Originally Posted by
VA Bass
I think the big difference is also these kids have the ability to be on the water that much. I mean I didn't get to fish with an established pro when i was 12 and be shown "too much"...I know I couldn't fish that much when I was 20, I was working and going to school. I also think that back in the day pros rarely came on scene full time until late 20 and early 30s. It just wasn't enough money in the indusrty to support it. We didn't have high school or college derbies either. Remember, you said this 20 year old has been fishing with older more experienced guys for years., so where do you think he learned to be so great? The older guys right. I don't know why people get so mad about this. I had one older guy that showed me a lot about how to fish tidal rivers and I took what he taught me and ran with it. I have since become better at it but without that I would have been struggling much longer than I did. I am glad that kids have an outlet today with all that is bad in the world, but like everything in life, you have to be appreciative of those who came before and paved the way. Back in the 80 and even 90s guys were struggling to fish the tour and only a few had their way paid by sponsorship. I don't know if today the majority of the touring pros even pay their own entries. I would say a good 50 in the elites do not. That is a big burden lifted. I remember Clunn saying he had to sell his deer rifle to fish the next tourney