Spring 2018
®
Brandon Palaniuk Workin’ off the Water
Credit Brandon Palaniuk
THE NEW
on tour
PROFESSIONALISM
by Pete Robbins
page 34
Part of it has to do with the information superhighway, be discussed and debated at another time – but from top to
which means that today’s aspiring pro can learn as much or bottom today’s field treats it more like a vocation and less
more through YouTube than the pro of yesteryear could learn like a weekend away from home than before. The increased
though weeks on the water. Meanwhile, the established pro prize money available no doubt plays a role in that decision,
can learn as much from his home office in a few evenings as but even if that enhanced motivation explains the “why,” it
he can during the entirety of the official practice period.
takes a little more time around the pros to understand the
Another part of it has to do with the quality of our
“how.”
fisheries, many of which are better than ever due to a variety
I fished my first tour-level tournament as a co-angler
of factors.
in 1997, an FLW Tour event on Kerr Reservoir (aka, Buggs
Of course equipment is much improved across the
Island) on the Virginia/North Carolina border. I practiced for
board. Everything from reels to boat hulls to worm sinkers
four days with a veteran pro who had previously qualified for
are light years better than the ones our fathers grew up with. multiple Bassmaster Classics and won a B.A.S.S. event, and
Those are a few
still had some good years
factors that frequently get mentioned, and of
Why are today’s average and aheaEdveorfyhdimay. we launched
course there are others, but one that often gets overlooked is the degree of
winning weights in tour-level
at daylight and came off the water around 4 pm so that we could hit the tackle
professionalism that many of today’s pros embody.
tournaments greater than
shop, the gas station and grab a leisurely bite to eat.
I’m not talking about ethics – that’s a subject to
they were 30 years ago?
Lest you think his “short” practice days were unique