It has been a long time since I have written and a lot of good things have been happening! The best thing that I have seen in a long time was the Bassmaster Classic in Pittsburg. As you have all heard, it was a great success for everyone involved. The most amazing thing was the internet coverage. There are always thousands of fans that cannot go to the Classic, yet still want to watch it live. ESPN did a great job covering it, but the internet was still the minute for minute way to stay connected. I think by now that most bass fishing fans have access to the internet and it is really helping our sport and our sponsors.
Just last night, I participated in an online question and answer forum on www.ultimatebass.com and it turned out to be a great success. It was a chance for fans to ask those questions that they never get a chance to ask otherwise. Without the internet, none of this would be possible.
I have a lot of people that ask me how important it is to have a website. I think that every professional angler needs a good website and even weekend fishermen that fish local and regional tournaments could offer great benefits to local sponsors by having a website. Alton Forthe of www.bigfishtools.com has done my website for the last couple of years and he is quickly becoming the guru of fishermen’s websites. First of all, he knows fishing and competes on the western Bassmaster trail and is respected by his peers. We have discovered through trial and error that having a webmaster that understands the sport of fishing is so important. He knows how to make the site appealing to the viewers and sponsors.
I am absolutely amazed at how many people find my website on a weekly basis. I try to answer each question I receive on a personal level. I have so many questions that have backed up through the busy tournament season, but I am still trying to answer each one of them.
This is my 12th year of fishing professionally, and I have seen the sport of fishing progress each year more and more. When ESPN bought BASS, the sport finally began to get the exposure it needed to go to the next level. It has been awesome to be a part of the progress and to see it happen. They have brought the sport of bass fishing to households that would never otherwise know that fishing as a sport existed! The internet has also been the other force that has progressed the sport of fishing, but it has happened gradually. I am glad that I found the right people and got on board early in the internet because now we are seeing that it is a must to promote the sport, our sponsors, and ourselves.
Until next time, good luck and God bless!
Courtesy of the FishFactory.com
