Any Fall Classic reports?

Who gets free kayaks? Just because you are sponsored doesn't mean you get free stuff or travel expenses. What's travel expenses? When I work the ocean booth at ISE I'm getting paid because its a JOB.  From MR. SPONSORED himself. Spike. hahahahaha What a joke

Yep. I don't get any of that. Guess I can still play.

I bet the majority of the non-sponsored guys get it.

Who gets free kayaks? Just because you are sponsored doesn't mean you get free stuff or travel expenses. What's travel expenses? When I work the ocean booth at ISE I'm getting paid because its a JOB.  From MR. SPONSORED himself. Spike. hahahahaha What a joke

Yep. I don't get any of that. Guess I can still play.

I bet the majority of the non-sponsored guys get it.

I bet the majority of non-sponsored guys don't realize that sponsorship at our level is at best a 0 sum game.

Who gets free kayaks? Just because you are sponsored doesn't mean you get free stuff or travel expenses. What's travel expenses? When I work the ocean booth at ISE I'm getting paid because its a JOB.  From MR. SPONSORED himself. Spike. hahahahaha What a joke

Yep. I don't get any of that. Guess I can still play.

I bet the majority of the non-sponsored guys get it.

I bet the majority of non-sponsored guys don't realize that sponsorship at our level is at best a 0 sum game.

I bet that if it was TRULY a 0 sum game no one would be doing it.
There is something in it for everyone who does it.

I get a discount on kayaks. The same discount you would get if you worked at a store or for Johnson. So when I spend time at say, ISE, I work for ten hours for 150 bucks. That's right 15 dollars an hour. Half of what I make at my job. I love Ocean Kayak. That's why I work to promote them. I believe its an awesome product priced fairly. I also got on pro staff with Big Hammer. I receive some product which is passed on at Albion and if anyone has ever seen me handing out free product, you know that I don't hoard this shit. I share all the time. So if you think I should be eliminated from some kayak fishing competition, then have at it. I don't give a shit. Kiss my ass. I will say that someone on here, this thread is so enamored of that policy, Ill extend it one step further if it suits them. No more allowing people from the guide industry to compete at Albion. Your extreme knowledge and time on the ocean prohibits it being fair to others with less experience. How's that? Sound good? Right on.

Craig speaks the truth.

-Allen

I don't see what's the BFD.
I could give a FRA about prizes.
To say that someone who is sponsored gets nothing??? And to think is all for altruistic reasons...I'm not buying into that.
If there's a tournament and the rules state that someone who is sponsored is not eligible for prizes, and you are sponsored and that rule doesn't sit well with you, then don't bitch about it, just don't participate.
 

Thanks for all you do and give, Craig. Anyone who reads here, fishes in NorCal or attends your event can see how devoted you are and how hard you work. I believe we all recognize and appreciate it.

If someone is able to participate in multiple events at a zero sum, that's way ahead of many, BUT many, if not most, I'd guess, do it for the love of fishing, the adventure and foremost the awesome camaraderie and the ocean/water therapy. It's time and money well spent.

Nice prizes for the best result are great, and a proven, successful formula for tournaments and special events - some chance at cool stuff for participants is good, too.

Let's fish and have fun. WWMD?

I don't see what's the BFD.
I could give a FRA about prizes.
To say that someone who is sponsored gets nothing??? And to think is all for altruistic reasons...I'm not buying into that.
If there's a tournament and the rules state that someone who is sponsored is not eligible for prizes, and you are sponsored and that rule doesn't sit well with you, then don't bitch about it, just don't participate.

I don't think anyone said that a sponsored angler gets nothing.   What I'm hearing being said is that they get less than they put into it.

-Allen

I don't give a shit. Kiss my ass. I will say that someone on here, this thread is so enamored of that policy, Ill extend it one step further if it suits them. No more allowing people from the guide industry to compete at Albion.

Getting all cryptic on us now?   

What's your trip?  I just said "I like it" about someone doing something different at their event.  BFD.

You're a spaz. 

I get a discount on kayaks. The same discount you would get if you worked at a store or for Johnson. So when I spend time at say, ISE, I work for ten hours for 150 bucks. That's right 15 dollars an hour. Half of what I make at my job. I love Ocean Kayak. That's why I work to promote them. I believe its an awesome product priced fairly. I also got on pro staff with Big Hammer. I receive some product which is passed on at Albion and if anyone has ever seen me handing out free product, you know that I don't hoard this shit. I share all the time. So if you think I should be eliminated from some kayak fishing competition, then have at it. I don't give a shit. Kiss my ass. I will say that someone on here, this thread is so enamored of that policy, Ill extend it one step further if it suits them. No more allowing people from the guide industry to compete at Albion. Your extreme knowledge and time on the ocean prohibits it being fair to others with less experience. How's that? Sound good? Right on.

It sounds about right to me.  My sponsor doesn't pay me or reimburse me for the 600 miles + that I have traveled between my home and Lodi to give free fishing clinic (I don't expect them to pay me either). I have paid all of my own tourney fees, and have never been reimbursed for anything kayak fishing related. The biggest thing my sponsor does for me is they have been generous enough to donate prizes for my annual fish 'n cleanup event, which last year cost me about $100 because some people didn't pay up when they ordered a t-shirt. Most of us get discounts, and some get a kayak to borrow & promote every season (we still have to buy the rigging etc.)

As for why sponsored anglers frequently win tournaments: They are damn good anglers who spend lots of time learning (and sharing) about kayak fishing. Most of the sponsored guys I know will freely tell their winning fishing and tournament prep techniques to anyone who cares to ask. 

I paddle under my sponsors banner simply because I believe they are good guys who are passionate about the sport, and give back to the kayak fishing community. I know that Rob paddles for WS for similar reasons, which seems to be the trend with sponsored anglers on these boards.

But hey.... what kinda tournament rules do you expect from a guy who runs an unlicensed guide service....

But hey.... what kinda tournament rules do you expect from a guy who runs an unlicensed guide service....

Interesting.

Well this is getting entertaining.
Here's some more pics
36" pure Ling cod
Those big ass waves rollin thru where we were fish in 24 hr earlier
Go Giants!

Go Giants!

Hey Scotty, congrats on winning a tourney. That's quite an accomplishment! Great job!
And awesome pictures!

Congrats Scotty.  I would have liked to fish Spikes tourney again, but I couldn't do it this time.

It's still fishing season isn't it?  Damn this thread has taken on a whole new twist. I would hope that the Admins might close this thread before anyone hurts someone's feeling or bodily parts! 

Come-on now group hug!