(Editor's note: This is part 2 of a 2-part story about how much money pro anglers really make. Confidential sources include both BASS and FLW tour-level pros.)

So where does all of the money come from to support this profession, or what some might call an addiction? Angler C believes that BASS's new wrap requirements

for the Bassmaster Elite Series may have benefited some anglers.

"It's hard to say, with all the new stuff going on, but I'd say maybe half (of the BASS anglers) – maybe 50 guys – are getting their entry fees partially paid," he said.

He added that others scrambled just to get the wrap itself paid for, on top of the entry fees which total $55,000 for the Elite Series. The result is a debt-laden field.

"A lot of guys are carrying the debt of the entry fees. This year it's a completely different ballgame. People are maxing out their credit cards. I've heard, and I don't know if it's the truth, of guys sinking their life's savings into an attempt to make a career out of this one season.

"I have real bad news for them – the only guy with that kind of potential is (Kevin) VanDam. I'll be curious to see at the end of the year how many guys cash a check in every tournament."

Angler B agreed. "There are at least 20 to 25 guys who are so deep in credit-card debt that they really can't afford to fish. For instance, one good friend of mine maxed out three or four cards, then he won (a major event) and it took every penny to get back to zero.

"The only reason he could give for continuing was that he was 'living the dream.' In truth, he was traveling from one roachbag motel to the next. That shouldn't be the life of the professional fisherman, but most of them are waiting for a win that'll never come."

They all agree that this one-time shot – this year's Elite Series – will be the end of the road for many aspiring pros. "Mark my words, at least 20 to 30 of them will disappear forever after this year," said Angler B.

Angler A suspects that dozens more competent fishermen will have had to declare bankruptcy this year. "I know several who have," he said. "I don't know the actual numbers, but lots of new guys show up and disappear after a year."

What's Next?

All of the pros we spoke to made it clear that they made the decision to become pro fishermen of their own free will and that they love their profession. But their frustration stems from the fact that a sport controlled by huge corporations like Wal-Mart and ESPN cannot provide many of its top practitioners with a living wage.

As Angler A said, "There are just so many misconceptions out there. Would you work the hours that we work, logging all of our miles, in order to show a negative or a zero on your income tax?"

While the lifestyle may seem glamorous, he added that "most of us fly by the seat of our pants – no health insurance, no life insurance, no retirement plan."



"I lived without insurance for a while," Angler C said. "That's the only reason, or at least the main reason, that my wife went back to work. It's a major issue for a lot of people. (Medical insurance is) tough to get on your own and I don't know of any sponsor that'll pay for it. It's just not out there."

The issue of insurance hit home for many of the pros last year when Jarrett Edwards and Mark Menendez suffered debilitating and season-ending illnesses. And this year, Dustin Wilks had to withdraw from at least one event due to a fishing-related injury.

In the absence of any sort of insurance - and with the loss of critical tour points due to health-related absences – even with a full recovery such a setback could take years to overcome, or might even end a career.

Similarly, the pros dismissed the idea that there's a pot of gold waiting for them in retirement. They mentioned colleagues with sterling resumes who don't have anything saved up.

"I feel fortunate that I own my own home and I've put some money away in annuities," said Angler B. "But it's not enough by itself to survive more than a year or two."

The three anglers BassFan interviewed were hopeful that the Professional Anglers Association (PAA) will be able to make the career choice more viable for the non-superstars of the sport. "Maybe by joining together and owning our own organization we can get group insurance and retirement benefits at a discount," said Angler A.

Angler C was similarly hopeful, but recognized that while "the PAA is headed in the right direction, nothing happens quickly."

Angler A looked back on his career to date with a mixture of satisfaction and regret. "I've accomplished a lot of things in this sport, but if I had to do it over again I'd have started earlier in life or not done it at all. There's a price to be paid for what we do – sacrifices in terms of family and finances that I hope people recognize."

Notable

> All three tours - the FLW Tour, FLW Series and Bassmaster Elite Series – pay at least $10,000 through 50th place. The Elite Series and FLW Series pay nothing below 50th, while the FLW Tour pays $2,750 for the 51st- through 75th-place spots.

> The FLW Tour and Series regularly run 200-boat fields, while the Elite Series boat-count is around 100.

> The 11-event Bassmaster Elite Series costs $55,000 in entry fees. The five-event FLW Series costs $13,750. The six-event FLW Tour costs $17,000.

> BassFan News is brought to you by Rapala.

– End of Part 2 (of 2) –