Do You Need To Go To Collage? 2024

BassMaster17 reply :

I have heard that you do need to, and i have also heard that you don't need to. So do you really need to go to college to become a professional fisherman? or is it just recommended.

Matthew2000 reply :

You do, lots of business involved that requires a good education. And if it dosent work out you have a degree.

flyfisher reply :

Well i am guessing you meant college and not collage so i will answer accordingly. It is ultimately up to you to make that decision but a professional fishing career is something worth striving for but as in any career, it is nice to have a fall back plan and finding one that is complimentary as to being a pro fisherman like marketing or something else. I know of a few pros who are day traders which helps to supplement their income.

Catch and Grease reply :

No it is not absouletely needed.

I mean I'm about to graduate highschool so I don't know anything but thats my opinion anyways...

C0lt reply :

I would say yes. With the climate of completion and lack of jobs in our economy, it would be foolish to forgo college if you have the opportunity to attend.

scaleface reply :

I think to be a pro fisherman you have to be able to sell fishing products. The competition is fierce . Marketing might give you an edge .

basscatcher8 reply :

College isn't for everybody but it was the best thing I did. It's nice to have a fall back "when" things go south chasing the dream you got that degree in your back pocket. I only use when and not if cause only the small percentage make it and the majority have their run and then join the rest of us working. Anymore it's like NASCAR its not about your talent its about how much money you show up to the table with before fishing. Seems like most of the bottom tier guys in BASS or FLW are just guys who own their own businesses and can afford to pay the entry fee every year regardless of their skill.

Dyerbassman reply :

Go to a college with a fishing team. Get the experience and a degree.

Alonerankin2 reply :

Definitely go to university.. Get yourself a degree.

Fishing careers are elite, ( elite series )

George Cochran owned a appliance store

David Fritts a farm ( his father & him )

Thing is, most of these guys had substantial resources before they became pro.. Not all though, Zell Roland stated he never had a normal job, ever.. He started fishing at 15

KVD may be another example, he got started fishing very young as well.

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

I was never really good at art so....

Cgrinder reply :

If you go to college, someday someone will pay you to make collages.

Ratherbfishing reply :

Being a professional fisherman requires considerably more than simply knowing how to fish well. It requires communication and marketing skills, time management skills, accounting skills, business savy, etc. etc. How one acquires those skills can vary considerably-some of which can be acquired during one's public school years. Some can be had with post high school education and some can be acquired by simply being curious, and a lot can be had by just living and "doing."

I feel I would be remiss if I didn't add the following: While having an education is (or can be) very useful, I have to add the caveat that many institutions (like governement) thrive and have gotten fat (and wasteful) with the notion that we can't live without them-in EVEN their present form. There needs to be a "rethink" of what colleges ought to be for and if those goals being met. A person can spend a lot of time and money with an education and come away with very little to really show for it.

DogBone_384 reply :

You should get a college degree no matter what, unless you're striving for a career in the trades (UNION) or are planning on military duty (opens up tons of opportunities). Geeze I sound like a parent....

Best of luck to you!

Catt reply :

Professional anglers do not have to be able to market anything; large corporations have marketing departments that can sell anything or anyone.

The professional angler has to have the talent to consistently place high in tournaments which in turn makes him marketable.

SirSnookalot reply :

A requirement, no. All that is needed is to know how to fish and be able to sustain yourself until you start making money. That need applies to any business.

I'm of the ilk that college is for an education, not basic training to become a professional fisherman, unless there is a draft like football where you can get signing bonus for millions of dollars.

Success if defined as financial stability, is attainable with our without a degree, which is always up to the individual.

Catt is right, companies market and top fisherman merely endorse products.

J Francho reply :

Pretty sure no one in this thread is a professional angler. I'm not sure there have been enough professional anglers to clearly define a career path along with all the prerequisites - like education - that go with it. It's like asking if you need guitar lessons to become a professional musician. Yes, but maybe no. Or maybe yes. Just fish, pro angler is not a reasonable goal, so you'll want a fall backin case that doesn't happen.

corn-on-the-rob reply :

The biggest things you need to be a professional fisherman are money and the freedom to do so. With out those two things, even if you are very talented, you won't have the opportunity.

While it is not impossible to find a decent job with out a college degree, a college degree will hopefully give you more options in salary and location. Until you are a fully supported professional you need the means to get there.

There are only a couple good reasons that you shouldn't go to college. One of them shouldn't be money. You can attend a cheaper school or even a community college. The government loans through FAFSA might seem scary but the support is there if you/your family can't support you financially.

The two acceptable reasons that I can think of for not attending are mental/health issues and if you are of very below average intelligence both of which I believe not to be true so far.

I personally would find a major that fits your strengths first then if nothing else then look into business/marketing degrees. Good at science and math? maybe engineering. Get a BS in nursing and work three 12 hour shifts a week making good money, fish the rest. You get the point. Also careful to not get suckered into a "useless" degree. For example a 4 year psychology degree will not amount to much (not always) unless you go to graduate school and get your PhD.

Also a ton of colleges have fishing clubs/teams so you can get tons of great experience and exposure at this level.

In short, regardless of your intentions/desires for fishing, unless you have a d**n good reason not to, go to college.

RSM789 reply :

Since professional fishing is like other competitive arenas where only a few make it, you should have some kind of skill or marketable ability to fall back on. Most pro's did double duty in the beginning, both their job/career and fishing until they were making enough money with the latter to quit the former.

Too many people go to college as a way to forestall the process of being responsible for themselves, basically giving them another 4-6 years of late adolescence. Therefore, I believe the question isn't 'Should I go to college?, but rather "What would I go to college for?". Professions such as attorneys, doctors that require specialized knowledge most definitely require a degree. Nearly all the rest of the degrees are ways for colleges to keep themselves in business. There is more value in the networking done at college than the actual degree.

Don't get me wrong, I am not anti-education, I am anti-fooling-yourself. I have a Bachelors in Marketing and was on my way to a Masters when I got my first job outside of fast-food/retail. I had to quickly unlearn many things I had learned in school, for they were theory & had zero application in the real world. Years later when I started my own company, I further realized how unprepared college had made me for running a business. There was learning involved and the things taught in a classroom just didn't apply (short of Accounting 101a). There is a reason why business classes talk about selling "widgets", its because they don't know how to sell anything tangible.

In short, be smart & be educated and if that requires college to achieve, then do it. Otherwise, learn a trade or skill and keep learning while you are working.

.ghoti. reply :

Being a professor, I have to say you need to go to college. It really comes down to what you're willing to do to stay fed and out of the rain.

What you need, if you're planning to take a shot at fishing professionally, is a back up plan. Unless you happen to be that one-in-a-million, fishing is not going to be your path to prosperity.

geo g reply :

College is certainly not a requirement to be a professional fisherman. Since the chances of making it to a successful professional career fishing is slim at best, it would be great to get some training, and possibly a degree in something you would enjoy doing, if the fishing career does not pan out. Remember it costs a lot of money to fish, to have a wife, and to raise a family in today's economy. A good career in a field you would enjoy, would allow you to accomplish a lot throughout life. .Read Ike's book, if you want to learn about the journey to a career in Professional Bass Fishing. College, or a good trade, is a sound piece of advice for any young person during these competitive times. Good luck whatever you do!

thomas15 reply :

Corn-on-the-rob (#17) and RSM789 (#18) I think have summed up my opinion on the matter quite well. You don't have to know anything about being a pro fisherman to know that one should have an alternate plan B.

Having a college degree is very useful provided that it is in something....useful. There are some really dumb and expensive degrees that you can buy. Just because a University offers a certain major doesn't mean that company X is going to hire you because you have that particular degree.

I recieved my BS degree 4 years after graduating HS and I don't regret it one bit. However, what was expensive 35 years ago is now off the charts expensive for kids today. So some thought and planning is advised.

Not that I'm the personal measure of all things academic or I own all common sense. But, I, in my old age decided to attend classes at my local community college for "personal enrichment". I'm just about finished with my 7th semester taking classes after work and at night. I will have earned at semesters end 35 credits, 3 of those are in English composition, the balance in Math and Science. Next fall I'm taking Organic Chemistry 1. I take challanging classes!

The point that I wish to make is that you can take some very hard classes at community college and at a considerable lower costs. If you work you can still go at night and while it may seem like forever, time marches on and a degree will come. You need to do your part though. I see students at school and in my classes that do not belong there. Waste of time and money. But most PT adult students are really motivated.

To use the example of my son, he went to welding school and has worked as a welder for about 4 years. Now he takes evening classes. Someday he will get a drgree and will not have a lot of debt doing so. Thing is, even if you don't have it nailed down what you want to do, take some general education classes now, even one at a time. 5 years from now you might still be dreaming of if/only/maybe. You can have 5 years pass and have nothing earned towards a degree or you could have a great head start. Your choice.

End of lecture.

Choporoz reply :

I recently read...maybe here....that if you think education is expensive, try ignorance....or maybe they said "life is hard if you go to collage....but its a lot harder if you papier-mâché"

Senko lover reply :

Like a picture collage?

Senko lover reply :

Honestly the most important thing (or so I've heard) is being able to sell yourself to potential companies (not in a bad way ). If a business degree will help that cause, and I think we're agreed that it will, then by all means go for it.

College is a good idea for most professions, and certainly not a bad experience in and of itself.

Plus, you can get on a collegiate team if you're good enough.

RF813 reply :

Ultimately, I'd say no, you don't HAVE to. But I am sure being a well spoken, well rounded and educated person can never hurt. If you have the means, I would go. If you end up being that special angler, then at least you were prepared if it didn't work out.

RSM789 reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 2:50 AM, Senko lover said:
...being able to sell yourself...If a business degree will help that cause, and I think we're agreed that it will, then by all means go for it...

It is been my experience that business degrees produce decent accountants, but don't help create good salespeople, managers or entrepreneurs. The latter 3 require more people skills and willingness to take risk, things that people are either born with or are learn best via experience.

Bruce424 reply :

But if college is what you do. Just be prepared with paying back loans and some more loans. And maybe some more loans. Me personally, I think the sales and endorsements aspect of the sport can be learned elswhere. Hands on training.

Choporoz reply :

On 4/22/2015 at 11:19 PM, J Francho said:
. Just fish, pro angler is not a reasonable goal, so you'll want a fall backin case that doesn't happen.

Every time I open this thread, I keep thinking back to ^

I'm curious how many bass pros net more than the use median income...which is what, about 53K? I'd bet its a pretty short list.

Montanaro reply :

Or work for oil/gas and make good money buy a boat and spend your 2 weeks off every month fishing until you start winning tournaments.

Don't go to college if you think you have to. Go to college because you want to.

Master Bait'r reply :

No, you don't "need" college unless you specifically need to learn something, like an engineer, accountant or doctor, etc. Most of business school is complete BS anyways- and that's why the naturals will always rise above on their own IMO.

It is always a good idea to invest in yourself if you have the grades and expendable income as well as the wherewithal/mentality to actually absorb it all... But to get yourself into ~$100k worth of debt because you think you might need it is a foolish thing. I see tons and tons of people who "thought they needed it" get absolutely bent over a barrel when they couldn't get a job in their field or worse hated it once they were living it- now they're struggling to make ends meet with a crap job when things didn't work out like the story book they wrote as a child said it would. I was "lucky" enough to graduate college juuuuuuuuuust as the economy collapsed. Thankfully just in time for me to lose just about everything, actually... So no. You don't need college. You can also take individual courses to increase your competency in finance or marketing fwiw. What you do need is go get all up in whatever it is you're trying to do- learn every d**n thing you can about how it actually works. Seriously, just go do it. If you find yourself at a level where you're seeing big holes in your game, then by all means pony up to a whiteboard again- but don't think it's a prerequisite by any stretch of the imagination. That's foolish talk.

My honest advice is to just bite the bullet and dive in. Go be a pro. I mean, it, just start entering tourneys. If you get to a point where you are missing pieces, then go back and learn them specifically, and maybe even a-la-carte if you can. DO NOT OVER-INVEST IN THE OVERPRICED HIGH SCHOOL SCENE THAT IS COLLEGE UNLESS YOU HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC PLAN OR YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME AND MONEY. You'll be doing yourself a huge favor if you do the figuring first and the learning afterwards than if you were to do it the other way around.

thomas15 reply :

I think we are all dancing on this pinhead referred to as the etreme luck required to become a professional angler. If you listen to those who have made it to the top, especally those who are young, when they speak or when they write it is as if they are intelligent and polished individuals. Still, I know an individual who is a serious compedative pistol shooter who has sponsorships, one of those is a very large and well known pistol maker. However this person does not make enough money to live on by shooting alone. So I would say if you want to get sponsors that's one thing but to make enough money to survive is something else all together. I seriously doubt that some of the well sought after sponsors will have anyone making public appearences on their behalf it you talk like Bubba. Sorry if that offends but that is how I feel about it.

Having said that, sport fishing as we know it is primarily a consumer driven recreational industry. The world will not come to an end if the season were to be cancelled. While I appreciate the chance takers attitude, it is wise to have a viable back up plan. If you love fishing so much, it would probably make better sense to invest the 10s of 1000s of dollars a college education will cost into a bait and tackle store. Or buy a commercial grade boat and become a tour guide. That would keep you close to the industry without having to expect a ton of luck to come your way.

Sam reply :

BassMaster17, going to college is not for everyone.

We need good blue color workers who know plumbing, welding, car mechanics, engine mechanics, painting, the building trades, lawn work, tree removal, and so many other careers that a trade school or OTJ training is best.

For those who want to go to college and try for a career in accounting, medicine, engineering, law, insurance, management, banking, etc., then it is best they go to college.

I have a number of guys I know who graduated from college and are in the building trades and love it. Others I know dropped out of college and are in the computer industry and are doing great.

I know some people who never have set foot on a college campus other than for a football game and are very successful in their businesses or working at a high level for others.

All college is is a filter to separate out those who want to have a formal education and to allow companies to set hiring SOPs. Companies use the need for college degrees to limit the number of individuals applying for jobs. Otherwise they would be inundated with thousands of resumes for one position.

With a formal education there is no guarantee of success once you get into the real world.

My wife worked at the IRS with a bunch of losers who not only attended and graduated college but had their CPA designations.

Which leads me to the subject of your personality.

A good personality can get move you up the ladder of success. A sour attitude, no matter how many Ph.D.'s you have will not help you.

On the money side, a college education can be worth around $1,000,000 in income over your lifetime, if not more.

So yes, college opens more doors and gets you through the hiring filter. But there are no guarantees in life with or without a college degree.

curtis9 reply :

Going to college to learn skills to be a pro fisherman is a horrible idea. Either jump all the way into fishing or go to college to find a career you can make enough money and have a flexible enough schedule to afford to fish.

Choosylobster reply :

College will make you a well rounded person, but it won't make you a great fisherman. College is something that you really want to do, it's not for everyone. The decision of going to college has to come from you and not your parents. I seen a lot of people force into college or a university and then they end up dropping out.

RSM789 reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 5:22 AM, Sam said:

...On the money side, a college education can be worth around $1,000,000 in income over your lifetime, if not more...

While statistically true, that statement can be misleading if one infers that going to college is the reason for the additional income. The reason why college goers statistically make more money than non-college goers is based the ambition level and drive of the person, not the education. Typically, those with high ambition levels go to college and it is those ambition levels that lead to increased income over their lifetime.

If education in & of itself was the reason for additional wealth, then how would one explain the monetary success of that college dropout, Bill Gates.

flyfisher reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 9:15 AM, RSM789 said:

While statistically true, that statement can be misleading if one infers that going to college is the reason for the additional income. The reason why college goers statistically make more money than non-college goers is based the ambition level and drive of the person, not the education. Typically, those with high ambition levels go to college and it is those ambition levels that lead to increased income over their lifetime.

If education in & of itself was the reason for additional wealth, then how would one explain the monetary success of that college dropout, Bill Gates.

Exceptions do not make the rule as you are implying. For every Bill Gates there are probably 50 other successful CEOs who went to college and most likely post graduate school too. When i worked at a large bank there was not one VP i knew, in this company that was about 6 levels from the top and probably 25 from the bottom, that did not have at least a Master's degree. You can definitely get into a company at a basic position and work your way up but having a degree generally starts you way higher up the ladder. I was 6 credits shy of my Bachelor's degree when i started at the bank and worked my way up and on the way finished my degree. I got promoted about 5 times in that stretch only to be at the level that many recent graduates started at, this alone increases earning potential over a lifetime as i was making more than double what i started at.

Education has a direct correlation to income and it has been proven year after year. And trust me, i have known plenty of college graduates that have zero ambition and/or drive but they make good money because they are educated and are in a career that pays well and would not be accessible without a degree.

gulfcaptain reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 3:24 AM, Montanaro said:

Or work for oil/gas and make good money buy a boat and spend your 2 weeks off every month fishing until you start winning tournaments.

Don't go to college if you think you have to. Go to college because you want to.

Yeah, I'm in that field. Wish it was a bit more consistant as right now it sucks. Nothing like a 25% pay cut, but beats unemployment. But even I am looking to expand my options and make myself more marketable by upgrading my Coast Guard License incase the oil/gas doesn't recover a bit this summer.

You could always go with Lottery tickets, if you hit the jackpot.....become a pro. If not, well you can make a collage out of those tickets to remind yourself that school's probably a good idea.

And no, I didn't go to college, but I decided to go "all in" in a profession of working as a Merchant Mariner. But still requires schooling to achieve higher pay and advancement.

Alonerankin2 reply :

Blue collar work is a great career choice, but , it can have serious implications on your health/body

Just sayin...

SDbassin reply :

yes, once you have a degree, a world of options open up to you. If fishing for a living doesn't work out, there are still other good options to make a good living with a degree.

wuchr20 reply :

Just in case...

basshole8190 reply :

You only go to collage if you wanna get sponsered

RSM789 reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 9:22 AM, flyfisher said:
Education has a direct correlation to income and it has been proven year after year... And trust me, i have known plenty of college graduates that have zero ambition and/or drive but they make good money because they are educated and are in a career that pays well and would not be accessible without a degree.

With all due respect, that is incorrect. It is not the education that contributes to the the income level (in business at least), it is performance. Unlike teaching, in business you do not get paid more just because you have a degree. You get paid more because you are worth more and you are worth more in most cases because you you add more to the bottom line. Yes there are exceptions of nepotism & crony capitalism, but those companies typically end up folding due to incompetent people at the helm. Those who have the ambition & drive to perform are also the kids tend to be the kids who go to college. They will be successful & make money with or without a degree.

If you do indeed know "plenty" of college graduates with zero ambition who make good money only because they are educated, then you also know a bunch of business owners who aren't any good at hiring. How in the world could a company be successful & stay in business if they paid good money to educated dead wood? You may know plenty of college graduates, but I know plenty of successful business owners & they, like myself, don't pay high salaries to people based on their degree. I'm not saying the people in our companies who are highly paid aren't college graduates, rather that the REASON they are highly paid has nothing to do with being a college graduate. It all has to do with performance. The day you start paying people better money for any other reason is day one of the end of your company.

To say that education is the causal factor in higher pay is akin to saying that being a B.A.S.S. member is the reason why Elite anglers are such good fishermen. Just because all Elite anglers happen to be B.A.S.S. members does not make that membership the reason for their success.

Catt reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 10:37 AM, Alonerankin2 said:

Blue collar work is a great career choice, but , it can have serious implications on your health/body

Just sayin...

Waking up in the morning can have serious implications on your health/body!

Just saying

flyfisher reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 3:26 PM, RSM789 said:

With all due respect, that is incorrect. It is not the education that contributes to the the income level (in business at least), it is performance. Unlike teaching, in business you do not get paid more just because you have a degree. You get paid more because you are worth more and you are worth more in most cases because you you add more to the bottom line. Yes there are exceptions of nepotism & crony capitalism, but those companies typically end up folding due to incompetent people at the helm. Those who have the ambition & drive to perform are also the kids tend to be the kids who go to college. They will be successful & make money with or without a degree.

If you do indeed know "plenty" of college graduates with zero ambition who make good money only because they are educated, then you also know a bunch of business owners who aren't any good at hiring. How in the world could a company be successful & stay in business if they paid good money to educated dead wood? You may know plenty of college graduates, but I know plenty of successful business owners & they, like myself, don't pay high salaries to people based on their degree. I'm not saying the people in our companies who are highly paid aren't college graduates, rather that the REASON they are highly paid has nothing to do with being a college graduate. It all has to do with performance. The day you start paying people better money for any other reason is day one of the end of your company.

To say that education is the causal factor in higher pay is akin to saying that being a B.A.S.S. member is the reason why Elite anglers are such good fishermen. Just because all Elite anglers happen to be B.A.S.S. members does not make that membership the reason for their success.

The big difference is you are equating a college education with being a hard worker. There are plenty of people who do not strive to be the next VP or CEO of a company and are content in the roles that they have wherever they are working. That doesn't mean they are not hard workers, because they are but they are not the ones who are pushing hard to improve. I do agree that performance is how you will be paid highly and experience goes in with that as well, the diploma isn't the end all be all but rather a starting point to help weed out some employees. A college degree helps to build experience and critical thinking skills and exposure to areas outside your norm that takes much longer to get just by experience. Working harder isn't always the answer but 99% of the time working smarter is.

Remember, it is the base of the pyramid that allows it to be taller, not the people climbing the steps to the top.

Don't want to derail the topic any further so i will bow out.

J Francho reply :

I wonder who went to college in this thread? Some of the speelign is horribal

Dogmatic reply :

I always wondered why anyone would want to become a professional fisherman any way? The last thing I would want is to have to "make a living" off of fishing, turning the whole experience into work, and the pressures that entails, is counter-intuitive to the reason why, personally, I fish. So,in short, if you have the opportunity, and good fortune...go to college(but work on your spelling first, the spelling-grammar Nazis will get you.).

J Francho reply :

Monday morning, the alarm goes off at 4am, and you say, "awe man I've got to go fishing. Again!" Yeah, right.

Mike L reply :

There's an old Sicilian saying that my factory worker Dad used to say....

"If all the kids in the world went to collage, who's gonna clean the fish"

(God, I miss that man)

Mike

SirSnookalot reply :

Quite often work ethic as well as the career path stems from home life, as the saying goes an acorn doesn't fall from the tree. I know many people that became doctors, lawyers or cpas because it's in the family, same goes for sales or people that go into business. Of course there are many exceptions, that said I'll forgo my career as it has nothing to do with question of needing college to become a pro fisherman. I would not suggest this degree or that degree, nor a career. I would suggest that it be discussed with parents and school counselor.

All one has to do is fish to be a pro, if successful the accolades, endorsements, sponsors. etc. will come. It does help to have a camera friendly face and communicate well, but it isn't mandatory. A pro wins a tournament, the sponsors advertise the fact a certain lure was used, the next day a bunch of gullible amateurs start feeding the bait monkey. Has the pro really marketed that lure?

There have numerous mentions for the need of startup capital, that can be said for just about any business. I may add just like a fisherman a business needs time to grow before it's profitable.

Dogmatic reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 9:30 PM, J Francho said:
Monday morning, the alarm goes off at 4am, and you say, "awe man I've got to go fishing. Again!" Yeah, right.

"Crap! I had a tough day on the water, I didn't place in the money at that tourney and my mortgage payment is due!" Yeah, right!

J Francho reply :

Pretty sure many of those pros took a second mortgage out to fund their dream.

flyfisher reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 10:04 PM, J Francho said:
Pretty sure many of those pros took a second mortgage out to fund their dream.

But they had to do something in order to take out that first mortgage

J Francho reply :

I didn't get a degree and I have mortgage, lol.

CJ reply :

You need to keep in mind that one day you will have to sell yourself to companies to get sponsored. A college education will give you an edge. Most of the elites and hundreds of other pros, keeping in mind they're not all tournament fisherman, spend more time doing seminars or publicly speaking, writing articles, etc., than actually fishing. Some pros have fished their way to the top because they were that good but they were also lucky more than once somewhere down the line. First and foremost, you have to be a great angler but with new technology being incorporated into a booming industry I believe a college education would be very wise. There are thousands of anglers out there that are good enough to fish at the top level. The anglers who are fishing at the top level had an edge somewhere, sometime. They also went all in and got a lucky break or two. If you really want it, you can do it but you better be ready to go all in. You can factor out the luck some by giving yourself every edge and a good education is a start.

Good luck! You can do it if you really, really, really want it!

J Francho reply :

How does college help you sell yourself to sponsors or do a seminar? Even most articles are written at about a fifth grade level, so an English degree is probably overkill.

I'm sticking to the story that college probably has nothing to do with being a pro angler, but if college, trade school, apprenticeship, or whatever is a path to a fallback career (note I didn't say job), then that should come first.

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

I have a belly button.

Glenn reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 5:22 AM, Sam said:

BassMaster17, going to college is not for everyone.

We need good blue color workers who know plumbing, welding, car mechanics, engine mechanics, painting, the building trades, lawn work, tree removal, and so many other careers that a trade school or OTJ training is best.

For those who want to go to college and try for a career in accounting, medicine, engineering, law, insurance, management, banking, etc., then it is best they go to college.

I have a number of guys I know who graduated from college and are in the building trades and love it. Others I know dropped out of college and are in the computer industry and are doing great.

I know some people who never have set foot on a college campus other than for a football game and are very successful in their businesses or working at a high level for others.

All college is is a filter to separate out those who want to have a formal education and to allow companies to set hiring SOPs. Companies use the need for college degrees to limit the number of individuals applying for jobs. Otherwise they would be inundated with thousands of resumes for one position.

With a formal education there is no guarantee of success once you get into the real world.

My wife worked at the IRS with a bunch of losers who not only attended and graduated college but had their CPA designations.

Which leads me to the subject of your personality.

A good personality can get move you up the ladder of success. A sour attitude, no matter how many Ph.D.'s you have will not help you.

On the money side, a college education can be worth around $1,000,000 in income over your lifetime, if not more.

So yes, college opens more doors and gets you through the hiring filter. But there are no guarantees in life with or without a college degree.

^^ This ^^

I will add that, being that I have a very clear view from the inside of the fishing world, very, very few ambitious anglers are able to make a career out of fishing, relatively speaking. Most think it's all about fishing and winning tournaments, and the money, sponsorships, and endorsements comes naturally with that success.

Total hogwash.

Fishing success is merely a minimal requirement. And, to be honest, fishing is a mere fraction of being a professional angler. It's all about your personality, preserverence, attitude, networking, business savy, and ability to market and sell products. A degree in business or marketing can be a huge benefit.

Becoming a professional angler is a long, tough road to haul. It's grueling, and takes years to finally break through. And by then, it will take years to dig yourself out of debt. In many ways, it's like getting a college degree. There are no shortcuts.

If nothing else, college teaches you to make a goal for yourself, and stay focused on accomplishing it. This is why many companies use degrees as a screening agent. They want people who can preservere and stay focused on accomplishing an objective. That's not to imply ONLY people with degrees can do that. But it's a simple way to screen people that way. This is why degrees open so many doors.

That said, a college degree will not make you smarter. I know and work with many people with post-graduate degrees that are dumb as soup. And plenty that are incredibly smart. The degree(s) didn't make them that way. Yet I've met plenty of folks fresh out of college who think they know everything they need to know about the job, and won't hesitate to tell YOU how to do your job. LOL! Oh man, if they only knew how green and niave they really are.

College degrees are merely entry tickets to your chosen field. What you do after you gain entry, determines your own success. Always remember that.

Master Bait'r reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 10:16 PM, J Francho said:

How does college help you sell yourself to sponsors or do a seminar? Even most arrivals are written at about a fifth grade level, so an English degree is probably overkill.

I'm sticking to the story that college probably has nothing to do with being a pro angler, but if college, trades cool, apprenticeship, or whatever is a path to a fallback career (note I didn't say job), then that should come first.

I have to agree. I mean, the basics in terms of marketing, finance and bare business sense are nice to have when selling yourself, but spending college-type money on it hoping someone will care that you did someday is just insane to me. I have a good amount of college debt left and I honestly just hope people realize what they're getting themselves into. Quite seriously if you don't have a specific list of things you want to learn, you're throwing money right out the window. I honestly know so many people that went to school, are paying for it bigtime and aren't really using their degree for anything constructive- and these aren't Liberul( not getting that changed to Democrat, lol) Arts degrees either. You know how many engineers want to kill themselves after the first 6 weeks in a cubicle? It's crazy how miserable people can really make themselves when they plan out their life as an 18 yo. I went to business school to better learn how to run my family's manufacturing business and it has paid off in spades, but that is far from the norm. Most hope to go to school and figure things out along the way, which is a fool's errand IMO.

My most honest advice is to take a year or even two off after high school to really try to get into the life you're thinking you might want to live- unless you want to be a doctor, etc that requires specialized learning there is no way around. Too many people just go because they think that's what they're supposed to do, and they are still way too 'High School' in mentality to really make the most out of a hundred grand worth of information. It's scary to me how that debt is inescapable now too- if you end up going bankrupt, you can clear a million dollar mansion from your credit and start over- but that student loan debt can not be. There is no way to void it aside from paying it along with whatever fees they feel like blasting you with should you befall misfortune or economic meltdown thanks to the industry's creative lobbying and our heavily-bribed reps letting them write their own laws. It's a scary thing!

One would be well-served to check themselves before they wreck themselves, because if you thought 'Ol Salvatore Sixfingers down the block has ways of making you pay you've never dealt with Sallie Mae.

Instead of asking ourselves "What can I learn with $100k" perhaps we should be asking ourselves "What business could I start for $5k or less".

SirSnookalot reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 10:16 PM, J Francho said:

How does college help you sell yourself to sponsors or do a seminar? Even most articles are written at about a fifth grade level, so an English degree is probably overkill.

I'm sticking to the story that college probably has nothing to do with being a pro angler, but if college, trade school, apprenticeship, or whatever is a path to a fallback career (note I didn't say job), then that should come first.

I agree with all of the above.

Dogmatic reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 10:18 PM, SPEEDBEAD. said:
I have a belly button.

I don't believe it! I heard "The Mighty SPEEDBEAD" was born of no mortal mother, but arose from the water like the God Neptune upon the fins of fish, a gift to fisherman and the world!

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

Perhaps more believable that I like turtles?

BassMaster17 reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 11:53 AM, basshole8190 said:
You only go to collage if you wanna get sponsered

So if you were not to go to college but were winning consecutive tournaments, or placing 2nd/3rd, you still wouldn't be able to get sponsors?. or does the college degree just help a little bit in getting you sponsors?

Dogmatic reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 10:45 PM, SPEEDBEAD. said:

Perhaps more believable that I like turtles?

Well...that we can believe, who doesn't like turtles?

http://mashable.com/2015/04/07/turtle-tortoise-florida-mixup/

Alonerankin2 reply :

I like turtle soup..

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

On 4/23/2015 at 11:49 PM, BassMaster17 said:
So if you were not to go to college but were winning consecutive tournaments, or placing 2nd/3rd, you still wouldn't be able to get sponsors?. or does the college degree just help a little bit in getting you sponsors?

He's kidding.

Essentially any time you see "sponsors" spelled incorrectly, it's satirical.

J Francho reply :

He likes turtles.

shanksmare reply :

A good source for info about becoming a Professional Bass fisherman is the book: Catching Bass Like a Pro by Steve Price (from the experiences of Guy Eaker). Guy Eaker was a pro with longevity challenging Rick Clunn. He details what he had to do to turn pro. How he got sponsors and more importantly what he did to keep these sponsors. He explains what the sponsors expected of him and what he required of the sponsors.

Deciding if college is for you and what possible path to persue is only something you can answer. Just get as much input as you can from sources that you trust parents, teachers, guidance counselors, ministers, etc).

You don't have to go to a college that costs a kings ransom. There are state and community colleges that are more reasonably priced. There are scholarships and grants that go unused every year.

If you chose to go to college and get a degree, it will be something that you will always have and may be beneficial to you in unanticipated manners.

I look at a college degree as a key. This key will unlock opportunities to you that would otherwise be unattainable. It does not guarantee success, it is just a possible component of it.

Most companies will train you to do a specific job in the manner in which they wish it done. They invest tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in this training. The college degree shows them that you have the capability to understand and complete this training.

Generally speaking experience and education directly influence salary.

Just remember, each time you see a kid bouncing a basketball on a street corner that he has dreams of becoming the next Michael Jordan. Few succeed! So its wise to always have a Plan B.

Alonerankin2 reply :

On 4/24/2015 at 12:22 AM, J Francho said:
He likes turtles.

That's a fascinating photo, is that a real turtle or some type of poser? It looks real w a harness & a add on tail.. That's pretty cool..

J Francho reply :

It's a swimbait. Probably only really works dirung the spawn.

Choporoz reply :

On 4/24/2015 at 1:08 AM, J Francho said:
It's a swimbait. Probably only really works dirung the spawn.

In clear water

A-Jay reply :

Mike Rowe offers an interesting perspective on following your Passion vs Chasing Opportunity.

A-Jay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT1i26RbrhM

CDMeyer reply :

I believe you can become a pro without going to college. But it would not be wise. There is so much more to pro fishing than the fishing. Behind the science work with sponsors and marketing=go to college

Plus college will help you get a higher pay job to pay your entry fees getting started

RSM789 reply :

On 4/24/2015 at 2:35 AM, CDMeyer said:
...Plus college will help you get a higher pay job to pay your entry fees getting started...

There are a couple of million unemployed folks with a mountain of debt who would disagree with that assertion. They are known as the class of 2008, the class of 2009, the class of 2010...well, you get the drift.

corn-on-the-rob reply :

Looking back on the responses to this thread, regardless of if you are planning on fishing professionally or not, go to college. A college degree may not help you as a professional angler but it is something you should get if given the opportunity.

The hard truth here is that regardless of how good you think you are, how much "heart" and "drive" you have, it is more than a long shot to expect with any comfort that you will be a professional. At the point which that is realized, if you have a college degree to fall back on, your situation will be leagues better than if you didn't.

SirSnookalot reply :

If the reason to attend college is purely motivated by the desire to be a pro fisherman, that argument is unconvincing to me. I am a strong advocate of a college education for a plethora of reasons that have been extensively discussed. I'm just as strong not to attend if one has no desire or not being college material. There are just too many stories of success and failure to make blanket statements whether to attend or not. It always boils down to the individual.

I keep reading marketing, I don't really understand that. Manufacturers market and promote the products they make. An athlete or celebrity may endorse those products for compensation, in my mind that's a commercial not marketing. The we read about seminars, all the education in the world does not guarantee a person is a gifted speaker. Some people are naturals, others learn it in time and some will never be able to do it. I would put a TV host into that group, just because they can catch fish doesn't mean they have the personality to be on camera.

Debt has been widely expressed, one thing that's almost for sure is that we all have it or started off with it. Being in business I look at fishing the same way, whether it be tournament, commercial, charter and guides. Any business needs capital to start, business people mortgage their homes too chasing their dream. The investment is relative to the occupation, since we are talking tournament fishing that's basically a 1 person business. A non business person may not understand the advantages of debt service, lines of credit, etc., a CPA could explain that better than me. Fishing for a living is like any other business, it's gamble and one has to be willing to take a chance.

Khan of the Res reply :

On 4/22/2015 at 9:14 PM, flyfisher said:
Well i am guessing you meant college and not collage so i will answer accordingly. It is ultimately up to you to make that decision but a professional fishing career is something worth striving for but as in any career, it is nice to have a fall back plan and finding one that is complimentary as to being a pro fisherman like marketing or something else. I know of a few pros who are day traders which helps to supplement their income.

Day trader here. If college isn't your thing. trading can be a good alternative. One day I made $140 sitting at the lake and trading on my phone.

shimmy reply :

Much harder to go to college if you don't go right out of high school. As someone a few months away from finishing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology, i will give you my opinion about college after my student loans are payed off in 200 years.

One thing to consider, what you do now will greatly influence your kids in the future. Regardless of what you say, they will remember what you did as a young adult and they will use that to influence their decision (consciously or subconsciously). By all means, life is short, chase your passion, but don't be an idiot about it. Food for thought, a college graduate can always work in a blue collar job if they so choose, but a non-graduate cannot always work in a white collar field. Find out what you want and play it smart.

SirSnookalot reply :

On 4/24/2015 at 2:16 PM, Khan of the Res said:
Day trader here. If college isn't your thing. trading can be a good alternative. One day I made $140 sitting at the lake and trading on my phone.

There is no guarantee of making $140 everyday and even if one did that's only $35,000 a year. Quite true the market is in a trading range now but that is not always the case. People that day trade for a living are not sitting at the lake, they are in front of a bank of monitors. They do their homework every night prepared for the next day.

Day trading in lieu of a career, no benefits, healthcare or pension plan.

My boat partner is day trader, a retired stock broker he has grasp on what's going on. Day trading like gambling can become addictive, in the long run a person without market experience is going to lose.

RSM789 reply :

On 4/24/2015 at 2:29 PM, shimmy said:
...but a non-graduate cannot always work in a white collar field...

Agreed, but only if you are looking at it as being an employee. Anyone, with or without a college education, can work in any field, in any position, if they own the company.

Too many people limit themselves because they only view a career through the prism of working for someone else.

Choporoz reply :

On 4/24/2015 at 3:28 PM, SirSnookalot said:

There is no guarantee of making $140 everyday and even if one did that's only $35,000 a year. Quite true the market is in a trading range now but that is not always the case. People that day trade for a living are not sitting at the lake, they are in front of a bank of monitors. They do their homework every night prepared for the next day.

Day trading in lieu of a career, no benefits, healthcare or pension plan.

It takes a VERY unique disposition to do it. And even then, day traders are the most stressed out people I know.

I've known a number of people who gave it a shot. I know exactly one person who I felt had a suitable frame of mind. He made many millions in just over three years. Late in the fourth year, he was barely making rent, renewing his real estate license and driving a car for hire at night. Somehow neither he, nor his wife, EVER complained about their situation. They understood the risks and took the bad with the good. Few people can do that.

gobig reply :

One thing that is often not considered with college is the cost. I would guess that it runs on average around 20k a year or more by the time you get done with tuition, books, housing etc... Most people have to take out loans where interest is paid on top of the loan. I would guess that to be about 6%. Inflation should also be considered. Over the last 20 years that is roughly 8%. So over the course of a 20 year loan you should expect to pay about 14% on the money borrowed based on the past. If you were to fall on hard times or not find a job in your field after school you are still stuck with the debt. You cannot include student loans in bankruptcy either. Another thing to factor in is lost wages. The money you could be earning while in school. If you made $12 an hour with a 40hr work week it comes out to roughly 25k a year. So 4 years of school is about 180k and half of it will be loans. At 6% that 80k you borrowed is going to total to about 140k if payed back over 20 years. So in reality 4 years of school runs about 240k with out factoring inflation. Factor in inflation and its closer to 340k. You could buy a really nice house.

If a large majority of being a professional fisherman is sales and public speaking I think it would make more sense to take a job or an internship with someone who is a master at sales. You could earn money while learning the craft. There are clubs like toastmasters that focus on public speaking. There are loads of books, cds and videos that focus on sales. The classroom and the real world are totally different. An architect can give you the blue print to build a house but with out ever pounding a nail in his life how well could he build it? However the guy that build houses for a living would probably do ok with out the architect.

EmersonFish reply :

You should go to college if a degree is required to work in the field you plan to work in, and you should plan on working in a field other than fishing.

I was listening to JT Kenney speak on a podcast, and he stated that out of all of the guys on the Elite Series and FLW tours, these being the top guys, maybe 20 make their livings solely from income related to fishing. I'm not saying that he is accurate in that assessment, but he's accurate enough to point out that "fishing" is not a way to make a living. So figure out what you want to do to make a living and bankroll your dream. It might be a career that doesn't require a college degree.

I worked in aircraft for 7 years. Then I went back to school, and now have a Master's Degree. I still make less money than I made in aircraft.

Ultimately, your most valuable resource, and the one that keeps 99.9% of the people on this forum from being able to compete with the big boys, is TIME. If you can find a way to make a real living and have the kind of schedule that allows you to be on the water, A LOT, then that might be your best bet.

J Francho reply :

Quote

maybe 20 make their livings solely from income related to fishing

According an elite series pro I;m aquainted with, it's probably even less.

BaitMonkey1984 reply :

JT Bagwell posted a link to the 20 ft deep documentary of Ike not too long ago. Good watch and he discusses how college helped him in detail. Check it out. The video is available here : http://www.20ftdeep.com/the-ike-way/

Klebs01 reply :

On 4/25/2015 at 1:55 AM, gobig said:
Inflation should also be considered. Over the last 20 years that is roughly 8%. So over the course of a 20 year loan you should expect to pay about 14% on the money borrowed based on the past...Factor in inflation and its closer to 340k. You could buy a really nice house.

You make a good point with most of what you are saying, however you are wrong about inflation. Inflation would make the debt cheaper, not more expensive as the dollars you are using to pay back the loan are worth less than the dollars originally provided by the loan. If I was able to get a loan at 6% when inflation was running 8% I would take out as much as I could just to invest safely and take advantage of the arbitrage play.

Felix77 reply :

"Need to" is a tad too strong. I would say that it doesn't hurt.

curtis9 reply :

On 4/25/2015 at 3:28 AM, J Francho said:
According an elite series pro I;m aquainted with, it's probably even less.

I assumed it was closer to 10 guys.

Phu Man reply :

I've read most of the responses here, and as a college drop-out, I can tell you that you don't need college. However, you do need at least a trade school or military training. Just like any other sport, very few anglers make it to a level where they are able to support their families and cover any expenses.

Everyone I know would love to be professional fisherman, golfer, footbal, player... Reality is though, you gotta pay the bills. I went the military route and ended up with a well paying career after I got out.

So, my advice would be, like many others, go to college, join the military, learn a trade. I hope you don't need it, but more than likely you will need a back-up plan.

joeblowwwww reply :

I think you answered this question yourself b4 anybody responded...

ColdSVT reply :

I work with a guy who was drafted as a lineman into the NFL. He graduated with a pre med degree...after a few years on the practice squad for the Jags and Jets he was released...he is now a surgeon...and a good one at that!

Get your degree before you follow your dream just incase your dream doesnt come true

SirSnookalot reply :

On 4/27/2015 at 9:09 AM, ColdSVT said:

I work with a guy who was drafted as a lineman into the NFL. He graduated with a pre med degree...after a few years on the practice squad for the Jags and Jets he was released...he is now a surgeon...and a good one at that!

Get your degree before you follow your dream just incase your dream doesnt come true

Good point.

I have cousin that was a college football player in the 50's, tried out with Kansas City for baseball instead, didn't make it. He went into an entirely occupation, his degree didn't mean much but it was the networking. He hob nobbed with professional athletes and celebrities.

Bankbeater reply :

A degree may make the difference in the amount of $$$ you make later on.

Lacustrine reply :

Great article.

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2014/04/17/is-college-for-everyone-10-alternatives-to-the-traditional-4-year-college/

RSM789 reply :

On 4/27/2015 at 11:11 PM, Lacustrine said:

Great article.

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2014/04/17/is-college-for-everyone-10-alternatives-to-the-traditional-4-year-college/

In addition, some of those suggestions can be combined (i.e., learn a trade & start a business)

curtis9 reply :

College was the best 9 years of my life. I'd probably still be a full time student if my wife would let me.

ColdSVT reply :

On 4/28/2015 at 7:13 AM, curtis9 said:
College was the best 9 years of my life. I'd probably still be a full time student if my wife would let me.

Hated it lol

had some fun but Nursing School was all work and no play...sucked

flyfisher reply :

Anyone else find it funny that a thread that is now 7 pages long asking about post high school education plans has the word "collage" in the title...i mean i know we all brought it up but it still cracks me up every time i see it.

J Francho reply :

If anything, I now have a resentment for all the spelling drills. Turns out all had to do was get to the zip code in this day in age of spell checkers and auto correct. But, I suppose you have to know what is actually right. At least 75% of the time you're using your yours and you're right.

Big C reply :

On 4/28/2015 at 9:03 AM, flyfisher said:
Anyone else find it funny that a thread that is now 7 pages long asking about post high school education plans has the word "collage" in the title...i mean i know we all brought it up but it still cracks me up every time i see it.

Everytime I scroll by the thread I cringe.

flyfisher reply :

On 4/28/2015 at 9:26 AM, J Francho said:
If anything, I now have a resentment for all the spelling drills. Turns out all had to do was get to the zip code in this day in age of spell checkers and auto correct. But, I suppose you have to know what is actually right. At least 75% of the time you're using your yours and you're right.

I just taught a lesson on Homonyms to 4th graders....talk about a fun time!!!

J Francho reply :

Awesome.

SirSnookalot reply :

To this day I'm a terrible speller, some how I manged to get thru school and own a few businesses. If one is fortunate enough to become the "top dawg", spelling not to worry, staff prepares correspondence.

BassMaster17 reply :

On 4/28/2015 at 9:03 AM, flyfisher said:
Anyone else find it funny that a thread that is now 7 pages long asking about post high school education plans has the word "collage" in the title...i mean i know we all brought it up but it still cracks me up every time i see it.

I actually didn't even really look up until i already wrote everything. it happens, is pretty funny though

Big C reply :

On 4/28/2015 at 11:31 PM, BassMaster17 said:
I actually didn't even really look up until i already wrote everything. it happens, is pretty funny though

I hear you, typos always poop up in the worst places.

retiredbosn reply :

I've heard Hank Parker state more than once if you want to be a pro fisherman there are two things you can't have 1 a job 2 a family. Once you make it as a pro then that's your job and then you have the means to support a family. Making it is the hardest part, kinda hard to eat without a job, impossible to fish enough with one. Personally I wouldn't want to be a touring pro, constantly on the road, constantly worried about money because let's face it very few pros actuality make enough money to pay the bills. You can't depend on winnings to pay the bills its endorsements and sponsors. You can't get endorsements and sponsors without winning, viscous circle.

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