You often hear the words “Grind” when it’s tournament time, but what exactly does that mean?
Instantly you might think, “Do whatever it takes to succeed”.
Would you allow me to share a broader viewpoint?
There is a difference between fishing a tournament and grinding a tournament.
To grind is to….”compete in tournaments for some long-term gain rather than the fun of that particular tournament”. Someone who grinds PTQs (Professional Technical Qualifications) is someone who just wants to qualify. Someone who Grinds for Reward (GFR) wants to earn money or prize and is often times referred to as PRO. This terminology is used heavily in the bass fishing industry and at times may be over-used. For example Pro Team, Pro Staff, Pro Angler…you get the point.
The truth is that to be “PRO” means that you are grinding for pay. Generally, a PRO is someone who is playing for a reward rather than just participating in the tournament. When you compete at this level, your focus and attention have shifted from friendly competition to ROI. I am not saying that “It is All about the money” but at this level, money plays a factor in the equation. The more tournaments you can fish, the higher your odds are of winning. The more exposure you can get, the more sponsors you can attract to offset your costs. At some point, the focus turns to ROI.
There is a hard cost when competing for money. It takes “bounty” to “buy in” and sometimes this fee can be as little as $20-$50, or it can go into the thousands. We are talking about just the tournament fees, and not the cost of hotels, travel, baits & equipment. Why would someone do this? Well, the short answer is for the reward….the stakes are high, and rewards can reach anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over a Million Dollars. Many tournaments will offer a $50,000 to $70,000 Bass Boat to the winner of the tournament.
So going back to the word “Grind”, you can view it in two ways. It can refer to how hard you work in a tournament or it can define what your goal is with the tournament. If you are after PTQs, then you are stacking up points for a possible larger strategy at a later date. This might mean simply qualifying for the next event. The win is important but the qualification is even more important. Many tournaments will often hold multiple-day events with qualifiers to be able to move on to the next round. PTQs take the focus at these events. The goal is to ultimately win, but you cannot get to the win without the qualifier.
So with all that said, Jordan is currently focusing on his PTQs. As a new angler breaking into the industry, he understands that it takes work, dedication, and a lot of patients as you “GRIND” your way to the top. To compete professionally you need to be able to have a long-term outlook. Each tournament is taking you one step close to the goal. How long does it take before you are there? That question is only answered by the angler himself. The harder they grind, combined with a more commitment to time can compress that window.
If you look at Jordan’s Standings, you will see the first year he competed, he rarely ever made 1st place. This was expected. The journey to becoming a great bass fisherman takes time. It takes willpower and dedication. How much you ask? Well, in Jordan’s case, he knew he wanted the prize. He desired and longed for PRO status. So he initiated a plan to help him get there. He teamed up with another angler and friend that live close by him, and the two set out to see how many days they could fish in a row. They fished consecutively for four months without missing a single day. They logged over 500 hours of time on the water. How do you think this level of commitment affected Jordan? Well, his average win rate started locking in and increasing. He discovered many new techniques and was able to master them.
This was not easy, but it was necessary for him to improve. As he improved, more of the professional anglers started to notice his commitment and took an interest in helping him improve his skills. One of these “Pro” anglers is Danny Davis, a director for American Bass Association. He helped Jordan understand the tournament world, the importance of good equipment, and what it takes to fish bigger bass. Between his mentoring and the education he was receiving at Redrock, his confidence grew and he started fishing Club tournaments and eventually qualified as the Angler of the Year in Utah and earned his spot at the Bassmaster Highschool National Championship as well as an opportunity to fish the US Open as a AAA.
So when you think of the word “Grind”, you might view it as just toughing out a tournament or pushing through till the end regardless of conditions. I would ask that you visualize it more based on a broader scope, a larger viewpoint, or a plan. Ask the question…”What do I want?” Are you satisfied with just fun fishing tournaments, or do you want to grind PTQs, and eventually Grind for Reward (GFR). If the latter is your ultimate goal then you must first focus on PTQs. Learn the techniques, master the techniques and start building your overall point score. Log your results so not only you can see them but potential sponsors can also see them.
It is a business, it requires an investment of time and money, it requires that at certain times you must sell yourself, set realistic goals, and achieve them. If you truly want to make fishing a carrier then you need to view it differently and build your GRIND plan around it. As you track your results, you will start recognizing the improvement and ultimately arrive at a point where you can attract potential sponsors to help you transition into PRO status and Grind for Reward (GFR). This is Jordan’s plan.
I am sure when you saw this website, you were impressed. When you looked over his standings, I bet you thought wow… this kid got some skin in the game. When you read his values page, you may have recognized that he is different than most kids his age. Does it surprise you that he is attracting so many sponsors, and interest at a young age? He is doing it, paying the price to be numbered among the legends. His book has yet to be written, but as I write this, he is on a 2000-mile trip to Hartwell S. Carolina to compete with the best Highschool Anglers in America.
The secret to his success? It’s knowing where you are at and where you are going. Track your tournaments, your catches. Learn what works when and how. Pair yourself with experts like Jordan did with Danny Davis and Clif Gallagher of Redrock, and then never give up on your dream. When you feel like you have had enough…take a break, and take into account how far you have already come.
