Pro Recommendations

tooboocoo · December 10, 2016, 01:47:27 PM

I've always been very skeptical of a guy recommending a lure to me when he has their logo all over his clothes and boat. I'm more interested in what everyday fisherman.....like those on this forum, have to say. Anybody else or is it just me?

analfisherman · December 10, 2016, 01:56:42 PM

Agreed, heck the Pros at times catch fish off of non-sponsor lures and stick their sponsors lure in the fishes mouth for a picture.

Mike Bush · December 10, 2016, 02:03:19 PM

Depends on the guy honestly...and the consensus of what you hear from people in general. There are some brands of products I will never even try due to what I know about the product and nothing to do with who endorses it. Some products on the other hand, get tons of exposure and they are pretty good products in general.

If we want to go down the road of promoting something they arent actually using that day....well I think we all know the real story. Those guys tie on what will catch fish, its a tournament. It doesnt matter if its for 100k or 1k...everyone will go to their confidence and what they think will put fish in the boat. We have all seen the truth come out on multiple occasions and many of the Tour level guys have no problem letting people know they used another product to catch fish during a tournament. Now, most wont name the actual product due to drawing away from who they get paid from which is just good business sense. Any time you see "unnamed" in a write up you know what the deal is there.

I always advise people on products I know and trust, but in the end its gotta be what you like and gain confidence in.

Bud Kennedy · December 10, 2016, 02:04:23 PM

I trust the folks here on UB more than anyone. Most recently was a note posted by Bo to try the Stren Braid in Blue/Florescent. I trust these kinds of input by those who really use the product. Plus I know that if anyone knows it will be BO

BO KNOWS FISHIN'

Wizard · December 10, 2016, 02:16:59 PM

Remember that fishing is fun for most on UB but it is a business for others. You have to be a shill for you sponsors or they drop you. The BIG shills like Martin and Dance have made tons of money by shilling products. The helicopter lure and the Dancin' Eel come to mind. Having said that, there are excellent products also talked up by these anglers. Local knowledge from the bait shop works for me.

Lee Smith · December 10, 2016, 03:19:22 PM

I pay attention to what they are fishing ON THE WATER! I have been lucky in life to be the back of the boat for some awesome sticks, some famous, some not but still awesome. I have seen some crazy things thrown by Pro's at bass and they catch!

They must be loyal to their sponsors or there are no sponsors, they also have to win to keep the $$ coming in, it's a mix.

Smallie_Stalker · December 10, 2016, 05:13:06 PM

I think it depends on why they have that logo all over their clothes and boat. If they truly believed in and used the products BEFORE they were sponsored by said company, then I would respect that opinion more than if they just use a product because a company is paying them.

Case in point - Paul Mueller. Paul was making videos on You Tube about Dobyns rods long before they sponsored him. He was/is a guide and used them everyday in his fishing. So if a guy like that recommends a product I will take it into serious consideration.

The question becomes how can you tell if a certain person, pro or not, who has a financial stake in a company is telling you the truth if he says "I use this because I have always believed in it". ?

TomLeogrande · December 12, 2016, 10:16:55 PM

As a guy who makes videos and does articles with the Pros promoting products I will say that the guys I work with refuse to do videos for baits they don't truly believe in, sponsors or not. We just do videos and articles on baits they do believe in from their sponsors For example: if Angler X is sponsored by company Z - and likes product A, but not product B. We will do many videos and articles on product A and never on product B. Trust me - these guys know that you won't believe them ever again if they tout some product that sucks and you buy it and well, it sucks. They also don't want you to waste your hard earned money on products that suck. For the most part - they align with companies that have products that they like. That is for the most part... but of course not always. I would say - pay attention to which pros promote what and figure out which ones are the ones who care about their word and which ones will promote anything for a buck. They fish more than 99% of us, so they do know the products better than 99% of us. They also know how to catch fish better than 99% of us. Don't believe it - well then pony up the $$$ and go be the next Bassmaster Classic champ! I know they are all (well most of them) are way better than I could ever be. They blow me away with all good they are at finding fish and knowing how to catch them!

Also, there is a lot more to learn in every video and article that is made than the actual product. How, when, why and where to throw that bait type. Maybe they say they like the Lucky Craft Pointer 100 - but you like the Megabass Vision 110.... well you can still learn from how they fish the Pointer 100, and use that for the Vision 110. Etc..

Just my .02

analfisherman · December 12, 2016, 10:58:02 PM

Tom....THANK YOU!

VERY WELL SAID!

I watch your videos and thank you for all you bring to the sport!
You do great work and YOU ARE A GUY I SINCERELY TRUST!

Thanks for the input from someone who spends a lot of time with some GREAT STIXS!

TomLeogrande · December 13, 2016, 12:41:37 AM

Thanks for the kind words. Got my first chance to visit LaCrosse this year - I see you are in Wisonsin. Loved that place. Great fishing! Great people!

analfisherman · December 13, 2016, 08:14:24 AM

Quote from: TomLeogrande on December 13, 2016, 12:41:37 AM
Thanks for the kind words. Got my first chance to visit LaCrosse this year - I see you are in Wisonsin. Loved that place. Great fishing! Great people!

Born and raised in LaCrosse.

The folks are unbelievable, the fishing is mind boggling (for almost any species) along with three different rivers connecting the back waters go on for ever.

I fish there still at least a dozen times a year. Got a lot of friends that have River property.

Had a fishing Clinic there this year in Pettibone Park Lagoon, right off the Mississippi River.
It was for the little brothers from the Big Brother Program.

http://www.ultimatebass.com/bass-fishing-forum/index.php?topic=132910.msg1451900#msg1451900

cortman · December 13, 2016, 09:20:44 AM

I pay almost no attention to pro fishermen. I prefer learning from other skilled amateurs, usually through forums and youtube.

big g · December 13, 2016, 07:46:02 PM

I always try to look at what their throwing, especially on Major League Fishing. Unlike the other shows that are more infomercials. Major League you get a real chance to see everything that going on throughout the day, and what they go to when things really get tough.

I love that show!

Bud Kennedy · December 13, 2016, 08:23:13 PM

I can't get to twisted up about a Pro's recommendation. Fact is they can probably catch fish on just about anything. My beef tends to be with a specific genre. The use of the word informercial is probably the most honest description. If that is what the advertiser wants then it is the job of the producer to create the required video. If the public wants just to watch a guy fish then indeed MLF is their best bet. Otherwise you have to expect that the infomercial will prevail. I just believe that it is a bit too much in your face with the constance reference to the product name. I guess this is much the same affliction that a NASCAR driver faces during a lot of those after race interviews.

It isn't often that we get to see something a little more entertaining. An example of this was the Pro vs Joe series of last year. I think Tom does a good job to balance the editing to provide entertainment content while using not so in your face referenced to a whole list of products.

The old shows of the past featuring Roland, Bill Dance and Jimmy Houston, just got to be a bit much in the advertising arena but when you think about it, that is what the advertiser was wanting to convey.

Truth is I don't even watch any of the shows that are just infomercials. I learn more about fishing while riding the backseat and watching a true professional work. I am interested in presentation execution and how they go about locating and catching fish. The experience last year at Guntersville with our guide Capt. Phillip Criss was just inspiring that someone could see things that I would not even begin to understand. Inky Davis at Santee is much the same way. I further suggest that our own Lee Smith has the same qualities and is able to explain how, why and what you need to do to catch some bass.

West6550 · December 13, 2016, 09:56:10 PM

Quote from: big g on December 13, 2016, 07:46:02 PM
I always try to look at what their throwing, especially on Major League Fishing. Unlike the other shows that are more infomercials. Major League you get a real chance to see everything that going on throughout the day, and what they go to when things really get tough. I love that show!

I like that show as well. Excellent show!

As fair as pro advice I have bought a few baits but honestly it was techniques I wanted to learn not I need this exact bait.

TomLeogrande · December 14, 2016, 05:48:54 AM

Analfisherman - Well 8 months of the year I am jealous of you and your LaCrosse location. Any chance you know Tom Montague?

Bud - thanks for the kind words about Pro vs. Joe. We try to keep it from being an infomercial - but we will make sure when he is talking about a product sponsor - that he says the sponsors name and not just the bait. For example: Instead of just saying try this square bill, he will hopefully say try this Livingston Square Bill.... now if it isn't a Livingston than he won't say that. We would never let that fly.

Joe's can throw anything they want anytime they want... and mention the brands if they want.

snakeeater · December 14, 2016, 06:35:21 AM

I tend to be very skeptical of people pushing products for money...heck, I'm a little leery of any salesman. I'd rather watch and see what really works, and go from there.

TomLeogrande · December 14, 2016, 07:09:01 AM

No doubt.... I suck as a salesman and I dislike many salesman as well. Especially snake oil stuff. Unfortunately, there are lots of snake oils in bass fishing. The way I look at it and tell my guys to do it is... don't think of it as selling the lure, think of it as telling someone who already bought that lure had to be more successful with it.

I really think too many companies rely on their pro staff to be salespeople, instead of being good marketers and using the pro staff. You don't see Rory McIlroy making videos about how to tell time better with his Omega watch do you? Instead the company pays him (probably a lot) and then they build their marketing around having him as a spokesperson or on their team. Having a pro staffer do your sales pitch is LAZY and could be due to the lack of good marketing people in our sport. With TV and Print ads costing so much, and web based banner ads slipping a little, and their lack of social media knowledge, the have reverted to hoping their pros can be their salesman. They just can't see, making your anglers do that is not very effective. The serious angler - like many of us on here - see through it, as you are seeing by the comments in this thread! With all that said, the companies have put that on the anglers - so the anglers need to do it, and hopefully they can do it in a way they don't alienate all their fans.