Fuel bills hurt pros, tournaments
http://dailypress.net/page/content.detail/id/505236.html?nav=5006
ESCANABA - Anglers in this weekend's FLW Walleye Tour event can't catch fish without the gas to get to them.
High fuel prices have put a dent in most professional fishing series, and the tour is no exception. The Bays de Noc tournament is the third straight in which there has not been a full 150-boat field.
"You take the amount of gas these guys burn in a tournament, $100, $150 for ten days, it adds up," FLW Director of Walleye Operations Sonny Reynolds said.
Bobby Crow came to Escanaba all the way from Paterson, Wash., in the eastern part of the state. Currently 19th, he'll have to finish 40th or better to land in the money, and probably several spots higher than that just to break even for the weekend.
"We're out here trying to pay our bills, and when you've got a tournament far away like this, you definitely want to work hard," Crow said.
Crow filled up his truck five times before stopping at a fellow competitor's place in Minnesota to pick up his boat, then needed two more tanks to make it here, making a gas bill over $1,500. Then, for on-the-water fuel costs, food and lodging (with another angler), he said he spends an additional $200 per day.
Reynolds said 10-15 pros just couldn't afford to come to the Bays de Noc. After a full field at the season's first event in Port Clinton, Ohio, subsequent FLW events have attracked 134 and 125 boats.
Earlier this summer, the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail had 56 boats at Bull Shoals, Ark. The Cabela's Masters Walleye Circuit had 70 teams last weekend for a tourney on Saginaw Bay at Linwood.
Crow said he spent 12-14 hours per day on the water during the pre-fishing period.
"You can't mess around and go play around," he said. "When you invest that much money, you've got to make use of your time."