From the outside looking in, tournament fishing definitely has that wow factor. You will see anglers with the big flashy boats with sponsors logos splashed all over the sides. What most don’t realised is that these guys had to start somewhere and have endured years of hard work to get to where they are today.
With the rise of social media and the ease of free information there has been a dramatic decrease in the ability to partner with brands to lesson the costs involved in chasing the dream.
So after putting in the hard yards I have finally got to a stage where I can say I am comfortable in the sport. But it has not always been the case. It has taken more than 10 years to get to where I am and there has been many mistakes made along the way. So, if you are just starting out and would like to hear a few of my biggest mistakes, here they are.
Time away from family and making sure family comes first. You are thinking, “whats the cost of that, time is free”? The whole family is along for the ride and you are not the only one making all the sacrifices. Most people that are on wages only get 4 weeks leave a year and to fish a full tournament season in Australia they will be chewed up very quickly. So when the kids say lets go to Dreamworld for the school holidays, make sure you still have days up your sleeve. And for the owners of a business, you may be able to get the time off but the cost is missing work or paying someone else to do it for you.
Second mistake is thinking that you can’t compete at the elite level in Australia without the biggest and most expensive boat. Think about the long game, don’t rush out and buy a $70k boat because you’re trying to compete with the Jones. Most of Australian water ways are not big enough to justify the difference in 50hp to 250hp. There have been several comps in the last few years won by the guy in the smallest boat.
Don’t get caught up with all the dock talk when you see Joe Bloggs win a tournament using a certain rod and reel combo and think that won them the event. I guarantee you it’s not the rod and reel it’s the hard work and years of practice that won them the competition. My moto that I spout all the time is: buy the best you can afford and never over expend your hard earned dollars.
And lastly, travel in groups. Get a team of like minded people together and share costs where possible. Camping over a cabin is also a massive savings over a calendar year. Its not that hard to sleep in a swag for three days. Most Caravan parks charge for 2 people whether you’re there by yourself or not. Share fuel and food, it will save you $1000’s of dollars a year.
And remember to have fun! That cost nothing!!!!!
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