Originally Posted by
Midsouth Man
After some recent post on the subject, I am going to make an attempt to provide an insight to the difference between the two from my own perspective and using my own personal experiences.
First, lets talk about the Pro Staff side. As most of you know, I Pro Staff for three companies, Midsouth tackle, Ozark Rods and most recently Cumberland Crappie. As a Pro Staffer, there are responsibilities that you have for each company depending on the agreement that is reached between the companies and yourself. Some more typical agreements that are usually made are to attend sports shows and or seminars that each company may attend each year. For example, Midsouth Tackle hosted a booth at the Big Buck classic for many years held at the state fairgrounds. This event always held in January was an excellent opportunity for them to present their product to an outdoors slated event to thousands of people during the "off season" of fishing.
As a Pro Staffer for Midsouth, one of my obligations were to help with the setup of the booth the night before the show. Many times this would end up being a very late night due to the traffic of all the vendors trying to get setup at the same time. Starting Friday morning, the doors are open and for the next three days, I would literally visit with thousands of people. Conversations about recent trips to questions like "what colors work best on my home lake" to discussions on the trophies displayed at the booth from tournament wins over the years. It's picture taken, talking to kids, signing peoples favorite hats or simply helping them "restock" their tackle boxes for the upcoming spring. In between, depending on the show, it's seminar time where as a Pro Staffer you are asked to cover a different array of various subjects and conduct an question and answer period with the crowd. By the time Sunday evening rolls around, and you have loaded all the equipment back in the trailer and seen your sponsor off, you are a wore out puppy and ready for a few days of rest only to remember you have a full time job as well and the next morning comes way too early. I wouldn't trade the experience of it for anything else as most of you know I like to talk, a little, especially about crappie fishing Lol.
A Pro Staffer can and will be different from a "Pro" in a lot of cases. Being a Pro Staffer doesn't necessarily mean you are a touring Pro on a tournament trail and winning in the tournaments every year. Being a Pro Staffer could mean you are successfulI guide in the string of lakes or waters you fish. A Pro Staffer is a business professional working for their sponsor in many different ways. I am the original Pro Staffer for Midsouth Tackle and have been for several years now. Midsouth Tackle now has over 10 Pro Staff Teams across the US, each representing Midsouth Tackle in their own territory and each with their own agreement with the company. Pro Staffing for companies is a never ending role and if its done right, consumes a lot of your time, day and night, weekday and weekends. Some of you have fished with me before and have been in the boat when that "communication device" sounds its alarm to find on the other end an inquiring mind about products, someone simply wanting a fishing report or help with installing a sponsors product. I am positive about one thing, being a real Pro Staffer is more than a self acclaimed title as many might believe and comes with a certain level of responsibilities and requirements. In return, sponsors may offer compensation in forms of salaries, equipment, entry fees, gas, hotel accommodations, etc. depending on the agreement between you and them.
Now, lets focus more on the "being a Pro" side. As with any sport there are many levels for competing and there is no difference with Crappie Fishing. You have your lower levels of competition ranging from local club tournaments to fund raising events where small entry fees are paid and awards are comparable to these fees. I have attending many of these type events and they are a blast, mainly due to the "stress" and tension levels being much less than at a Pro Circuit event. These events are designed to be fun and can be a stepping stone for someone who wishes for a "Pro Staff" agreement with a potential sponsor. Many times, winning these events are a catapult to an invite to a companies Pro staff team.
With that being said, lets discuss a little more about the higher levels of competition, or the Pro circuits. Today, there are two major circuits, CrappieMasters and Crappie USA. Both of these tournament trails offer some of the best competition between crappie fisherman in the country. Winning at this level is extremely hard to do and even harder to do when your are out of state away from your home waters.
With entry fees ranging from $200 to $325 per tournament, the payout at these events are outstanding depending on which trail you fish. Its not uncommon for you and your partner to rack in a six to eight thousand dollar paycheck by winning one of these events. These events are also used to qualify the top 5 teams from each tournament to fish in the National Championship where paybacks can reach in excess of fifty to sixty thousand dollars for the winning team. Needless to say, qualifying at these events are an impressive feat itself with the levels of competition at each event.
However, if you are good enough and stay on your A game, qualifying each year can be done and by doing so, your "Pro" resume starts building. Placing in the top 5-10 in any one of these tournaments year in and year out will start getting you the attention of potential sponsors and lay the ground work for you to be financially supported on the tournament trails. Sounds easy huh?
I have enjoyed my time on the Pro trails and we have done fairly well in most of the tournaments we fish. Have we won every one of them? NO and never will win every one, nobody is that good! However, we have done well enough to qualify each year for the Classic, won several paychecks and collected more dust collectors (trophies) than my wife cares to dust, Lol. I have had great times on the trails and some very disappointing ones as well, most memorable was a disappointing disqualification on the second day of a 101 boat field in which we had done very well catching almost 16.5 lbs each day on 7 fish. Most of you may remember this story from a couple of years ago and while I can laugh about it now, it wasn't too funny then as it was probably an easy six thousand dollar or better mistake, lol. Or I could mention being robbed one time at a tournament, or I could mention the time we were delayed by a camera boat not starting therefore making us late on day 1 of fishing or many more stories I have from the years.
The rewards from being a Pro? To some its the money, to some its seeing theirself on the Outdoor or pursuit Channels giving "Tips and Techniques" sections, to some its having as many sponsors as they can possibly have. Wrapped boats, monetary compensation, free equipment and tackle and etc. is what drives some Pro's. But for me, it's more of the proven achievements and self satisfaction of accomplishment.
So, what makes a Pro? I guess I'll answer it this way, if you don't know, then you don't know. There is not a degree or certificate that gets handed to you when a certain milestone is reached, there is not a PROfessor (pardon the pun but I couldn't help it, lol) that says you have passed his class on crappie catching and you now have your doctrine. Unlike the Pro Staffer title, the "Pro" one is self assigned based on self assessment and accomplishment.
The real challenge begins when you wear both "hats", hold a full time job, raise kids, make time for the wife and all the other things going on in any days busy schedule. So, the next time you see a post from a Pro Staffer or a Pro on the forum, please don't consider it "boasting, bragging or building ego's". We all put our pants on the same way, one leg at a time. I have many friends that are Pro's and Pro Staffer's today and for the majority of them, they are hard working individuals and great people. Most of them will give you the shirt off their back to help you or anyone else out. They are willing to talk to you on the phone, say hello at the lake or at the baitshop. They have accepted their positions in this field of crappie fishing and know what comes with the job. Too many times I hear from them statements like "I talked to so and so and was told they were nervous or intimidated about calling me and I don't understand why?" Take advantage of your Pro Staffers in your area and touring Pro's and if you have questions or need advice, contact them, they are good people and an excellent resource. Who know's, they might even have an open boat seat they'd share with you when they are not burning up the freeway to get to their next tourney or guide trip!
Again, this is written with my own experience and feats accomplished in mind and with that and fifty cents you can get a cheap cup of coffee!
