Pro Billiards similiarities to pro fishing

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Patrick53212

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I just watched a video by Pro Angler, Randy Blaukat.

video by Randy Blaukat on pro fishing

In the video, he makes some points that I believe carry over into pool/billiards as well. The cost of travel and events is cost prohibitive without sponsorship. Without additional revenue streams, the money made from events alone is not enough to live a middle-class lifestyle while being a pro.
 
Yeah...it's a labor of love mostly. As many poor guys trying to fish for a living as pool players. Think the difference for me is...when it comes to TV coverage (ad revenue) I'd much rather watch a pool match than a fishing show. Pool is pure skill with a little luck and fishing is almost the opposite to some degree. It's also man versus man instead of man versus nature.

I don't watch people fish or hunt, I'd rather go fish and hunt myself. Pool I can watch...and be an advertised to at commercial breaks.
 
Dirt track racing is same. A lot of the guys make enough to cover fuel, tires,etc but not a whole lot more.
 
What?! More evidence that recreational activities don't pay well?

Say it ain't so...
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HNTFSH said:
Pool is pure skill with a little luck and fishing is almost the opposite to some degree. It's also man versus man instead of man versus nature.
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There was a time our whole engineering team went down to Port Arransas to do some fishing. When we got to the Jetty there was an old Mexican guy doing some "fishing", and each cast of his pole brought in one Redfish. So we aligned ourselves 5 to the right 5 to the left. we used the same line, hooks and bait and bobbers set to the same depth. We cast in the same general area. Over an hour period of time, with 10 fairly seasoned fishermen we caught absolutely nothing (nada, zero , zlich), yet the old Mexican caught over 30 fish, he spend more time landing the fish and taking it off his hook than with the hook in the water ! I repeat, we 10 got nothing !!

This sheds light on the actual ability of some people to fish.
I never had a fishing pole in my hand again.
 
MitchAlsup said:
There was a time our whole engineering team went down to Port Arransas to do some fishing. When we got to the Jetty there was an old Mexican guy doing some "fishing", and each cast of his pole brought in one Redfish. So we aligned ourselves 5 to the right 5 to the left. we used the same line, hooks and bait and bobbers set to the same depth. We cast in the same general area. Over an hour period of time, with 10 fairly seasoned fishermen we caught absolutely nothing (nada, zero , zlich), yet the old Mexican caught over 30 fish, he spend more time landing the fish and taking it off his hook than with the hook in the water ! I repeat, we 10 got nothing !!

This sheds light on the actual ability of some people to fish.
I never had a fishing pole in my hand again.
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Plus it may be fighting hunger when you're an old Mexican guy with such skills, strong motivation. And yes, I did not mean to suggest "pure luck" but in a fishing show they only show the "big ones" and not the 52 "small ones" which points back to what you see on TV as being the lucky catches.

Just like not showing the days on end the big deer DIDN'T walk under the tree stand.
 
Both Major League Fishing and Bassmasters regularly host tournaments that pay $100k for first, big drop to $30k or so after that, but the payout is pretty good.

World Championship in fishing is worth $300k.

The top pros all wear shirts with logos so sponsorship is also a big deal.

Overall, the very best bass fisherman do much better than almost all pro pool players. Doing poorly on the pro fishing tour has the same realities as pro pool though. Broke, sleeping in your car, get a damn job unless you can find backers.
 
VarmintKong said:
Quoted for TRUTH.
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HNTFSH said:
Pool is pure skill with a little luck and fishing is almost the opposite to some degree.

I disagree here guys. Fishing is no different than anything else. Some people are just better at it. Look at sailfish tournaments in south Florida. My buddy fished with the Get Lit team for years. They are almost always in the money. And that’s not luck. They are just better at it. But I agree there is more of a luck factor in fishing than there is in pool, but it’s only slightly more.
 
HNTFSH said:
I don't watch people fish or hunt, I'd rather go fish and hunt myself. Pool I can watch...and be an advertised to at commercial breaks.
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You're pretty fortunate if you have the lifestyle to be able to fish or hunt whenever you want to... I own my boat and live minutes from the coast and river, yet being able to go isn't always in the cards. Nothing wrong with watching some fishing shows on a Sat morning while getting your day going, to me anyway.

And I second what Z stated. Luck doesn't hurt... but it isn't why some catch fish and some just fish...
 
Z-Nole said:
HNTFSH said:
Pool is pure skill with a little luck and fishing is almost the opposite to some degree.

I disagree here guys. Fishing is no different than anything else. Some people are just better at it. Look at sailfish tournaments in south Florida. My buddy fished with the Get Lit team for years. They are almost always in the money. And that’s not luck. They are just better at it. But I agree there is more of a luck factor in fishing than there is in pool, but it’s only slightly more.
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Agreed. A buddy had a spot on the FLW tour many moons ago. The data he analyzed before a trip was impressive. Water turbidity, temperature, barometric pressure, water lever, cloud cover, etc. All before the first hook was wet. Best fisherman I ever fished with. Career earnings after 4 years on the tour: <20k
 
Guys - my point wasn't that fishing is pure luck. I know it's not as I work very hard at it. My point is Pool is an athletic pursuit, fishing at any level not as much. You can do all the math in the world on what crankbait to throw based on all the conditions that may apply but it's probably luck hooking a 24 inch bass versus 14 inch bass. Guarantee that triple rail bank shot took more skill than setting the hook on whatever fish took it.
 
HNTFSH said:
Guys - my point wasn't that fishing is pure luck. I know it's not as I work very hard at it. My point is Pool is an athletic pursuit, fishing at any level not as much. You can do all the math in the world on what crankbait to throw based on all the conditions that may apply but it's probably luck hooking a 24 inch bass versus 14 inch bass. Guarantee that triple rail bank shot took more skill than setting the hook on whatever fish took it.
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I can make plenty of three railers, but those damn tarpon were impossible to hook last week in Boca Grande. Frustrating as hell. Hopefully they cooperate this Saturday up here on dead bait.
 
HNTFSH said:
Guys - my point wasn't that fishing is pure luck. I know it's not as I work very hard at it. My point is Pool is an athletic pursuit, fishing at any level not as much. You can do all the math in the world on what crankbait to throw based on all the conditions that may apply but it's probably luck hooking a 24 inch bass versus 14 inch bass. Guarantee that triple rail bank shot took more skill than setting the hook on whatever fish took it.
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You need to come sheepshead fishing, it's the 3 rail bank of hook setting! Not even being sarcastic here.

But I see what you're saying as far as luck of the quality of fish, but much like improving on the table, that's what keeps a lot of us coming back!

I like this thread lol
 
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