What it means to be a Pro

You take the boat off from plane. You are 300 yards from the channel opening. Your truck, trailer, and air conditioning are in sight. It is now well past 4pm and you have been up for nearly 12 hours. You are sunburned in places you didn’t know you could be sunburnt. You put in twenty plus hours of pre-fishing and spent sixteen hours over a two day period trying to best sixty of the best walleye anglers in the world. You are happy that you decided to launch in a different location as the tournament location was utter chaos. You have no idea where you are in the running order and really don’t care. All you want to do is load the boat, throw on the cover, grab a cold drink and a snack from the cooler, and hit the road.

Getting closer to the entrance of the channel, you look over. Standing on the bank is a man, a women, and two young boys. Both of the boys are fishing. You ask one of the little guys if he is catching anything. First it was nothing, then it was two! You ask how big they were. He holds up his hands. You tell him that you always start with your hands wider apart! His first lesson in being a fisherman. They see your boat with all the cool gadgets, the stickers on the side, and two men wearing matching sponsor shirts and life jackets. You smile with the fact that you are leading by example.

The boat is on the trailer now, the work is almost done, the finish line in sight. Your mind wanders back to the boys on the bank. You remember being that young. You remember how far you have come and how you got to where you are. You have sponsors that pay to put their name and advertising on the side of your boat and on your cloths. They pay you to advertise and represent them in the best possible manner.

Reaching in one of your bags, you pull out a few packages of soft plastic baits. Many of which are not even on the market yet. Although it is nearly 200 yards to where the family is fishing and enjoying their Sunday, you make the walk over. You strike up some conversations with the boys. You give each of them some custom H2Ohammer baits. You talk to the mom and dad, snap a quick photograph, and make the long walk back to the truck.

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Being a professional isn’t always about winning or collecting a paycheck. Being a professional means that you represent yourself and your sponsors in the best possible light. Hopefully the guys from the BASS tournament that was at this launch took notice of the guy that took time out of his day to walk over and donate some things to the future generations of our sport. In 20 years, these little guys might not remember my name, they may not remember my face, but they will remember that, once upon a time, a fisherman with a pretty cool boat, some neat gadgets, and some stickers, took time out to come over, single them out, and give them something!

I post this on Crappie Dot Com because many of my sponsors are either members of this great site, or member sponsors of this site and their names are on the side of my boat. This gesture was on behalf of all of them. This is how I represent each and every one of you. Regardless of wins or leaderboard outcomes, my sponsors come before anything else. I wear your stickers with pride and do not do anything to tarnish your name. Whether it is driving on the road, at the dock, on the water, or speaking with young men and women, I want people to see the person behind the sticker. There are tons of products on the market today and I represent a small portion of them. I cannot make anyone purchase something. My only hope is that, when the time comes, they remember the guy that gave them his spot in line at the dock, a little extra room on the water, some soft plastics that the fish are biting on, or some planer board clips because theirs were broken. They will remember what I stood for. As a result, they will know that this is what the company on the side of my boat also stands for!

In case you are wondering who and what is on the side of my boat:

Two big yellow Crappie.Com stickers (hopefully I made two members for life Ed)
Two yellow “Off Shore tackle” stickers. NickD and his father Bruce are both crappie.com members and member sponsors!
Steve Ash construction (also a crappie.com member)
H2Ohammer (Brian is also a crappie.com member and it was HIS soft plastics I gave to the young boys)
Ron Royal Carpet (Ron is a “lurker” on our site, hopefully he will see this and introduce himself)
Engel Coolers (I am currently working on getting them as a member sponsor for crappie.com)
Fish Sniper Tackle (I am the original owner. After meeting another crappie.com member, I sold my business to his Marine Corps veteran son)

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Awesome job most get wrapped up in their little world. A few like you carry the torch. Thank you.

You represented your sponsors and yourself well!:ThumbsUp

There is cool and too cool for school. You sir, are post graduate suma laude cool. :highfive

I have always tried to remember that when we show up somewhere with a name on a shirt, boat, or tackle box, that there are folks paying attention. Unfortunately, I'm human and carry an attitude and forget to be the best I can sometimes. Young people especially look on with awe, like a TV hero come to life. My word for this is Ambassador. We are ambassadors of our sport and represent it every time we connect to the trailer or step out at a convenience store. Reading this will help me remember to behave a little better going forward.

Great job representing good people, and good products! Thanks for that.

Rich I couldn't be happier having you advertise for my business ( Steve Ash Construction ), you show class in everything you do and set a example for all of us to follow.

I'd be proud to be one of your sponsors again next year!

Awesome story!!! Thank you for your kindness

This is very nice and makes me think. I am no pro and have no sponsors but gonna try my best to put together a few pkgs and when I see some young kids on the bank doing there best I'm gonna walk up and do the same sounds like a great blessing. I can remember when I started fishing with nothing but a stick , spool of line and a hook.

Great post, way to represent the true nature of the sport that brought us all together. May your actions bring others to do unto others as you have done. Fishing is about sportsmanship, camaraderie and respect not only for the great outdoors but our fellow man. Thanks for sharing the great example and bringing it back into scope.


~J. Babcock

Kudos!!!!
Excellent job.

I try and do the same thing, even though I don't have all the fancy name branded products on my shirt or boat. I will stop and donate my minnows to a family bank fishing, or a family heading out for the day. I'll offer tips or locations to find fish. We are all ambassadors, fishing ambassadors.

Thanks for lighting a candle, maybe one day they will carry the torch.

That is a great story. The businesses that you represent should be proud to have you as their ambassador. You are a gentleman, sir.

I appreciate your story, as a young man I envied the life of a Resort owner or fishing guide, wasn't aware of fishing pros at the time.
Now I fully realize that all three categories work their butts off night and day, it's no easy living and the dollars you earn are hard earned.

Good job. I've been doing that for a long time now. When Microspoons asked me if I'd represent their product, I accepted and put a big sticker across both sides of my boat. People would stop to ask me about the product and I would give them some to try. Even guides would ask and I'd give them some too. I give away a lot of plastics and cranks, even linecounter reels that I know I won't be using as I've upgraded to different models. I've ordered extra CDC stickers just to pass out to future members and businesses to get members here to use them. Last week I cleaned out my front room closet and found five tackle boxes under the other stuff. Two had handheld GPS in them among other numerous good stuff. I have some friends that own and work a baitshop on one of my favorite lakes. One of their son works as a dock boy there. I packed as much as I could get into the biggest box and donated to him to share with the dock crew. I'm at that age now where I know I'll never be able to use all the stuff I've accumulated over the years, so why let it sit around when I know someone will enjoy using it. I don't represent any companies anymore but still pass out a lot of products that I use to catch crappies. If you see me on the lake or at the ramp, ask me what I'm using and I'll be more than happy to share what's working.

Great job...

Thank You for the post. I am just a dirt launch guy so thanks again for doing what you did and do.

The crappie dot com family is unlike any other fishing forum out there. Most of us share information, tips, tricks, and secrets with not just fellow members but people we see and interact with out on the lakes, rivers, and streams.

I've been doing this for quite awhile now. As I said, most of the time, I'm doing it on behalf of my sponsors. I didn't write the post to shed light on "ME" but rather what "WE" all can do as sportsman and women and outdoors enthusiast. There are tons and tons of little kids, and people that are less fortunate than I am that can benefit greatly from the generosity that we as sportsman can show.

Too many times we talk about the annoying things that are happening and how the culture of America is changing. Although I don't feel I can make a drastic impact on any of that, if I can effect one person every time I am on the water, then that might carry over for the future of our sport and our country!

Many times I have given stuff away that I have purchased out of my own pocket. These actions and decisions "we" as sportsmen make can and will have a lasting effect on the future generations. Sure, my job is to get the product knowledge out there so that people can purchase products from companies I represent. The difference is that there are several ways that this can be done. Name recognition is just one way. Most companies splatter there name over everything in the hopes that someone will remember them when they go to purchase something. Me on the other hand, I like to provide a kind gesture, a helping hand, information, and tips and tricks. People remember "the person" that showed them something, gave them something, or took time out of their day to talk to them. They recognize the products he represents. As a result, they associate those products with the person!

We all have "stuff". And lots of it! Next time you are at the dock and you see a young child fishing on the bank, getting the boat ready with mom or dad, grandpa or grandma, head over and strike up a conversation. Give him a package of baits, a few jigs, or some Crappie dot com stickers. I always ask Ed to send me a few extra stickers, a hat or two, and always have youth stuff in my vehicle and my boat. Over the last few years, I've gotten several items from Ed with CDC logos on them (pocket knives, flashlights, visors, t-shirts) and I don't think I have kept any of them. Not because I am not gracious of his generosity, but I feel they can be better served in the hands of some young fisherman or women who could use it more than I can!

Excellent post keep doing what you are doing and hopefully the rest will follow. Thanks for sharing.

I didn't add something that has now come to mind, and would like you all to consider. We have spoken of putting an advantage in someones hand, be it a jig, body. or just a few words of encouragement or a way to improve their presentation. I wasn't double digit in age and met a man when fishing with my brother one day. I had never caught a Bass, and this man seemed to be getting all he wanted. He was using a plastic worm, of all things. Made by a company called Creme and it looked just like a nightcrawler. Well I have to tell you I was enthralled that he could take a piece of plastic and catch fish like no tomorrow. Before we parted, he gave me one of these magic worms, and I believe that I never put it on a line because I fooled with it so much that I wound up breaking it into pieces. My point is that 50 years down the road, I can see that happening fresh in my mind.

Fast forward these many years and I have learned to tie jigs, pour jigheads with sickle hooks, paint crankbaits, and catch fish on a regular basis. At a ramp or on the water, folks ask questions or look at my rods to see what I'm using. Folks look at a hand tied jig and are amazed that someone that they can talk to and ask questions has made this wonderful thing. I learned this early on after tying my first jig, and they have become a kind of currency among fishermen and women. I couldn't guess how many I have tied. I have carried a box of these for years. It's a great thing to open a box of them and push it across the front deck in a parking lot and tell them to pick a couple. No matter who they are, a bridge was just crossed and you're now a friend. These small things do so much for the receiver, kind of like giving fish to a neighbor who isn't able to go anymore for one reason or another. I'm no shining example, but hit the mark now and then. Starting up that conversation might just make you a pleasant memory 50 years from now.

Most that know me know myself and a bud or 2 have very similar thoughts on this subject . I won't ever be a pro though as it's not in me to be competitive . I typically don't worry about who ketched the most or the biggest , but to be Sure I take lots of time to help anyone that thinks I can help them and give a terribly large number of tips and baits away .
There isn't a lot of things out there that can come close to seeing some little one ketch a first fish or a big fish and there are then the parents that typically smile just as big and seem just as grateful.
Nice read and kudos for not being like some of the "pro" types I have met in the past .

A great example for others to follow.
"gene"

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Originally Posted by Ketchn

Most that know me know myself and a bud or 2 have very similar thoughts on this subject . I won't ever be a pro though as it's not in me to be competitive . I typically don't worry about who ketched the most or the biggest , but to be Sure I take lots of time to help anyone that thinks I can help them and give a terribly large number of tips and baits away .
There isn't a lot of things out there that can come close to seeing some little one ketch a first fish or a big fish and there are then the parents that typically smile just as big and seem just as grateful.
Nice read and kudos for not being like some of the "pro" types I have met in the past .

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Ketchn,

Your writings and reports on Crappie dot Com are definately indicative of the type of person you are! I have no doubt that you have given away more tips, hot spots, and hot bait choices than we will ever know. We as sportsmen have a great opportunity every time we hit the water!

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Originally Posted by skeetbum

I didn't add something that has now come to mind, and would like you all to consider. We have spoken of putting an advantage in someones hand, be it a jig, body. or just a few words of encouragement or a way to improve their presentation. I wasn't double digit in age and met a man when fishing with my brother one day. I had never caught a Bass, and this man seemed to be getting all he wanted. He was using a plastic worm, of all things. Made by a company called Creme and it looked just like a nightcrawler. Well I have to tell you I was enthralled that he could take a piece of plastic and catch fish like no tomorrow. Before we parted, he gave me one of these magic worms, and I believe that I never put it on a line because I fooled with it so much that I wound up breaking it into pieces. My point is that 50 years down the road, I can see that happening fresh in my mind.

Fast forward these many years and I have learned to tie jigs, pour jigheads with sickle hooks, paint crankbaits, and catch fish on a regular basis. At a ramp or on the water, folks ask questions or look at my rods to see what I'm using. Folks look at a hand tied jig and are amazed that someone that they can talk to and ask questions has made this wonderful thing. I learned this early on after tying my first jig, and they have become a kind of currency among fishermen and women. I couldn't guess how many I have tied. I have carried a box of these for years. It's a great thing to open a box of them and push it across the front deck in a parking lot and tell them to pick a couple. No matter who they are, a bridge was just crossed and you're now a friend. These small things do so much for the receiver, kind of like giving fish to a neighbor who isn't able to go anymore for one reason or another. I'm no shining example, but hit the mark now and then. Starting up that conversation might just make you a pleasant memory 50 years from now.

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"Starting up that conversation might just make you a pleasant memory 50 years from now"

I could not have said it better myself. I am glad that I am not the only one out there doing this type of stuff.

We wear Crappie.com hats, T-shirts, and adorn our boats with stickers. We have the opportunity to be ambassadors of our sport and represent fishermen and women in a whole different light. There are countless threads about the stupid things people do on the water. Maybe, just maybe, with the way some of us do business, we might effect the masses and change things back to the respect we all learned!

I appreciate what you did. You did the right thing not just for your sponsors but more importantly the good of the sport, when i am fishing alone, and see someone bank/dock fishing, i always ask if they want to come out with me, 95% of the time they say no. Not a problem. I have had some take me up on it and we have a blast. In mn, a child caught his first walleye from my boat. I dont know who was prouder, his dad or me. I always keep 5-6 crappie in my livewell coming back into shore also which is when i see the most shore fisherman, always ask them if they want to bring fish home and will give them 5 nice ones if they do. Otherwise i will turn them lose when i have four bags of fish in the freezer. Im no pro but can catch fish, i still have a couple phone numbers in my phone of these folks and will send them a text a day or two in advance when i know if im fishing alone that i met at the landing. Great people and seeing the excitement on their fish is why i do it. Tomorrow will be bringing one of the new members out for half a day also to get a lesson on tight lining. I like reading stories like this. Thank you tim.

great post and a class act you are sir

I just two weeks ago made my postman's son a box full of plastics (20 different colors ) and painted him 10 different size and color cranks the boy is 8 years old, of course dad wanted to pay me and I said no, I said my payment would be picture's of fish with smiles on the faces of his kids.

yesterday he came back from his week long family vacation with some of the best pictures I have ever seen, being single and with no kids or grandkids it does my 58 year old heart good to see kids having fun catching fish

Thank you all for everything you do, be it here on CDC or in the world around you, kindness to children is a fleeting thing in this day and age

Hope you fellers remember me when Ima too old to cut the mustard. Getting there fast too, wherever there is.

PS

I like crappie cakes.

Great post. About nine or ten years ago a major crappie tournament came to my home town in Alabama. I became quite involved in it and got to know several pros quite well. I'll never forget a conversation when one of them started talking about walleye fishermen from "up north." He said that he hoped those guys never came down here and entered crappie tournaments, because they'd win every one of them. He said the techniques used to catch walleye fit perfectly for crappie and they've been doing it a long time. It's just something that stuck in my head. Heck, except for pictures, I've never seen a walleye.

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Originally Posted by Gansett

Great post. About nine or ten years ago a major crappie tournament came to my home town in Alabama. I became quite involved in it and got to know several pros quite well. I'll never forget a conversation when one of them started talking about walleye fishermen from "up north." He said that he hoped those guys never came down here and entered crappie tournaments, because they'd win every one of them. He said the techniques used to catch walleye fit perfectly for crappie and they've been doing it a long time. It's just something that stuck in my head. Heck, except for pictures, I've never seen a walleye.

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I was never a pro walleye guy but picked it up quick, some of my crappie setups are the same for walleye, including my go to setup except I tightline the setup not slow troll. Walleyes are interesting and challenging creatures. Most challenging part of crappie I find is learning the lake and finding the structure, but they don't have walleye here in South Carolina lol

Awesome read Wicklundrh!
Your work ethic and attitude is like no Pro or Guide I know around here... (there is quite a few! 2 are related!)
I'm no pro angler but like to share in the wealth, when I have extra cranks or softies with me...Feels good to make someones day

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Originally Posted by Cane Pole

Hope you fellers remember me when Ima too old to cut the mustard. Getting there fast too, wherever there is.

PS

I like crappie cakes.

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These days, I cut the cheese more than I cut the mustard.....:yikes

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Originally Posted by wicklundrh

You take the boat off from plane. You are 300 yards from the channel opening. Your truck, trailer, and air conditioning are in sight. It is now well past 4pm and you have been up for nearly 12 hours. You are sunburned in places you didn’t know you could be sunburnt. You put in twenty plus hours of pre-fishing and spent sixteen hours over a two day period trying to best sixty of the best walleye anglers in the world. You are happy that you decided to launch in a different location as the tournament location was utter chaos. You have no idea where you are in the running order and really don’t care. All you want to do is load the boat, throw on the cover, grab a cold drink and a snack from the cooler, and hit the road.

Getting closer to the entrance of the channel, you look over. Standing on the bank is a man, a women, and two young boys. Both of the boys are fishing. You ask one of the little guys if he is catching anything. First it was nothing, then it was two! You ask how big they were. He holds up his hands. You tell him that you always start with your hands wider apart! His first lesson in being a fisherman. They see your boat with all the cool gadgets, the stickers on the side, and two men wearing matching sponsor shirts and life jackets. You smile with the fact that you are leading by example.

The boat is on the trailer now, the work is almost done, the finish line in sight. Your mind wanders back to the boys on the bank. You remember being that young. You remember how far you have come and how you got to where you are. You have sponsors that pay to put their name and advertising on the side of your boat and on your cloths. They pay you to advertise and represent them in the best possible manner.

Reaching in one of your bags, you pull out a few packages of soft plastic baits. Many of which are not even on the market yet. Although it is nearly 200 yards to where the family is fishing and enjoying their Sunday, you make the walk over. You strike up some conversations with the boys. You give each of them some custom H2Ohammer baits. You talk to the mom and dad, snap a quick photograph, and make the long walk back to the truck.

Attachment 267391

Being a professional isn’t always about winning or collecting a paycheck. Being a professional means that you represent yourself and your sponsors in the best possible light. Hopefully the guys from the BASS tournament that was at this launch took notice of the guy that took time out of his day to walk over and donate some things to the future generations of our sport. In 20 years, these little guys might not remember my name, they may not remember my face, but they will remember that, once upon a time, a fisherman with a pretty cool boat, some neat gadgets, and some stickers, took time out to come over, single them out, and give them something!

I post this on Crappie Dot Com because many of my sponsors are either members of this great site, or member sponsors of this site and their names are on the side of my boat. This gesture was on behalf of all of them. This is how I represent each and every one of you. Regardless of wins or leaderboard outcomes, my sponsors come before anything else. I wear your stickers with pride and do not do anything to tarnish your name. Whether it is driving on the road, at the dock, on the water, or speaking with young men and women, I want people to see the person behind the sticker. There are tons of products on the market today and I represent a small portion of them. I cannot make anyone purchase something. My only hope is that, when the time comes, they remember the guy that gave them his spot in line at the dock, a little extra room on the water, some soft plastics that the fish are biting on, or some planer board clips because theirs were broken. They will remember what I stood for. As a result, they will know that this is what the company on the side of my boat also stands for!

In case you are wondering who and what is on the side of my boat:

Two big yellow Crappie.Com stickers (hopefully I made two members for life Ed)
Two yellow “Off Shore tackle” stickers. NickD and his father Bruce are both crappie.com members and member sponsors!
Steve Ash construction (also a crappie.com member)
H2Ohammer (Brian is also a crappie.com member and it was HIS soft plastics I gave to the young boys)
Ron Royal Carpet (Ron is a “lurker” on our site, hopefully he will see this and introduce himself)
Engel Coolers (I am currently working on getting them as a member sponsor for crappie.com)
Fish Sniper Tackle (I am the original owner. After meeting another crappie.com member, I sold my business to his Marine Corps veteran son)

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This on 9-27-23 at 10:22pm was still a pleasure to read for the 1st time. Well done Sir & Best to you.