Pros Comment On PAA Corporate Cup

(Editor's note: In observance of Columbus Day, BassFan's Top News Story won't change until Tuesday, Oct. 14.)

Pro bass fishing faces the continuing challenge of corporate involvement. Sure, major corporations from outside the industry do underwrite the sport, but for the pros, that involvement's still but a shadow of what could be.

And the simple fact is, there aren't enough dollars from within the fishing industry to float the sport – especially now that three corporations own most of the tackle brands out there (Pure Fishing, Normark/Rapala and Zebco).

The PAA knows all too well how starved the sport is for corporate dollars. The pros themselves regularly reach out to corporate America, in order to secure personal sponsorships. But the PAA, with the interest of the pros and the sport in mind, went a step further and organized its Corporate Cup.

The idea behind the Cup is to pair pros with corporate sponsors for a 3-day competition at Alabama's Lake Pickwick. Some corporate sponsors who signed up for the Cup are involved in the sport already – others aren't. The event, according the PAA pros, helps companies see better what pro fishing's all about, and rub shoulders with several different levels of pros.

Competition at the Corporate Cup began yesterday.

Elias: 'A Good Time'

Paul Elias was president of the first PAA, which dissolved and was later reborn as today's PAA. While president, Elias worked tirelessly to progress the movement – lending what most would agree was too much of his own time and money to the movement.

BassFan asked him for his thoughts on the Corporate Cup, and how far the PAA has come.

"I think it's great," Elias said. "We're having a good time. I wish we could have filled it up, but we have 42 teams and 84 boats, which is good. If we keep doing stuff like this, we're going to get this thing to where it needs to be. I think a lot of companies out there want to see it happen and get behind it.

"I'm glad we didn't let this thing (the PAA) die," he added. "I spent a lot of time, and actually a whole lot of my own money trying to keep it alive. It was something that I knew had to be. And I think guys like Mark Davis and Gary Klein and Timmy Horton realized we have to have it. We had a lot of hiccups along the way, but now it's pointed down a path we can see, and we've kind of got a feel for where we're going."

Elias is teamed with TS Electric – an outfit out of North Carolina that sponsors Guy Eaker (who's also on the team). The spots were purchased by TS Electric's Tim Sisk, who fished the FLW Tour this year. The team's in 5th after day 1 with 27.86 pounds, but Elias noted their weight could have been a whole lot better.

"We had some unfortunate stuff happen today. I lost two 5-pound-plus smallmouths, and the other part of our team had a 5-pounder up to the boat and lost it. We really can't talk about lost fish, though. I'm sure everybody lost some. We're on a quality bite and we're dong the right thing."

Horton: 'Pretty Neat'

Tim Horton's the current PAA president.

"It's pretty neat – the response we're getting from corporate teammates is pretty cool," Horton said. "That's what we need – to get them excited, have them find out about fishing, and be able to get more companies involved in our sport. That's our goal, and we're having a lot of fun."

Horton's fishing with AES Optics, an endemic company already active in sponsorship. AES markets polarized eyewear, sponsors bass pros, and licenses its products to Vicious Fishing.

Horton noted: "My company (partner's) endemic – a sponsor that's already in it – and we also have a lot of non-endemics participating. I think it's one thing to be involved in fishing, but also to be able to market your products through competitive fishing and the fans that follow the pros and read about the circuits and watch it on TV. This gives those companies an avenue to get out there. It's cool to see that.

"And they're pretty serious about competing," Horton added. "One pro was telling me about his partner, who'd never been in a bass boat. They were going fast and (the partner) stuck his hands up and started screaming because he was having such a good time. It's neat hearing them tell fish stories, and getting to experience what we do with high stakes and high pressure."

The PAA also announced three pieces of significant news at the event. One, the organization will launch a magazine in the near future. Two, there are plans for the PAA to conduct an "Open" tournament series next year. Three, all PAA members will now be eligible for bonuses based on qualifying for championship events (Bassmaster Classic and Forrest Wood Cup) and for winning tour-level events.

Horton said details at this point are still slim, as work continues toward both ends. But he did say: "We're in a tough economy, as everyone knows, so I think for us to see some positive things happening within our group is important. I think if we stay focused on entertaining and educating our fans, whether through magazines, TV, events, the whole sport wins.

"We want BASS to be successful, we want FLW to be successful, we want BassFan to be successful. I think we're a big part of that. As long as we keep our fans out front and first, I think the whole sport wins."

Morgan: 'Having Fun'

Andy Morgan differs from Elias and Horton in that he's fishing with his title sponsor TimberGhost. Along with Morgan, the team includes Luke Clausen and two TimberGhost representatives – Stephen Fix and Billy Brindle. The team sits in 2nd after day 1.

"We're having a lot of fun with this," Morgan said. "It just gives us time to associate. These guys are my sponsors, but they're darn good fishermen too. They compete in area tournaments, so they're right at home with this deal."

And because his sponsors are bass junkies, there's also the wow factor, Morgan said. "I got to know these guys through fishing local tournaments, and they keep up with tournaments all over the country. Here they have the opportunity to get involved with Mark Davis, Kevin VanDam, Roland Martin, Timmy Horton – it's a treat for us to sit back and watch these guys associate with big-name pros.

"There's definitely energy here," Morgan added. "It's a poor rat that has one hole to run into, and what everybody wants is another avenue where we have more say and independence. Every day the PAA gets a little stronger. It's something to be proud of."

Notable

> The tournament continues today. The Top 12 teams advance to fish tomorrow's final day. Weigh-ins begin at approximately 5:00 p.m. Alabama time at McFarland Park in Florence, Ala.

PAA Corporate Cup – Day 1 Standings

1. Team Longhorn -- Jeff Kriet -- Derek Remitz -- Bill Jackson -- Warren Jackson -- 31.55

2. TimberGhost -- Andy Morgan -- Luke Clausen -- Stephen Fox -- Billy Brindle -- 29.23

3. TH Marine -- Steve Kennedy -- Brent Crow -- Bill Huntley -- Charles Perkins, Jr. -- 28.26

4. Haynes Hardwood Floors -- Mark Rose -- Greg Hackney -- Randy Haynes -- Tony Browning -- 27.94

5. TS Electric -- Guy Eaker -- Paul Elias -- Tim Sisk -- Jason Wilson -- 27.86

6. B&H Dental Lab -- Andrew Bacon -- Donny Beck -- Andrew Hamilton -- Tony Datuin -- 27.80

7. Orange County Choppers -- Fred Contaoi -- Craig Powers -- Jim Campbell -- Jamie Clovis -- 26.59

8. Woodforest Bank & Get Work Comp.com -- Gary Klein -- Cliff Pace -- Michael White -- Gene Eisenmann -- 26.11

9. National Coal -- Brandon Coulter -- Ott Defoe -- Bill Snodgrass -- Benny Roberts -- 25.96

10. AES Outdoors -- Tim Horton -- Jimmy Mason -- Lance Walker -- Chris Armstrong -- 25.88

11. MTM Recognition -- Dave Smith -- Kelly Jordon -- Danny Montgomery -- Nick Reeves -- 25.59

12. Dynamic Sponsorships -- Gerald Swindle -- Terry Scroggins -- Alan McGuckin -- Lance Peck -- 25.11

13. CTC (Communications Tech & Consulting -- Brian Snowden -- Jami Fralick -- Sam McDowell -- Greg Greene -- 25.02

14. V&W Supply -- Scott Canterbury -- Kyle Mabry -- Stewart Duckworth -- Barry Isbell -- 23.98

15. RABB Resources LTD -- Wesley Strader -- Ray Scheide -- Claude Rabb -- Buz Craft -- 23.96

16. Markel Marine Insurance -- Shaw Grigsby -- Jim Murray Jr. -- Mike Kotovic -- Gordon Ringberg -- 23.48

17. Atwill Anglers -- Brad Wilemon -- Gordon Hardin -- Charley Jones -- William Davis -- 23.37

18. Florence Lauderdale Tourism -- Dave Mansue -- Darrell Thorpe -- Wade Thorpe -- Sam Parker -- 23.02

19. Falcon Rods and Jewel Bait Co. -- Mike McClelland -- Clark Wendlandt -- Russell Cecil -- Chuck Hannaford -- 22.35

20. Team Early Times -- Kevin Wirth -- Takahiro Omori -- Pat Hailstones -- William Russell -- 22.32

21. Whitten and Associates -- Steve Whitten -- Jeremy Utley -- Zack Peck -- Joe Romans -- 22.32

22. RandyHowell.com&DavidDudley.com -- Randy Howell -- David Dudley -- Jerry Lawler -- Bryan Parker -- 22.22

23. National Scholastic Sportsman Prgm 1 -- Travis Loyd -- Jim Dillard -- Cliff Flournoy -- Kyle Loyd -- 21.54

24. Fish North Alabama.org -- Kevin Short -- Terry Butcher -- Kay Smallwood -- Greg Jennings -- 21.48

25. Rods & Wrenches (Advance Auto Parts) -- John Crews -- Marty Stone -- Chuck Robinson -- Brian Merriman -- 21.13

26. High Voltage -- Lance Vick -- Sean Hoernke -- Steve McGhee -- Lenny Francoeur -- 21.06

27. In it 2 Win it -- Rick Carter -- Robert Kenyon -- Doug Chapman -- Kenneth Chapman -- 20.60

28. Vicious Fishing -- Jeff Reynolds -- Patrick Pierce -- Bill Duke -- Keith Nesmith -- 20.52

29. Jim Bishop Chevrolet -- Chad Morgenthaler -- Jason Lambert -- Jeremy McGee -- Jerry Wright -- 19.80

30. Team Omega (Dowling Properties, LLC) -- Craig Dowling -- Ben Matsubu -- Jim Dowling -- Casey Martin -- 19.47

31. Seaton's Tackle Solutions -- Jason Seaton -- Dan Strickland -- Bobby Padgett -- John Thornton -- 19.37

32. National Scholastic Sportsman Prgm 2 -- Ken Cook -- Matt Bryan -- Cody Guess -- Bobby Boggess -- 18.99

33. State of Alabama -- Roland Martin -- Dustin Wilks -- Thurman Thomas /Cornelius Bennett -- Tony DaDante -- 18.93

34. Toyota Motor Sales -- Dave Wolak -- Bobby Lane -- Mark Jeffreys -- Harold Allen -- 18.30

35. Strike King Too -- Sam Moody -- Roger Stegall -- Ray Gresham -- Todd Rasberry -- 17.09

36. Wells Real Estate Funds -- Alton Jones -- Gene Ellison -- Ben Parker -- Dan Parker -- 16.85

37. Shell Quick Mart -- Mike Wurm -- Aaron Martens -- Jonathan Edwards -- John Curry -- 16.62

38. Megabass -- Yusuke Miyasaki -- Kurt Dove -- Yosuke Toma -- James Hill -- 16.22

39. Optima Batteries -- Edwin Evers -- Matt Reed -- Sean Orr -- Frank Flack -- 16.10

40. Carrot Stix -- Boyd Duckett -- Peter Savoia -- Steve Pinkard -- Sean Schuyler -- 15.78

41. Evan Williams -- Russ Lane -- Jason Quinn -- Donny McKelvoy -- Hadley Coan -- 15.77

42. Strike King Lure Company -- Mark Davis -- James Niggemeyer -- Allan Ranson -- Charles Herndon -- 9.28