How Much Money Do Full Time Match Anglers Make? | Winning Ways Rodcast With Andy Bennett 

Andy Bennett talks complete sense. He's a brilliant teacher and an incredible angler. I've learnt loads of stuff watching his videos. Absolutely class

Great video. I had a gap of not fishing for probably 30 years. We had a family holiday at white acres and I got myself and my dad a weekly ticket. Sadly he didn’t make it as his cancer got the better of him. I still fished and really enjoyed it. Looking around me everyone was catching except me. Started googling and watching RU-vid and Andy May’s tutorials were by far the best. Learnt loads and was amazed at how many I caught and still catch. Every-time I go. Makes me think of my dad.

Great pod cast guys really enjoyed listening to thoughts and ideas. I live in the proper north west where the nearest commercial fishery is over 120mls /2.5hrs away so now just fish local club matches. We encourage anglers by running a 10 match league which you join at first match. If you don't want to join the league you don't have to but you can fish all the matches which are run individually on sections where you get your entry fee back for winning your say 5 peg section and pay top two or three with what remains. We have a number of anglers that don't seem to win much but as entry fee is only £10 they turn up for most matches (they do live local) and really enjoy the banter, which makes it worth while.

What a top, top bloke, AB is. Talks common sense and very humble, considering his achievements. AM is brill, but that goes without saying. Keep up the good work gents. 👏🏼

Fascinating. I love Andy’s honesty.

A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one is the complete saying.

Really good Rodcast guy's. Andy had some really good idea's for the future of our sport. I do agree something needs to be done to encourage more anglers to fish matches. All you guys are really helping the sport so much. Keep up the awesome work and thank you.👍👍

That's all very well at the upper end of the sport. But costs are going daft at the bottom end, the days of grabbing a pint of maggots on the way to the local £2.50 a day pond are gone, nowadays it's a job to find a tackle shop and you'll be lucky to get change from a tenner for a day ticket, that can't last.

Love this, best Rodcast yet. Bagger speaking absolute sense. Someone needs to run with his ideas 🎣🎣

Great Rodcast guy's. So much truth spoken. Thanks

I have fished for over 40 years in 2019 I broke my neck in three places went through 5 1/2 hour operation I can't do any physical work and as an ex engineer earning 60000 a year I'm now taxi driver but have gone into match fishing I live in the south and matches here are not so regular but further north its fine so I travel cost is min £300 a week I'm lucky if I break even but I love my fishing that's what keeps me going and the likes of you guys who I have the most respect for so please carry-on with what your doing you give inspiration to a lot of people so thank you from the ❤

For fishing in general I think there should be funding for lake owners to host regular open days for kids to teach them that introduces the next gen. Then open days for the public to teach people fishing different techniques ECT. Then if people want to match fish starter matches then they can move up to club open ECT... If all the big tackle companies could team up and put something together even if tv would put fishing on more often it would promote the sport and put more money in

I've fished in biggish clubs where they have divisions, say 3 and depending on your yearly performance whether you go up, down or stay put👍

Best podcast by far we need more like this brilliant

It would be great to see RU-vid start sponsoring sporting events. Such as fishing. They’re already got the audience. The marketing. And advertisement machine working. And if tackle companies use the opportunity to use that advertising window. It’s win win. Could talk for a long time on this subject. Beer anyone!? Great rod cast. 👍🐳👍🐳👍

All the tackle companies should sponsor it

Top stuff lads lots of ideas. Has anyone ever approached Barry or Eddie Hearn saw them fishing a pro/am charity match they looked well into it very competitive and looked to enjoy it. Personally would love to see more matches for the disabled as there is only one match a year organised by the Angling Trust to determine the disabled match angler of the year and as usual they are never anywhere near to me in Lincolnshire/Norfolk border. All the best

I always find the podcasts interesting, it's always nice to hear other people's thoughts. On a couple of points, I think that with any hobby that turns into a job it can lose its shine, I.e. as Rich can probably tell you filming the subject matter that you enjoy in a time frame that suits you is a world away from working in a media role filming whenever and whatever is required by an employer, you may wish to point that out to budding sponsor seekers who think is still all about going fishing. I see where you are coming from on the super league, it would certainly favour a lot of top anglers, the problem with that though is that some anglers that are in division one but constantly find themselves just above the relegation zone may deliberately drop down into division two so they have a better chance of winning? The problem of TV and outside sponsorship is a very old one, it's been tried so many times over the years in various formats but just does not draw enough public interest to make it viable to TV and outside sponsors, I'm not saying that it couldn't be done but TV company's and sponsors would take a lot of convincing that it can be sustainable. It would be interesting given the current objection to the proposed football and golf super leagues, how many anglers would be in favour of a ranked system?

Very interesting RodCast gentleman.

1st class Rodcast whilst not a match angler I am a Fly fisher who does some canal fishing and the odd day on commercials I hope the match scene develops so that methods and kit filters down to club and pleasure anglers without doubt TV and sponsorship will be critical to its success getting it in the current financial climate thats another matter personally I think cost will be make or break and not just for Angling

I like the idea of splitting people into there rank, clay shooting has a good way of working your level out. You have all kinds of ranks like AA, A, B and so on, personal I would like it to go that way instead of section as I think I would bring people like myself into match fishing. (But I am going to give it a go anyway) but I could be wrong.

Brilliant, absolute sense

This has been a brilliant watch. I think the idea of the tier system is genius. Get the ball rolling Andy 😅

Bagger says it how it is. Absolute professional. I do have to edit this comment and add something in regards to what was spoken about near to the end of the video. Although I agree somewhat that a tier/league system for more money would be a good idea unfortunately you’re still going to have some top anglers that like to be a big fish in a small pond (excuse the pun) and would rather stay in a lower league, win less money by the day but dominate throughout the year. I agree that you can’t knock someone for being good at something and winning. I think Andy is talking sense though to keep match fishing interesting.

This podcast answered this question in 1:08 Thank you for saving my time! being a fisherman is off the list.

Bagger makes a lot of sense with what he’s saying about the league system 👍👍👏👏

A lot of sense there spoken by Bagger. Seen some venues and clubs ruined by having people fishing below themselves and using venues and clubs as their own personal cash machines.

Very interesting conversation seen the hot fishing comp and with all the platforms available would have thought it would be possible to get some sort of coverage off the ground even with just people like yourselves and the guru/preston matrix anglers filming matches but that would require a certain amount of co-operation between all to move forward the sport initially until the sponsor or TV can get involved. The big commercials could run combined club/open and star angler matches for double points say so sponsors/TV can cover everyone and lots of opertunities to learn. The only drawback at the moment I can see is there are only probably 80 to 90 fishable weekend days in any one year take out golden reel/rod, fisho feedermasters FA comp etc its a lot of co-operation to get it off the ground in the first place.

Living in Kent I find it hard to find lots of open matches and the lack of big commercials yes there is gold Valley. Just seem midland and up much more choice ie makins.partridge.old hough.hallcroft etc. Ie only fish o qualify in South is Monks

Defo need more televised fishing events angling is the biggest past time in this country

The ant and dec of the future looks bright ! Come on guru makes perfect sense league fishing Brilliant guys 👍👍

I am not a match or freshwater angler but judt to comment on the case for a league or whatever, on the clay shooting world , as long as you belong to the governing body, you are given a qualification based on copetition scores, this is your class you compete in based on average xcores and which is updated regularily, i am sure a system based on this could be adapted to match fishing where payouts are based on your standard and different classes would be held within each competion where ability would feflect the amount you could win, sorry if this comment seems a bit disjointed but have a look at the Clay Shooting Associatin ( CPSA ) and see how it works

The Fishing Association's F30 is the way forward. We have a good team working on it. Particularly for youngsters,

Jesus, I better go and retract my notice!! I was planning on winning fishomania 5 years in a row and retiring from the match scene!!

That's great idea of league country wide with several levels

Some great ideas bagger

great watch top man a bennett

Clay shooting has a tier system.

Well said I beat Andy findley on a pleasure session at the glebe although he will never admit that but your right lad's I do block paving and tarmac but you are one the ball you need something behind you to compete at high level

andy talks great sence

Fishing in general needs a pump if someone wants to start fishing gear alone is expensive. Bait prices are insane atm there needs to be something to help every angler.

To buy a full set of equipment nowadays you need about 12 grand to buy Fishing yeah a lot of people can’t afford it to have a set of equipment

Just enjoy your fishing what ever venue that you are fishing... If you've never fished, then you've never lived. Get to your local tackle shop and start your experience in fishing.

Hi Rich was you that guy using Horlix on that sticky mag feature back in day

Matches miss the days of golden peg because that builds up over the weeks where you could get the chance of some proper money

The commercial premier league is the way forward, unfortunately the anglers will need a personality and not just fishing ability for tv. Great podcast lads 👏👏

4:45 if a person thats never fished heard this .... they would ask why :(

Bagger talks a lot of sense. Premier league fishing is the future. It has to happen sooner rather than later. Come on sponsors make this happen

Hi there,don’t the top anglers get sponsorship for bait from guru and sonubaits and company’s like that,cheers regards pete.

You missed the cost of your van too Great to be realistic though. Well done mate.

The Elite event that the fishing association had at Marston fishery was a good match, You could say it was the best in the sport, And maybe that is a start ?

Surely it depends on size of matches you win - the new 100 k prize money comp - fisho - golden rod etc - if you win a few of those in a year you have money in the bank for the next year etc etc. BUT 6 matches a week is flippin exhausting...! The only people that watch fishing matches are match fisherman. The numbers of active match fishermen in the uk is probably way less than 100k. No big sponsorship will come about with those types of numbers. Add to this the top six or so tackle companies all competing for a share of the market, net profit on the lowest three is probably less than 1 million a year. As Andy says current cost of living etc add to this electric cars in 2030, I cant see growth in match fishing. Currently for me on benefits, the bigger matches are luxury maybe 1 or 2 a times a year events at £100 quid a throw. The people that will continue to make money are the festival venues like Whiteacres, small venues will probably continue to get their regulars also. White acres could make bigger prize funds for sure which would of course seal market dominance. Now imagine what the electric car mandate is going to do to even Whiteacres festivals.

Consultants and brand ambassadors need investment from the various brands who benefit significantly from a boom in this sport due consultants social media exposure. To Andy’s point on how to monetise it further is a big undone. Technology can help here, I’ve approached a couple of key brands with a solution template but finding and contact the right decision makers or development team is difficult.

Our sport is too fragmented for anyone to make money. In golf, everyone worldwide wants a Tiger Woods putter. Same for tennis, F1 etc. In our world no barbel, pike, salmon, sea angler (let alone a bass angler in West Virgina) would ever buy Jamie Hughes sponsored products.

Tax free ?

Never seen Andy May so quite... Dont like it LoL

Being able to fish against people of your own standard in opens just makes sense. I don't enter opens at my favourite fisheries as the venue specialists have it all sussed out, you may as well give them your £20 and go home. There's no enjoyment in that and not many people can afford to do it.

MATCH FISHING PRO-TOUR - 6-DAY FESTIVAL FORMAT *********************************************************** Day 1 and day 3 = Group A anglers (40 anglers) - weight from day 1 and day 3 are totalled to decide winner and Knockout qualifiers (anglers placed 21st to 40th are eliminated) Day 2 and day 4 = Group B anglers (40 anglers) - weight from day 2 and day 4 are totalled to decide winner and Knockout qualifiers (anglers placed 21st to 40th are eliminated) Anglers in 2nd place to 20th place from Group A and Group B go to Knockout round (Day 5) (38 anglers) Group A winner + Group B winner (highest 2-day weight) go straight to Championship round (Day 6) Top 10 anglers from Knockout round go to Championship round (anglers placed 11th to 38th are eliminated) Championship round - 12 anglers - highest weight on the day wins tour event ***** ENTRY FEES EVENT SPONSORSHIP VENUES SUITABLE / WILLING TO HOST PRIZE MONEY ***** FISHING DAYS = TUESDAY (A) / WEDNESDAY (B) / THURSDAY (A) / FRIDAY (B) / SATURDAY (KNOCKOUT) / SUNDAY (CHAMPIONSHIP) PRACTICE DAYS = PREVIOUS SATURDAY + SUNDAY VENUE REST DAY = PREVIOUS MONDAY 6 SCHEDULED TOUR EVENTS @ TOP 2 FROM EACH EVENT ---> TOUR CHAMPIONS 2-DAY FINAL MINIMUM PARTICIPATION IS 4 EVENTS OUT OF 6 - MUST NOMINATE QUALIFIERS MUST NOT FISH OTHER TOUR EVENTS AFTER QUALIFYING FOR 2-DAY FINAL 6 DIFFERENT "TOUR" VENUES /+/ 7TH VENUE FOR "CHAMPIONS FINAL" Have had this on paper for a while. You are welcome. Discuss. The thoughts I have on television coverage are that the other sports have their targets (the goal, the stumps, the pocket, the hole, etc.) visual to the viewer. Our target is not visual, and therefore not exciting for the viewer. The stadiums and venues for the other sports also cater for the viewer, whereas our sport can never do that. Lastly, any commentators MUST be fully conversant with the sport. Idiot presenters asking stupid questions ("What kind of carp is that?") is laughable, and puts the real viewers off. And again....I open the floor.

Bagger has such an accurate and deep understanding of the sport of match angling. I'm sure that somebody will surely take him on as ambassador to drive "commercial fishing" forward.