So you want to be a professional angler? Some advice from Gerald Swindle

When I was a kid I wanted to be a professional bass fisherman. I dreamed of winning the Bassmaster Classic and fishing for a living. However, I didn’t have a boat… nor could I see the pathway to make that dream a reality. My life went in a different direction. Now I’m happy with the life that I have, but I have always wondered….what if?

Today’s youth have so many other opportunities. There are high school tournaments and clubs. Colleges even have bass fishing teams that compete nationwide and give scholarships for it! (Where was this when I was young?!?!?! I would have totally picked my college by who gave me the opportunity to fish on their team). This summer I have the privileged of of boat captaining my nephew while trying to place well enough at the state high school championship to win one of those scholarships.

Gerald Swindle (Bassmasters Elite Series pro) shares some good advice to the young aspiring professional angler on how to set yourself up for success to have a career as a tournament angler.

Vincent Wondra

Obsessed with fishing since a child. Vince loves to share his knowledge of the sport, while helping encourage selective harvest and protection of the resource. He shares fishing reports, tips, tricks, and more during his never ending quest to be a better fisherman. PRACTICE CPR: Catch. Picture. Release.