You Guys Are Not Going To Want To Hear What I’m About To Tell You…

[@forrhs8430]

So basically, local fishing tournaments with $50 entries to win $500 is the way to go to enjoy tournaments and still have a great life!

[@DonnaKeffer]

Exactly

[@Gill-gn3si]

Too much cheating and local tournaments

[@forrhs8430]

@@Gill-gn3si that’s what I keep seeing in the news… pretty Damm sad when you can’t even have a legit, local one day weekend tournament , with a small entry fee, and cheating still occurs… I’m happy to catch a single fish, and I enter just for the fun and competition, not so much worrying about winning… doesn’t even enter my mind to be honest

[@shanecarter7958]

If you follow this guy

[@mikelembke5121]

True the small entry fee tournaments are fun

[@edwardcowan7012]

Nightmares are dreams too. I’ve fished about 50 pro level events, including 2 Classics over the last 45 years. Never did it full time and turned down my Elite invitation, thankfully I was old enough and experienced enough to recognize the realities of professional bass fishing at the time.

[@sliderman6899]

Wondering if you are the Ed Cowan that I fished with on a New York Federation team back in the 90s. If so, how are you. This is Karl Tripple. Are you still fishing any tournaments? Or just fun fishing like I am?

[@edwardcowan7012]

@@sliderman6899 I’m in a NJ bass club so I fish club tournaments and some Tuesday nights on Wallenpaupack. What years were you on the NY team?

[@sliderman6899]

@@edwardcowan7012 I was on the NY teams in 1989, 1990 and 1993.

[@sliderman6899]

@@edwardcowan7012 We fished on the 1988 NY team in Waldorf Maryland Potomac River. Darron Dalton fished with us.

[@edwardcowan7012]

@@sliderman6899 I haven’t seen Darren in years. Did he stop fishing? Larry Allard was captain if I remember right. Those events were so good.

[@Fishnfool87]

Speaking facts. Back in the 90’s fishing was a way of life. Now it’s a rich man sport no doubt about that. Thanks for your wisdom and knowledge

[@ThreeBoysFishing]

I never fished professionally but still applies I missed a lot of family stuff And who knows what else because of my love for fishing

[@a-gamecustomlures]

Married with two kids here. I fish a low entry fee weekly evening tournament (100% payback), a local USA Bassin division, and maybe a couple open tournaments that are 100% payback or fundraiser splits. ALL allow me have one or both kids as partners, not spend much on gas or entries, and frees up most weekends for other family events. A weekly group allows three in the boat as long as one is 16 or younger. Keeps us together and expenses low. Placing in money once or twice can cover most, if not all, of the season, too.

[@JF71951]

Good message for high school angler.

[@AsianAmerican113]

This solar bat sunglasses sale is never going to end lol. Just keep the same sale all year bc that’s basically what is going on.

[@ronaldciterone4134]

Brutal honesty Sr Randal! I appreciate reality!

[@RWildekrav66]

You want to watch some really great and entertaining tournament fishing ? And believe me it’s a tournament among the kids , who catches the biggest or most . Check out your local lakes or ponds to see kids with cane poles , cheap rods , worms or night crawlers fishing from the banks . That’s where the fun is really at and then wait for the stories of the big fish that got away , every time getting bigger as they keep going . And the look on their face when they want Mom to cook that fish , and she says Yes . Those memories are worth far more to alot of people than big tournaments. Agree with this or not . I’m just saying .

[@Zanzabar5]

Pro Bass fishing is like throwing hundreds of thousands of dollars into a wind storm on a lake; and spending the rest of the year being cold tired and hungry trying to snag it all back out of the water.

[@forrhs8430]

@@Zanzabar5 what happened to MLF, BPT and no entry fees? Greedy sumbeeches… I think a BPT payout should not exceed $25,000 for the winner, and reduce payout of $1,000 down to the top 25, with everyone below 25 guaranteed $1,000. And limit boat engine HP to 150 or below… sorry 200+ HP is not necessary for most tournaments

[@Zanzabar5]

​@@forrhs8430 Maybe there is too much competition with other spectator sports coupled with a decline of middle class America to grow the sport and watch tournaments. The bass fishing consumer market, White Christians from the heartland, is in an extinction-level population decline. Also, social media has allowed charismatic anglers take eyeballs off tournament pros entirely unless they provide value. Randy has adapted to the new environment and is providing tonnes of value. But still, non-anglers just aren't watching bass fishing, like "non-ballers" watch ballgames by the millions.

[@RWildekrav66]

@@forrhs8430🤔Hmmmmm.

[@jefferytodd3265]

There is really no other way it could be. Fishing is the ultimate leisure activity, so, to make a career of it is asking too much. It's nobody's fault, there is no good or bad about it. It's just reality. Any pay-to-play competition with low public interest, lack of non-endemic sponsorship, and high expenses suffers the same fate.

[@nicholasroberts5826]

Sounds like a great way to have a bad time fishing. Lol I'm very grateful to have a stress relieving hobby free of ambition. 🎣

[@lesterhoward6561]

I think tournaments are ending. KZbinrs can fish and post their tips and and baits etc...snd save all that money and expense

[@Buddy1980]

Probably good advise really, anyway off subject again , did you ever see with your own eyes the double deck boat trailer that The Hibdens had back in the 80s?

[@davidlanphere5817]

Sounds just like a speech, I'd give anybody asking me my opinion on becoming a truck driver.

[@squonto47]

Ok, I’ll bite. Do a video on your channel.

[@davidlanphere5817]

@squonto47 What dose that he to do with telling someone not to be a truck driver? Why should I need a channel to leave a comment to Randy?

[@stevesteve4350]

I just got a CDL and looking for a local job. Any advice? 43 years old

[@squonto47]

I’d like to hear you do a speech on being a truck driver. Let me know when it’s up on your channel.

[@davidlanphere5817]

​@@stevesteve4350think twice, never believe a dispatcher, and never look for any respect

[@itstrizzo]

Debilitating stress....whatevs. If it's truly a rich man's game like you say it is, then most of these guys don't know stress. Shut these circuits down and let these guys join the real world.

[@horbie5039]

Great advise!

[@ronfussell8244]

My nephew is a great fisherman, it was his drug,his passion, worked his way up,had a two year boat deal, had a tackle deal(s),won an elite series tournament, at the end of the first year he was only 10k in debt, at the end of year two he made enough to pay off the boat,cover all the debt and said it's more fun not being a pro,he sold the boat,bought a nice boat,then started a family.

[@WalterTucker-m5r]

Kvd said it very well. If you want to make a small fortune fishing tournaments start with a large fortune.

[@1829Lola]

Good video. Could you do a video on what sponsor dollars are available to the Pro's. I know the name guys get money. But i see the guys finishing in 60th place saying they could not do it without the sponsors.

[@KastkingAngler]

In my opinion, tournaments take all the fun out of fishing. I fish to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

[@jimmydean4444]

So many hobbies and things like this in our life seem to be this way kind of ruins it

[@astrophysicistguy]

To be brutally honest, expecting me to feel sympathy for 200 guys that don't have real jobs and choose to be "pro fisherman" would be like expecting me to feel sorry for someone who decided to BASE jump off a cliff without a parachute and died because they didn't realize a parachute was kinda necessary ... and if you are not looking* for our sympathy then I don't understand what the purpose of this video is?

[@mikecollett8513]

Hardy har har, that sounds counter intuitive Astro***. Gosh if we could only understand the pressures.

[@rogerolander458]

Great video.

[@stocktonlkfshg]

Seen ya rolling down James River towing the old Ranger an hour ago. Did ya get out today?

[@SMC4117]

Firstly, payouts are a joke compared what the fishing industry is pulling in financially! That said, take a look at some of the Japanese professionals. Come to America with basically nothing, no major sponsorships, little money, living tournament to tournament for years, camping instead of Airbnb’s or hotels, totally alone without being able to speak English and thousands of miles away from friends and family! Talk about never give up… I should know, my wife is Japanese and hasn’t given up on me… yet😂🎣

[@jodyroper5627]

Fished the first year had a blast the second year was my last what it cost to travel and the entire fees to fish yeah I can’t do it.that with 2 incomes that made great money with full support it’s just to much

[@shayparis2213]

Bravo Randy !

[@MadCountyIL]

Holy cow, pretty tough sport.

[@TheGnthreman]

Here's a thought. Let's have a ffs category and no ffs category. The non ffs category gets a higher payout and points. The ffs category gets a lower amount of payout and lower points.

[@northernbassalliance1442]

Randy you want to go watch some good fishing? Go watch the flat brimmers and scopers tear em up on frogs and spooks on the mississippi. Or thr MLF event in the fox river chain.

[@GS-zv3qn]

Pro bass fishing sounds like pro motocross ,the top 10 have big paying contracts then is goes down fast. Both will never have the number of high paying contracts like baseball, basketball, or football

[@forrhs8430]

Not so glamorous anymore being a pro fisherman, is it? Like you said, unless you have money to burn, and even if you do, if you have a family it is bad news.

[@russelljohng]

It’s True

[@SeeLifeBro]

Professional fishing is unsustainable with the current state of the industry and leagues. It doesn't make financial sense for 3/4 of the field. That's not a good outlook for the future of our sport. I think someone needs to make a new version of Ultimate Match Fishing with no entry fee and good sponsor backing. That would be fun for the anglers and all the fans.

[@forrhs8430]

But some are lucky with sponsors, that helps a little, but not completely.

[@rickwatts9738]

get a real job

[@FiciousCritik]

Since luck/randomness is intrinsic to pro angling --> It seems more like gambling than a business venture. Gambling vs Investing? Someone _ALWAYS LOSES_ in gambling, not so with investing. All parties "can" profit in a "real" investment. Do all parties _EVER PROFIT_ in tournaments ... of any kind?

[@FiciousCritik]

I won't fish or shoot pool for money. The therapeutic benefits would vanish.

[@cuivre2004]

My old boss said basically the same thing about his wife. He said if he had it all to do over again, he would marry someone different who had more earning potential. I sure as heck hope he didn't reveal that dark secret to his wife, but he was a miserable person to have to work around, so it showed. Living with regrets (or 'regerts') makes one marinade in misery. Besides- it is a futile thought exercise, and you should never project your regrets on your children-it rarely works.

[@TheSkinnyWaterDude]

They keep telling us this sport needs to be like a ball and a local court! NASCAR is going through this! Hello?

[@lynnmoss1183]

If you are a good communicator, marketer, business savvy, great personality, likeable, and a good fisherman that can parlay fish catching success over to business success, it may be worth a shot. KVD, Skeet, Iaconelli, Swindle, Martin, and several others have made millions from fishing, aside from tournament winnings.

[@WRATHOFTHELAMB61617]

Which spills over to fishing videos on KZbin just like this. How many are designed to promote their own products under the guise of certain lures being effective certain months for example?

[@scottkirkpatrick8340]

Note TBF of New York eliminated forward-facing sonors for tournaments 2025

[@dwainmorgan8550]

I thought the the sponsors are there to help with entry fees a tackle a gas an so on. The jersey they wear is that decoration.

[@kylebrandstattfishing7270]

Are you fishing NPFL?

[@DennisDuffy-n8g]

Those are 5 gs a tournament I’m guessing no

[@kylebrandstattfishing7270]

All the top leagues are $5000… is he just gonna fish BFLs and get his teeth kicked in by “scopers”?

[@DennisDuffy-n8g]

@@kylebrandstattfishing7270 the opens are only 2000 and yes I do some of them

[@mikecollett8513]

Always find these epiphanies curious. The business of fishing is so much tougher than starting a conventional business, if we only knew. Well is someone only knew. Sounds like a Gamblers anonymous talking circle. Hey if you can get that bottom lip to quiver ever so slightly. . .

[@jameslovelace8958]

I don’t see how these kids on the Elite side are doing it.

[@Slickone-wk9mc]

Oh whaaah, i have to fish for a living

[@marcchenoweth8276]

Not judging but.......sounds like you're always crying about something. C'mon man! Times are changing, technology is changing. Join it or bow out!

[@joshstewart2296]

Kayak tournaments. Costs way less to compete

[@larryhobbs8769]

Kayak fishing is stupid

[@GS-zv3qn]

Bass boat fishing and bank fishing is stupid

[@joshstewart2296]

@@larryhobbs8769 past your bed time larry

[@TheREVIEWGUY1-ip1wm]

Tournaments were created for rich guys by rich guys livescope basically is for the rich thats why i sold my boat and went back and found new hobbies adn fishing is too tough these days next

[@TheSkinnyWaterDude]

Basketball is the cheapest sport ever created! ❤

[@davidgerdes1815]

Running is

[@DougLane-dj3oh]

I will never encourage my grandsons to be police officers. There you go.

[@patricialeannshaw592]

Sucker Game

[@fisherguy719]

I've told people lots of times. You're fishing for your own money. Aint right. 77 year old pro

[@workout3676]

If you are good enough to make the elite tournaments. You can probably get aboat deal at least a late payment deal. Most likely, you already have a boat if you are fishing all 9. If you are that high in the standing, you made some high finishes and made money.

[@Nonamejustcommonsense]

Try working corporate America and get back to me. All of your complaints are there as well with the difference that you’re not doing what you love to do.

[@robertjakubicki2265]

That's why I liked working for the federal government. Lots of time off and early retirement. I worked for corporate America for 8 years after college and decided to be an aircraft mechanic for the federal government. I didn't like corporate America.

[@josephphillips590]

Oh what pressure😂😂😂😂😂 what a joke

[@jameslovelace8958]

At my age a small local club and maybe a Tuesday nighter is best. Back in the 90’s I fished in the minor leagues of the FLW and a few Pro/Am’s. I even fished with Timmy Horton his rookie year. But I love my club tournaments.

[@KI4ZDF-Steve]

And if you do it and think your going to make a living then you’ll be independently poor

[@eddiejones974]

I would like to know how these young kids afford to fish the elites

[@ricknelson4793]

Spoiled with daddy's money!

[@JoshSees]

I tell my kid not to be a performing musician.

[@DennyR-qk1zw]

It’s a selfish hobby basically

[@rayvanacore4889]

You have to be selfish plain and simple if you are married with kids and want to be a pro.

[@toddaldrich1936]

You could say the same about the guy never at home working 16 18 hrs a day at his blue collar job.

[@gregarmstrong6798]

You’re using the term “professional” very loosely. You’re not a professional anything if you lose money doing it. That’s called being a delusional fisherman. There are plenty of those throughout BASS and MLF.

[@Daniel-pz4wm]

Loving the hat!!! 🤠 Cool shades 😎 STILL THE #1 FAN!!!

[@jeb4836]

Great advice.