Behavior as a Prostaff angler

Are you a Prostaff angler for a company? If not, do you want to be at some point? Then you may want to think about your behavior on social media and what it may say about you.

Are you that guy who talks negative about products? Are you logging into competitor discussion boards and degrading products or telling folks they made a bad purchase? By doing these things you are having not only a negative impact on your reputation but your sponsors as well. There are very few bad products when you look at them as a whole, what they are marketed for, price range they are made for and their intended use. So by bashing the products rather than highlighting where they are useful in your experience you will build a negative image among your peers. 

As a Prostaff member folks tend to look at you as a knowledgeable, respected member of the fishing community. They seek the info that you have learned from either experience or from someone else. By not understanding that you have the opportunity to influence people and their decisions about products is almost irresponsible on your part. It is a prostaffers priority to talk about their company yes, but no where does it say you will talk negatively of other products. In fact most contracts state you will not say negative things. 

So how do you avoid those moments when you think your companies product will better serve this individual then the one they are asking about? That's simple, you compliment the product they inquired about but then use that as an opportunity to talk about your companies and how it may better serve them. This will not only build a better reputation for you but the company you represent as well. 

I have noticed more and more of these situations lately. I really hope that companies are paying attention, Prostaff team leads are coming up with a plan on how to fix this and anglers are learning everyday how to better represent the company's they are staffed by. If not I fear some anglers and companies will do more damage to their reputation than good. I understand this sport is growing rapidly both in anglers and products but but companies need to ensure they have a way to keep these incidents under control. 

Until next time 

Tight Lines and Screaming Reels

EastTNKayakAngler

John Champion

Building a Kayak Fishing Club

The water was crisp and clear, shimmering from the spring sunlight, gurgling and bubbling as it flowed over the various river rocks. I was almost lost in the peaceful setting of my hometown river when my rod doubled down. That moment where you snap back to reality and set the hook happens in a blink of an eye and then the fight begins. As I fought this smallmouth to the Jackson Coosa, I couldn't help but wish there were more anglers in the area that kayak fished. I reached down and lipped the smallmouth admiring his colors and size before releasing him and receiving the usual thank you splash. I paddled out of the eddy I was sitting in only to be picked up and carried by the river's current. As I sat, just letting the river decide the route, my mind flashed back to various times I had noticed other car topped fishing kayaks in passing.

 Now home, I started thinking about what tools I could use to bring anglers together in this area. I searched the internet with no luck in the area I live in. This led me to reading what others were doing or had done. I decided I wanted to start a club and from what I could tell, Facebook was the easiest way to do this. So I picked a name and created a page on Facebook. Getting people to see the page meant building a rapport with other clubs. This is an essential step to building your club, because even though they may not live in a particular club's area, odds are they still follow most clubs within the state you reside in. All the clubs I interacted with were very supportive, shared the groups page, encouraged anglers to check it out and most important gave guidance to get this started.

 A month had gone by and there was now at least a small core of active members, so at this point the first weekly tournament was held. I chose a week night for this as it would be a way to break up the week as well as offering all of us a chance to finally meet. By all of us I mean five people. That was all that showed for the first tourney. Even with a small turnout this is a success for you, so don't get down on yourself. If you're a growing club, I suggest small weeknight tourneys with a cheap entry as it will encourage growth as well as new members to the sport.

Meeting and greeting local kayak and fishing shops are vital for the success of a club. I was fortunate to have been able to link up with  Uncle Lems Mountain Outfitters, who also shared the same goal as I did: to promote kayak fishing and bring anglers together. This allowed us to build a strong relationship where they helped promote the club as well as offered the members of the club certain benefits. This partnership also lead to being able to co-host the River Bassin tournament when it came to town, again only helping to further expand the club.

As time goes on there will be decisions that have to be made. You cannot be afraid to hurt feelings with these decisions as your goal is what is best for the club as a whole. There will always be someone that doesn't like how you are doing things, the rules, where the tournament was held and the decision on a fish during weigh in. These are rare, but they inevitably will come up.  Handle this calmly and explain your reason, then let that be the end of it. A wise man once told me, "No matter the idiot who started the yelling, if you yell back, to spectators it's just two idiots yelling." This will do nothing but bring harm for your reputation as well as the club's.



By midsummer the club was booming.  There were posts about fishing, tips, product reviews were consistent, and turnouts for the tournaments were 15-20 members on average. At this point, I wanted to start giving back to the community. So I held my first charity tournament to benefit two members in the local community battling cancer. This tournament was a huge success and this was not only due to the members of the club, but to companies I reached out to asking to sponsor the tournament. Now when you reach out to these companies, you’re going to get a wide variety of responses. The main things are to ensure you explain what the tournament is in support of, give them an honest estimate of how many anglers will be attending, and explain how you’re going to promote them for supporting the tournament. Understand that not every company will have the budget to donate, but that doesn't mean they will not on the next one, so always thank them for their time and support in order to leave an open door for the next time.



As I sit here and write this, there has been roughly 8 months from start to now. East TN Kayak Anglers now has 300 plus members, a very active internet presence, a core group of around 30 that show for almost every tournament and two sponsors for our trail next year. That doesn't mean that your club will take off that quickly. I was very fortunate for mine to have taken off as quickly as it did and a lot of it had to do with the support I had from various groups in Tennessee helping me to avoid mistakes. The key is to not be discouraged.  Even if it takes a season or two to get where you want, know that it will get there. I think about all the time and effort I have put into getting this club going. I will be the first to tell you it has been worth every second. I have had the opportunity to meet, fish with, and learn from some of the best anglers around and have made friendships that extend much farther than in my local area. Now with most putting the kayaks up for the last part of the year, this is the time that you start planning next year. Look back at the things you have learned and ask the club for their input on things they would like to see for next year. Talk to other clubs in your state about hosting joint tournaments on middle ground. At the end of the day remember this, kayak fishing is about camaraderie, helping newcomers, preservation, giving back, and having fun. If you keep these as the core values for your club, then your club will succeed.



Until next time 

Tight Lines and Screaming Reels

John Champion  

Prepping For Spring

Winter is upon us. Some folks curl up in front of a fire and hibernate for the winter, some gorge on food through the holidays, some may even get out and fight the pandemonium in the stores this time of the year. Though kayak anglers may take part in all of the above, they also are scouring the internet for new tactics, new gear and tearing gear down for yearly maintenance. There is one thing a lot of paddlers may be forgetting during this preparation for spring.

Keeping your body prepared and physically fit for the rigors of the months to come is key. Your body takes a beating during the fishing season, especially those who eat, sleep and breathe it as I do. I noticed this year that my obsession for fishing kept me out of the gym, didn't allow me the ability to keep a healthy balance of nutrition, or the time to focus on these things so it seemed. Though this is not the truth, there is time for all of those things, I just didn't make it a priority.

Think about the countless hours you spend paddling, fishing and moving your kayak from one location to another. The winter is a prime time to focus on getting your body ready for the season to come. Even doing simple exercises, following a cardio routine and eating properly will set you up for a successful season. By doing these things you can ensure that your body is ready to meet the many demands that you will face this season. From being able to out paddle some of your competitors, to fishing for countless hours and not getting fatigued to making that long paddle to a honey hole will all increase your success rates.

Take time this winter to focus on you! If you currently have a fitness plan then continue it and if you don't, then take time to start. Joining your local gym will offer many different ways to ensure your successful in your new endeavor. That does not mean that you have to be a member of a gym. There are many quality products you can use from your home such as P90X and Insanity. These will allow you to work at your own pace to build your strength and cardiovascular from the confines of your home. You can also just start walking and eating better.

Good luck in your preparation this off season. Remember the best tool in your fishing arsenal is you so make sure you're doing everything you can to take care of your body just like you would that expensive reel.

Until next time

Tight Lines and Screaming Reels
EastTNKayakAngler
John Champion

Jerkbaits in the winter

The water is 52 degrees or below, the air is crisp and winter has begun. It's at this point that a jerkbait is a great bait to have tied on. 

Now this time of the year you want to use a suspending or slow sinking jerkbait. The reason for this is the bass are suspended and lethargic. So you want the bait to suspend above them or slowly sink to them. This keeps the bait in their face longer rather than floating back up to the surface. 

I also like KJsCustom Lures jerkbait's for this time of year. They have an amazing action but the key for me is their ability to match the hatch. I sent pictures of the my local forage and they were able to duplicate it exactly what I wanted. With that said there are some other key things to take into account before choosing the color of bait. For sunny calm days you want less flash almost clear and for windy overcast days you want more flash.

My rod setup is a ManleyRods custom MH 7'2 moderate tip cranking rod with a Lews Speed Spool 7:1. This rod gives you plenty of flex in the tip allowing a great action but still has the backbone for a great hook set. The high speed reel allows me to get the bait to its depth quickly and allows me the ability to pull up the slack extremely quick.  The key when working this bait is to cast it out then immediately reel it down to its depth 5 or 6 quick cranks will typically have you there. Then you want to pause for roughly 45 seconds on a slack line. Then jerk the bait but do not reel immediately point the rod tip back at the bait. Repeat this process back to the boat.  Your watching for a jump in your line that is your strike indicator. Play around with the pattern jerk jerk pause jerk pause jerk jerk etc to find what the fish are wanting.

Until next time
Tight Lines and Screaming Reels
EastTNKayakAngler

Divorce in the Yak Family

As the council sat around the table and fought for who got what, the clients sat staring at each other with gazes of anger and hostility. They fought over all the major things: who would get custody of the younger children, holidays, and special events. As for the kids that could choose, the clients bantered like baney roosters about who deserved them and why his or her household was superior. As the council members drew to a close it seemed like everything had been split up, they signed the papers and left. 

Little thought was given that day on things like the microwave, laundry baskets, tools, kitchenware, etc. All essential things when it comes to the big picture. The moment one of these separated families realize they need that parry knife or that laundry basket, the fight will pick right back up and continue. 

I paint this picture of divorce in your head because that's what it is. A dissolution of ability to work together, which is what we are currently seeing in the angling world. The victims in this situation, though are not children. They are all the programs that required both parties, the co-sponsored events, clubs, and even tournament trails. We as anglers and even more for prostaff and sponsored anglers will now see shifts in all of that.

How will it effect us? That's still not clear. Just like any divorce, it's too early to tell if the parents will just throw all of the little things away allowing the ability to start fresh. Maybe it's as subtle as an angling friend had to make a choice and now he can no longer fish your trail. Maybe it's your local shop, who you have built a strong relationship with is now on one side of this dissolution and you’re on the other. Do you risk your sponsorship to continue the hometown help? And do they risk helping you and making their side of the house mad? 

No matter the reason for the sudden call for separation, there are far more things effected than what meets the eye at first. These situations often get worse before they get better. Your steps from here must be well thought out in order to not set a new disturbance into an already unstable environment. 

Until next time

Tight Lines and Screaming Reels

EastTNKayakAngler

John Champion

 

Sponsors and the do's and don'ts

As an angler, we all grow up seeing sponsored competitors from every circuit. We idolize them, we follow them on every social media site and we desire to be them one day. Some of us do this because we want to be at that level and others because it gives a small break to what it costs our piggy banks, but no matter the reason, we strive to get there. 

What does being sponsored really mean?:

It means that the sponsored angler will promote the company and its products in a positive manner. Yes, this includes you, the angler, and how you carry yourself publicly and on social media sites! It means you will put in the hours to get pictures with new baits, rods, gear or sportswear. It means you will write blogs, articles, andposts to social media sites as well as discuss directly with other anglers how the sponsored product has helped you to succeed. When doing this, there are ways to do it correctly and ways to do it incorrectly. Avoid the approach of shoving it down others’ throats by over posting as well as avoid the attitude that “if you don't use this product, you will not succeed.” Instead, try “I can't thank my sponsors enough because...” or just hashtag photos with your normal talk in it. This approach allows the reader to connect with your company without the feeling of being told they have to. 

What does a sponsorship give the angler?:

Well, this varies widely across the board. Some companies offer discounts, while others supply product at no cost to the angler. The company’s expectations should be laid out and clearly defined in a contract, most being a year at a time. Make sure to go over this contract closely,so you know what's expected from you as well as what to expect from them. 

How do you get sponsors?

This can be done in many ways as well. It can be from talking about the product consistently, winning tournaments with the product, or meeting owners. However, being a good promoter is the fastest way to earn a sponsorship. Earning a prostaff position takes knowledge about the company and product as well as timespent using and promoting of the product. Remember that while being a prostaff member or sponsored angler is very rewarding, it is also very time consuming.

Do’s and Don’ts?:

Don't email every company there is and ask them to sponsor you. Don't put on your social media sites you want to be sponsored or on sponsored anglers posts to hook you up. Don't talk about every rod company, bait company, sunglasses company, etc and how they all are the best.

Keep your social media clean, free of trashy posts, political propaganda and family friendly. As stated before you represent the company of you are or get sponsored.Pick the companies you truly believe in and stick with them. Do send a quality resume with pictures. Focus on what you can do for the company, how you will do it but most important actually do it. Despite what you may realize the fishing community is very small and news travels fast of folks who just want hand outs. Do what you say you can do and always come up with new ways to spotlight the company. 

These are some of the things I have learned along the way that I truly hope will guide other anglers to where they hope to be in the sport. There's a big difference between sponsorship and being paid as a professional, so think hard about what is best for you before deciding which route you would like to go. I have been and currently am blessed with great sponsors and cannot thank them enough for the support they have given me on my journey. 

Until next time

Tight Lines and Screaming Reels

EasTNKayakAngler

John Champion