can go- (1) get a job in the fishing industry and have plenty of hookups and be around the industry or (2) get a job which allows you to make enough money to buy all your fishing goodies, fish once in awhile and retire as soon as possible so you can fish more. It's up to you, just depends on which way you wanna take it.

Just like anything, if you want to have a career in fishing you need to start at the bottom and work your way up. Now's the time to start scrubbing decks if you wanna be a sportboat captain, or learning to wrap rods if you wanna be a rod builder, etc. Working at a tackle shop is a good start if nothing else. Unless you're interested in the fisheries or biology side of things it's tough to find a concentration once you get to school that'll help you out in the fishing industry. Most fishing careers are better prepared for with time on the water rather than time in the books.
-Brian

I think I have a little credibility on this subject. I have been on the bass tackle retail scene for 12 years now and can tell you a few things.

Number One- If you like to fish, stay away from the retail tackle game. When fishing gets its best, you have to work the hardest and the most days(hours). This doesn't let up in the slower times of year (winter) when you have to work hard just to keep the business coming in the door.

Number Two- If you want to work as a rep for a tackle manufacturer, see Number One and add numerous hours and travel time doing show(many of which are all-species, be ready to answer trout, catfish and barracuda questions all day long)

Number Three- if you want to be a rod-wrapper, tackle manufacuter, etc. be ready for back-stabbing pirates who will copy any non-copywrited idea and have it made in China for pennies on the dollars that you'll spend in production for an original idea.

NOW, if you are not scared away totally, get a part-time gig on a sport boat, or tackle shop (as Brian suggested) make some connections and feel out your career path. It's a hard business, but I'd rather spend the day talking about MS Slammmers and plastic worms than spread sheets and market analysis. Unless you open a tackle website, then be prepared for all of the above and more.

Good Luck, we need more dedicated guys in the tackle industry!

I agree with the first statement that CJ made...... If you like fishing...... stay away from the fishing industry. Your time on the water dwindles very fast. x(

Mark

thanks, all that definantly makes a lot of sense

does anyone have any experience in the biology aspect of fishing/ fisheries?

It seems like its hard to make it in the fishing industry, even though it is a 12 billion dollar business.

I'm definantly dedicated enough to work hard to get teh job done, i just know that if it has to do with fishing, i'll be captivated.

But i'm planning on having a family and dont want to make the same amount if I was working at a mcdonald's


please keep those suggestions coming

THANKS SOO MUCH


BEN

god bless

Ben my advice to you for now is to work at a local tackle shop and learn the business. But I would go to school for business management or something business related and be your own boss or a big wig at a larger fishing company. If you just work in the industry you're not going to get rich and you get a little burnt out too. Owning your own business can be a pain but if you keep your head above water and hang in there you could be successful and then you hire a bunch of people to work for you while you go out and fish :-)

Option 2 is to get a job like Rob and fish every morning and weekend and not get fired!!}(

I always like to talk to people in the industry to try and see if they are really making any money and if they ever get to fish. The answer honestly is that there are very few people who are actually getting rich on fishing and getting to fish a lot.

If you're a small shop or lure business, odds are you are going to be working 6 to 7 days a week 60+ hours a week to make a decent living. If you work for a big tackle company, it may not be much different than working for any regular type of business.

Some people have been successful with turning small lure companies into larger companies, but there are always tradeoffs. If you make a custom lure that requires skill to make, you might find that hiring other people to make the lure or sending production out of the country results in a decline in quaility and a corresponding decline in sales. If you were really serious about going into the lure business, I'd get some type of degree in manufacturing so that if you do invent the next sweet beaver, senko, or huddleston deluxe, you can organize the production processes to make volume. Fishing lures can come into popularity in a few months and if you don't have the production capabilities to meet the demand, you're going to be losing a lot of money. Trust me, there is no shortage of people out there who have huge demand for their lures but because they can't meet the demand and maintain quality, they're just making average money.

Me ... I'm a tech monkey. My degree is in Business Administration with an emphasis in MIS. Its a long way from fishing, but like magmaster said, I have a flexible arrangement at work so I get to fish a lot.

Whatever you do, you can't go wrong going to college and getting your degree. You've got some time to plan, and you're doing the right thing starting early.

-Rob

I'm definantly going to college, no question
well as of now, college might be free (lots of Basketball scholarships have started coming in the mail)

This really tourments me knowing that there is so much business oppertunities, that would allow me to fish and play basketball, while making a substantial amount of money

but the things I like are:

fishing
outdoors (i would hate to be locked up in a cubical all day)
basketball

maybe a degree in biology like fisheries/ outdoor management would do the trick.? But after college what jobs does this degree deal with?

Being an atletic trainer would also be something of intres for me, but I think those hours are huge.

But I have some killer ideas for my own custom baits,but i know the lure making industry is extremely difficult.

SO its a hard decision

thanks for the help and keep the help coming

BEN

god bless

You have motivation and a mature attitude, and you have been given very good advice here. My only suggestion is that you improve your spelling before applying to college. Spelling was my weakness in high school, but I improved on it before college.

Best of success.

Bob

yes, i know, i need to edit my posts before posting but thanks for the encouragement
BEN

god bless

1. stay in school
2. think about marine biology - you're on the water and can actually make a difference in our/your fisheries.
3. how about mechanical engineering - who do you think actually designs the reels? one of us lead-chuckers?
4. follow some of the previous advice: specifically - get into a career that PAYS for family first and LOTS of fishing second. :)
5. stay in school