I sent you an email about 2 weeks ago from your website in regards to finding a traveling partner for 2 of the FLW Series events. Can you check you email please? Thanks.
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time. The secret of catching fish is finding them.
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Thought this might make sense to add onto Jess's thread.
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An Open Letter Regarding FLW Outdoors from FLW Outdoors Chairman, Irwin L. Jacobs
There has been a great deal of discussion regarding FLW Outdoors and the sport of professional angling and I feel it is important to address the industry and hopefully put to rest any questions, concerns and rumors.
First and foremost, FLW Outdoors has and will continue to do everything possible to grow our organization and the sport. While our decisions may not always be accepted and understood, I can promise you there are many things that are taken into account prior to making them. FLW Outdoors, like most other businesses, has been affected by the downturn in the economy and again, we are doing the best we can to overcome these challenging times and stay healthy for the future. Yes, this has meant cutbacks in areas of our business as well.
We realize that this has had a significant impact on anglers and have done our best to listen and react as best we can. I want to encourage anglers to be aggressive and creative in finding ways to self-promote, whether through websites, social networks or within our television show and magazine whenever possible. Fans need and want individuals to support and follow.
We recognize the importance of this for both the fans as well as the anglers and realize this has been difficult in the past for anglers who are not sponsor-compliant with our current logo rules. Our logo rules have played a very important and valuable role in FLW Outdoors' history. However, the landscape of our sport has changed quite dramatically and we are in the final stages of reviewing our current logo requirements in order to help the anglers promote themselves more effectively under the FLW Outdoors umbrella.
One thing that I need to set straight once and for all is this idea that "Irwin Jacobs is filling his pockets." This simply is not true and quite the contrary. In fact, I don't think it is a secret that I got into the fishing tournament business for the purpose of marketing and promoting the Ranger Boat Company. While this original purpose has changed since the recent purchase of Ranger, Stratos and Champion boats by Platinum Equity, I can promise you that I am as committed to growing FLW Outdoors as I was the day I bought Operation Bass 15 years ago, which ultimately was renamed FLW Outdoors.
The reason for changing our name was to allow FLW Outdoors the freedom to expand into other areas besides bass fishing which is what we have done. We've made some significant enhancements to this year's events as we've expanded our reach into the outdoors beyond just fishing.
Our FLW Tour events now include Outdoor Expos offering a wide variety of booths and interactive games for our fans to visit and shop. This also offers anglers a prime opportunity to promote themselves. While fishing is at FLW Outdoors' core, the outdoors in general brings a whole new level of opportunity and quite frankly, I am more optimistic about our future with this new focus than ever before.
While it is our goal to have all aspects of our business finalized and completed prior to the start of each season, it is not always possible. We are still talking to prospective sponsors and hope to continue announcing new partners as the season continues.
As always, we continue to listen to feedback from anglers, fans and sponsors, and when it makes good business sense, we're open to making modifications. Having said this, we will be announcing some changes in the near future to better serve the anglers, fans and our sponsors, all of whom make FLW Outdoors possible.
I figured it out Mitch. I hope everyone had a pleasant winter! The full-out fishing season is drawing near and I'm ready to have at it. I will not be fishing the FLW Tour this year; as much as it pains me. I am however, signed up for the Northern BASS opens, and the Northern FLW American Series. I'm going through withdrawal not being out on the road fishing, but the time at home with my wife and kids is definitely worth it. Traveling so often and being away from home, you don't realize how much you're missing out on. Going into 2010, I wasn't sure at all about sponsorship of any kind. Berkley had cut all but a handful of it's prostaff including me, and there were no open spots on any FLW teams. If you read the post that Mitch put up on this thread, you'd see that Sponsorships with FLW were at an all time low. Things started to look up when I received a call from Berkley telling me that they would be able to continue my sponsorship with them for 2010. They no longer had an FLW team, but they considered me enough of an asset to them to keep me on as a national pro-staffer; it feels good to know that someone is noticing all the hard work I put in for my sponsors. I will be slaying the fish once more this year with my super smooth casting, light as a feather, fish catching Abu Garcia Revo's! That's right, I plugged my sponsor! My other sponsors that I have back for this year are Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Minn Kota, Humminbird, Navionics, and stalker Bait Company. I'd like to thank my sponsors for all that they do for me. Please consider these manufacturers when you're ready to purchase equipment; even if you don't like these brands in particular, choose the ones that sponsor the sport of fishing. I have some good news about the UCONN fishing team. The club finally got started last semester, and is already signed up with the National Guard FLW Collegiate fishing program. Members of the club will get to compete against other college teams during the final day of the FLW American Series Northern division tournaments. The University would not let me help start the club because I am not a student, but once a student had taken the steps to start it I could help in any way I wanted. I am going to try and get some donations from my sponsors to raise money for tournament jerseys for the team. So keep an eye on my thread for possible raffles, or something of that sort to try and raise money to help them get started. Even though the year started out on a sour note for me, I'm really excited for another fishing season. Good luck to everyone this year!
Edited by Jess Caraballo (04/02/1008:53 PM)
"Momma told me when I was young.... Be a simple kind of man, oh be something you love and understand" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
"I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some...." - Jason Mraz
"Give me one moment in time, when I'm more than I thought I could be. When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away and the answers are all up to me" - Whitney Houston
"Im'a be what I set out to be, without a doubt, undoubtably. And all those who look down on me, I'm tearing down your balcony. No if, ands, or buts, don't try to ask him why or how can he..." - Eminem www.go-fish.biz visit my homepage
Good to have you back Jess. Will be looking forward to any posts you put up. If possible, could you put up some posts when you fish CT waters like Candy? Mark
Don't doubt in the dark what you learned in the light.
I hope to see everyone at the Reynold's Garage and Marine open house tomorrow. I'll be there all day if you want to stop by and talk fishing. I've always been traveling so I haven't made it to one yet; I hear it's a good time!
"Momma told me when I was young.... Be a simple kind of man, oh be something you love and understand" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
"I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some...." - Jason Mraz
"Give me one moment in time, when I'm more than I thought I could be. When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away and the answers are all up to me" - Whitney Houston
"Im'a be what I set out to be, without a doubt, undoubtably. And all those who look down on me, I'm tearing down your balcony. No if, ands, or buts, don't try to ask him why or how can he..." - Eminem www.go-fish.biz visit my homepage
Congratulations to, not just the winners, but everyone who fished the ctfisherman tournament today on Candlewood. I think anyone who stuck it out until the end of the day in the ugly weather we had should feel like a winner! Sorry I couldn't stay around for the food, but I hope the macaroni & cheese and chocolate chip cookies that my wife brought warmed you up a little. Today was my first day out this season, and I almost feel like I should have stayed in bed. I was only able to catch a limit of smallmouth weighing 13-13. I never found the big fish, and seeing how many largemouth were weighed in, I suspect I was fishing a little too deep. It was great to see everyone, and I look forward to fishing the next one.
"Momma told me when I was young.... Be a simple kind of man, oh be something you love and understand" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
"I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some...." - Jason Mraz
"Give me one moment in time, when I'm more than I thought I could be. When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away and the answers are all up to me" - Whitney Houston
"Im'a be what I set out to be, without a doubt, undoubtably. And all those who look down on me, I'm tearing down your balcony. No if, ands, or buts, don't try to ask him why or how can he..." - Eminem www.go-fish.biz visit my homepage
well I will again say, I look forward to the reports from the road , even if they're from Plattsburgh and Erie,....adds a nice touch to us norhtern guys!!!! Good to see ya today!!!! we saw you cruising a bit,...alone in that weather,...well I guess you could yell at your Humminbird!!! Good luck to you in the upcoming season,......we'll be rootin for ya!
NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE,..DESTROYING FISHERMAN AND THEIR FAMILIES SINCE 1978......... www.ocearch.org
TEAM SERIOUSFISHING TEAM RUMSWIZLER TEAM RED NECK CAMPER TOURS TEAM "NO GUN ZONE" TEAM PANAMA TEAM GEPSIKCEHEHTEREHW TEAM Swizzle
www.joinrfa.com Contact Capt Mike Marro Bluefin Charters, Clinton Ct. 203-245-7742 www.bluefincharters.com As if the colassal middle finger hasn't been jammed up our asses far enough, the NMFS and ASMFC carry on with their daily masterpieces of saving species in peril..........We as recreational anglers serve thanks for all the fine "work" you do........ Fishin Factory III Middletown Ct 860-344-9139 www.fishinfactory3.com www.jigheadlures.com www.castlebaits.com
Looking forward to the up coming season, and what it will bring. Good Luck Jess, we'll be watching.
WAVEWALK DEMO AGENT: Send me a message if you want to try the W500,W700 and soon the S4.
You can take what you want from life......As long as you give a little Back. "We never get over the fishing fever, it's a delightful disease and thank the lord there is no cure". "CTF, is a lure I can not afford to NOT have in my pocket"
Don’t argue with Idiots.. They will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.
Our freedoms are being choked, big brother's grip is getting tighter.
I'll be at Newtown Bait and Tackle this Saturday from 11 to 1 talking about my love of swimbaits. I'll bring a couple of the setups I use for throwing swimbaits, show you some of the different body styles I like to throw, and show you some great ways to rig the Berkley Hollow Belly. Plus anything else you might have questions about. Hope to see you there.
"Momma told me when I was young.... Be a simple kind of man, oh be something you love and understand" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
"I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some...." - Jason Mraz
"Give me one moment in time, when I'm more than I thought I could be. When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away and the answers are all up to me" - Whitney Houston
"Im'a be what I set out to be, without a doubt, undoubtably. And all those who look down on me, I'm tearing down your balcony. No if, ands, or buts, don't try to ask him why or how can he..." - Eminem www.go-fish.biz visit my homepage