The Disturbing Reality Of How Some Anglers Can Afford To Fish Professionally… 

Randy...the bottom half of society is struggling in this economy.

You lost me at "The economy is strong right now....."

PRO CIRCUITS ONLY HAVE THE RICHEST NOT THE BEST ANGLERS

Go to a grocery store and gas pump and tell me how great it is

gonna have to disagree with you on your opinion of the economy.

In this great economy, I work 3 jobs to put food on the table, no time to fish.

Personal debt is at all-time highs. That's one reason people can "afford" to do it.

I like Randy and agree with him on almost everything, but to state that every leading economic indicator is doing well right now, when so many are struggling to survive , is hard to square.

I don’t think the economy is strong. I think I’m spending a lot of money.

Forget baseball and football, professional bass fishing access is more like the sport of polo.

How can the economy be strong with gas prices,grocery prices and everything else at inflated prices. Better look again.

Stock market - Yes. Inflation - heck no. A pack of oscar meyer hot dogs costs $7 and your average #1 combo fast food is $15. But yeah, understand the message. With a $200k investment in a boat and tow vehicle it's insane. I'm running a 22 year boat I bought new before the prices jumped from $40k to $100k.

What good economy?

I just watched Derek Hudnall declaring he was retiring from the Elite Series because of financial hardship. They have sucked him dry and forced him to give up the profession he loves. He is a great guy and it is a shame it came to this. Best of luck Derek !!

When Claude Fishburne wore the Team Grandma hat I thought he was the most honest pro alive.

Economy might be doing great...just not in the US...businesses closing down weekly, record homelessness, 60% living paycheck/paycheck, high inflation OBVIOUSLY...i agree with Randy on many things, but he's delusional if he thinks the US is in good shape...Record credit card debt is likely providing a false positive on the economy

A good economy. I disagree

I enjoy your channel but I must disagree with you on a couple of things. The economy is TERRIBLE. Inflation is TERRIBLE. Stocks are only good for people who are doing insider trading. Average American families are struggling to put food on the table and gas in their cars because of the horrible economy. I pray for a change very soon.

Love Randy. However the economy is certainly not strong at right now.

Bass boats have always been expensive. Granted, they're a whole more expensive now. Modern bass boats you see on tour have 60k worth of electronics in a $90k bass boat being towed by a $90k truck. Not mention the other $20k worth of rods, reels, and lures. That is before travel expenses are factored in. So yes, you're are correct sir! The economy is not great for the middle class and lower. Those elites are doing just fine, the rest of are seeing the possibility of even owning a bass boat slip further and further away.

Estimated that due to true inflation, average families are spending $11,000 more per year than normal. Economy is terrible.

I qualified for cabelas king cat tournament at Santee, we got invitations in mail and was stoked!! We had too pass, 5g entry fee, hotel, boat gas, ect ect was crazy high, we have never been so heartbreaken 💔 in our lifes!!! Thx Randy for covering this!!! FJB

I just spent 8$ for eggs. The economy is good ?

The economy is not as strong as you think Randy. 30-40% inflation in the last three years alone. Boats that cost more than I paid for my house 25 years ago. I remember the good old days. I remember the 300.00 Invitational entry fees. I fished a few of them in the 90's. Now 300.00 will barely fill your boat and truck with fuel for a weekend. Its time for a new grass roots organization to step up and fill the void. 25 years ago that was the BASS Federation. Then ESPN got involved, and big money got involved. And GREED became the driving force instead of the betterment of the sport. The day Ray Scott stepped down from BASS, everything began to change. I spent 5 years on the NC BASS Federation Board of Directors from 97-02. Do you remember the Casting Kids contests? Remember all the community involvement? We had clubs that would adopt boat ramps on the lakes and rivers we fished, and have cleanup days where we would go out and pick up trash and clean up boat ramps and recreation areas. Non of that happens any more.

I can barely afford to buy tackle to go fish on the weekend smh

It’s just like NASCAR now. Gotta be rich to have a seat

Whoooow. The economy is ready to crash. It is not doing good. Inflation has caused everything to be outlandish. Our stock market is for the first time threatened by the BRICs currency and stock market. You know I like to use other sports to compare the fishing community. Let's use auto racing. The cheapest form would be pure stock. Years ago, any individual could purchase a junk car, strip it down, get sponsors to cover a tire, fuel, or entry fees. Today's pure stock has a minimal cost of about $10000 to even take one lap at a track. Tracks are closing because of overhead cost to maintain the tracks. Payouts are based on spectators. After your entry fee,tire cost, fuel, and time. You can not replenish your cost. Even with high end sponsors. The economy is not strong. More of the population is living below poverty than ever before. A pro angler who has the skill can not participate in the tournaments. It is no longer about the best fisherman, It's now about the most wealthy. Fishing/racing makes many millionaire-moderately rich.

The economy is great! Uuhhhh! Uuuhhhhh. WHAT?

Forget professional fishing! I’m retired with my own boat. Between gas in the car to pull my boat to the lake, gas in the boat, insurance on the boat, ramp fees and tackle, I can’t afford to go fishing about once a week. There is no way I’m spending 5k to 6k for electronics. I have to fish the “old fashion way”.

I consider myself upper middle class with 100,000 plus salary per year and I am not buried in debt and there is no way I could afford to buy a new boat , new truck , and live on the road 6 months out of the year first of all I would have to quit my job which I cant afford to do so I would never be able to do something like this so unless you are single , have mommy and daddy’s money don’t own a house etc. I don’t see any way you could do it , you would have a better chance of becoming a RU-vid star like Randy .

Econmy is what 😂😂😂😂

“Economy is strong” Randy man… really? Don’t say you’re out of touch without saying you’re out of touch!

Ironically Bassmaster Elite Pro Derek Hudnall, recently announced his retirement yesterday from the Elite Series due to financial constraints. He is currently ranked 55th out of 103 in the Angler of year standings.

Bass and MLF have figured out that people will fish in tournaments no matter how expensive it is. Thay will justify it by saying " this is my destiny and I don't care about anything else"

With the cost of everything , it’s become a rich man’s sport , or rich mom and dad

You’re right it’s for wealthy folks, no surprise lots of things are.

All these younger Bass Masters have family with money

if the economy is good now i hate to see when its bad

And , thats why i have a tracker classic XL , but i don't tournament fish , just for fun.

People are spending more money because everything costs more that doesn’t mean it’s a strong economy. High Stocks because corporations buy back their own stocks don’t resemble the real market

People have a lot of debt I doubt they own any of it.

Randy. I work 60+hrs a week. My Wife works full time I also own a buisness. We don’t live beyond our means I still couldn’t afford to do be a Pro Angler Hell. I can’t even afford the God Damn Boat to use. I own a 18ft Lund with a 90hp. It’s Sickening

I don’t even understand how recreational anglers can afford to fish more than once a month. I don’t agree with you in the least bit about the economy being strong. The cost of everything is ridiculous. I don’t have any vehicle or boat payments and I still have a hard time getting to the lake like I’d like to.

They need a poor mans circuit

Max out those credit cards then declare bankruptcy !

Thank you very much for bringing light to this. Two days ago I briefly argued with Brian Latimer about the content in his most recent video. His stance on why boats were so expensive is because people were installing more tech. I tried to point out the flaw in his logic stating that boats will hover on water someday and will be worth five million dollars, effectively putting them out of reach for all but one percent of the population. The true cause is inflation. The cost of commodities are continuously increasing while individual income has remained fairly stagnant over the past 50 years. Competition drives prices down. When the 10 “brands” you shop for are all owned by one major corporation, they can do as they please, usually to benefit stock holders. Listen to all the big words said in an earnings report. This is how they hide what they are doing from middle/lower class earners who don’t understand finance or economics. There are no smoke and mirrors. Just really educated individuals taking advantage of undereducated individuals. A good example for fisherman would be graphs. There are probably three to five major corporations making the chips for sonar… see where I’m going with it? Randy, you are using your platform for good and true content. I appreciate you and your time. I appreciate all of your tips and tricks. I am a better fisherman because of the content you produce. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

It is curious that you throw out these opinions then ask for our feedback. I'll skip the low hanging fruit of the economy's ticking along (some old Indian Peote flash backs from the sweat lodge I'm guessing?) . Let's run down a few points. $1'500 entry fee in 1985 is $4'300 in today's dollars. The production's more sophisticated and expensive now. Can you even buy a boat today as stripped down as an '85? What was the HP rating? boat length? Today? 18 foot Ranger with a 150hp list for 48K with a better graph and trolling motor than back in the day. It doesn't matter because we don't see 18ft boats at the pro level do we? A member of the deadly sins group, Envy is never flattering to ones character and to bemoan the cost to be self employed as a bass fisherman because it's so much worse than any other small business leap is a bit insensitive 🤔. Average golf pro drops $5k per event and 20-30 events per year. About 1.1MM high school football players are hoping to get one of the 1'700 NFL positions. Man that sucks. No reasonable person can look at professional fishing as anything more than professional gamblers in ball caps and fancy bowling shirts in pickup trucks. ( A handful of people do well, the rest are plopping down money on the fishing version of a lottery ticket as their plan to carve out a living. It appears the fishing is what folks want to do, being a independent sales rep is what has to be done to pay the bills. (that would include social media in today's reality). Love the fishing vids but you seem to love the controversial commentary. Perhaps this will be a highly viewed. Well you pulled me into the fray. Be well

Where do you live for the economy is better?

It’s called mommy daddy money that’s why you see 18-20 year olds or 35+ year old men who worked for it. Sure the younger kids are good fisherman but so are the guys who don’t make until there 40 do to finances.

The economy isn’t strong it’s rebounding some. GDP was down another 1.5 points.

If mom and dad weren’t subsidizing their kids’ pro fishing lifestyle, there would simply be more kids living in basements.

Thanks dad

Economy is bad it's forced me to quit a lot of things I love to do to put food on the table and pay my rent can't even go on vacation anymore it's so expensive times are rough

Tournament bass fishing has always been somewhat of an elitist sport during my lifetime. I fished many local and a few 100+ boat tournaments in the '90's and it was obvious who had the cash and who didn't.

Fishing is pay to play ! Lots of problems with fisbing for a living !

Randy I watch every video but the economy thinking is way way off.

Competing in Bass fishing without state of the art electronics would be like taking a Nissan Sentra to a Nascar race.

I cant afford to fish recreationally anymore. Most years i would have been out on my aluminum about 20 trips by now. Only been out 3 times this season(gas,tolls, food, intangibles). Its either go fishing or have food for the week. Isn’t happening anymore. AND, id have to argue the gas,economy and inflation with you.

How? Connections, non endemic sponsorship, you tube supplemental income, creative tax deductions with a great bookkeeper. With all respect Randy, the national economy is at this moment bleak. My retirement dollar is worth 82 cents after the past three years.

The dollars has lost about 24% of the purchasing power it had in the last few years thanks to the printing of all the money the fed printed. So it is really just cluster of many things. That could take years to get through, if people choose to fix it. 2 chronicles 7:14.

Ask greg hudnall why he retired

Great segment! To me the only way a average guy could make the top level these days is by winning the Federation National Championship or BFL All American. There are a number of top pros that have launched their careers doing just that. If I hadn’t made any Classics in the past I would consider fishing one division of the EQ’s since a win gets you in. I fished the Invitationals briefly after winning the Federation Championship in 1991 and quickly recognized how unrealistic trying to make a living like that was. In 2005 when I won my second National Championship I turned down the Elite Invitation and a very lucrative sponsorship. I’m glad I did, I’m pulling a pension from the job I didn’t give up.

I fished with a top level guy before he turned pro and hes come out on how it was so hard on him..... i was a year younger and barely had enough money to fish as a co angler..... when he was driving a new truck and boat in his early 20s..... disconnect there..

I disagree with most of what you said but everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Wouldn't want to put my hard earned money up in tournaments where a high probability of cheating is going on. There's my 2 cents!

Bunch of fortunate sons. Kinda like Nascar, in an odd way

It’s everything Randy. From baseball, showing animals, to Fishing. It’s unreal what it costs and the kids with no money are left out a lot.

They do what you do Randy, podcasts, guiding, U Tube, etc

When the bassmaster classic started weren’t all the boats provided by Ranger to make it fair across the board? That would be a good solution

Nobody should have to pay to compete on a pro sport. We just need a real tournament organization with integrity to come around. Bassmaster is junk. Your skills pay your way not you bank account. I find tournament fishing to be a bunch of pathetic dingleberrys trying to make a buck…it’s not even about the competition all you tourney guys care about is a payout. Everything is wrong with tournaments

" economy is strong " 😂 what!? Nothing about the economy is good my man...

It's definitely sad. Thank you for your perspective

Economy is good ??? Really?? Groceries are up, Gas is up, Mortgage rates way up, even fast food ! Not sure what planet you are referring to but it’s tough out here for the blue collar man on earth in the USA.

Most are working just to eat and have a place to live...fishing tournaments and bass boats are just a dream.

I’ve been waiting you for few months now and I agree with what you’ve said up until this point. But for you to say the economy is strong I’m going to have to ask are you that rich to not be able to look around below your level and see 80% of American citizens are damn near drowning trying to survive. For you to say the economy is strong and things are good, money is flowing you maybe setting on way too much money to notice normal Americans need help, they are in trouble and one major bill from disaster financially.

It's not just pro level events being dominated by people with money. Back in the day, club events and weeknight events could be won by people in any manner of boat, down to johnboats, because 2D sonar was attainable for most. Now, a few guys in $100K boats equipped with FFS win every time. Not fun.

The biggest debt burden in life is a home mortgage. How much were homes then and how much are they now?

It is no different than professional golf. Most professional golfers come from wealthy country club families. You can’t make the tours without lots and lots of money to make it.

Randy, I think you explained that very fairly and straight as it gets. Facts are facts. It has certainly gotten to the point that it causes me to lose all interests in a sport I have always loved and respected.

Spot on, I’m 32. Have dreamed of a pro career for 25+ years. BASS and ESPN sold me on the dream, which died a couple years ago. I make similar money fishing locally to what i would if I were a middle of the road pro. I’ve been hassled before by a former sponsor for not lying about the bait i was using (a competitor) At the time i was getting $200 per year in product and they expected total and complete loyalty at the expense of my credibility with my followers. It’s just not worth it any more to try to be a pro. If it fell in my lap via the All American or Nation Championship, then it’s meant to be. But invitationals and opens are both a sure bet for bankruptcy. In my opinion the qualifying tours should be no entry fee, no payout. Let companies compete and offer better contingencies, like $20k from phoenix to win, 5k from Mercury, 1 k minnkota, etc. to get on the qualifying tour you need to make it through BFLs (bass would have to add a grass roots tour). This would give a guy like me who works 40 hr weeks for 50k a year a shot

They are younger anglers with money backed by their families.

This is the reason the sport will not grow. If the younger generation can't get into a boat and truck under $50k it will lose that generation.

That is true, for example a College Football Player has the University Program that pays for everything, then if they are good enough they go to the NFL, where the given franchise then pays their salary and expenses. I'm not super knowledgeable, but I don't think Bass Fishing works like that. If I am wrong feel free to educate me if such a process exists.

I can't afford to drive an hr, practice for club and team tournaments. I parked it in 2022 when I learned that ffs is what I'd need to keep up with the college and highschool kids that can be there everyday in North Alabama. Even the Monday and Thursday nighters are out of my league, but if I had the money I'd commit.

We disagree on quite a few things, Randy. However, I'm of the mindset that mingling with those of alternate opinions is the only thing that will help all of us move forward. ...unfortunately, this "economy is strong" thing is a red herring if there ever was one. First video I actually turned off halfway through.

Randy did you see Derek Hudnall announced his retirement I think he was stating some things without putting the blame on anyone but the comment section says it all. Sad the direction the professional bass fishing organizations are going.

Randy…..mom and dad or friends of mom and dad. Same as Motorsports and other expensive sports. I raced first in the 70’s on street motorcycles and you could run with em. Technology was non-existent and the dollar was worth a huge amount more. First race car my brother an I built in our parents’ garage and we went out and won!!! Now, if you’re not the son of a wealthy or well-connected family you won’t crack the glass ceiling. It “appears” doable but the reality is it’s a pipe dream. Inflation and taxation has raped the middle class such that we have a lid on our ability to reach for the stars. And the organizations that run the sport absolutely refuse to make rules that would make the sport relatively affordable. They just refuse to do anything along those lines. Thank God we lived in a time when you could “make it” and achieve success while in a grass-roots effort. It’s a mirror image of society. Elitist socialist governments eliminate the middle class, by hook or by crook. So far, they’re winning…and the middle class will and continues to pay the majority of the taxes and continues to be crushed. Shame. Nice call out. Maybe a new organization that returns to affordable tournament formats, smaller boats? Kayaks?

Crazy people do crazy things. Ask a younger guy who is in love. Ask a gamber in Vegas that is a high roller. Most Americans are in deep credit cards owning lots.

Your absolutely right. It's always been my dream to be a pro bass angler. I'm 33 with a wife and 3 kids. It's all can do to afford my 17ft tracker and keeping my rods and tackle up to fish local weekend tournaments 😂

You should start a tournament series of your own, set the rules the entry fees in the payouts properly. It would probably be a big success and possibly save a great sport. 😎

Where do you live saying the economy is good? Lol Sure isn't where I live. It was good 4years ago but certainly not in the last 3 In a half years. WOW must be nice. I'm a disabled Veteran who got hurt serving my country and raised a family and now I make less than half of what I made when I was able to work which stopped 11 years ago. So I have to disagree with you about the economy being good. Unreal It would be nice to have the money to get a $100,000 boat or truck. Lol Not in my world

All sports have become a “elitist sport” I remember what my grandpa told me about professional sports 30 years ago, “son, this will all be a rich man’s game and you will probably never be able to afford to go to a game” So far it’s holding true, money ruined y’all in fishing, just like it did to the big four!

Too bad more people did not say, Randy, I disagree with you on the economy, but here’s my thoughts on the state of pro bass fishing.

Randy, a pro just retired mid season for money reasons. Hundel or something like that. Bassmaster.

It doesnt matter how we feel because when this fails (and it will) we are all going to be on the same level playing field unless you have other investments outside of fiat currency

Everyone has more going out than they do coming in. Ego and pride can break you. Don't let it! 98 silverado baby whooo!!!

Hate to tell you that the boat manufacturers have to go up on the price of boats because materials coast twice as much as the did six or eight years ago and they’ve got to pay employees more just to get someone come to work since Covid. Don’t really know how the majority of these guys are doing it out there though. Even at a grass roots level it’s expensive, I have to pick and choose when I can fish and don’t understand how these guys in practice are ripping up and down the lake full throttle.

How does a 20 yr old kid afford to hit the bass tour he asks lol. From this great economy we are living in bro thats how.

Whether a fish tournaments or not, my mortgage still comes due every month it’s called being an adult live inside your means

Daddy's money.

You don’t deserve to make a living doing something just because it’s your dream or because you work hard at it or because you’re good at it. The supply and demand curves for the product you produce or the service you provide have to be favorable.