Not including the Classic which is part of last years Season.

Its tough to make it out there cashing consistent checks. You better have some good sponsors or be independently wealthy. It probably cost a minimum of $100K to barebones the season with entry fee, travel expense, equipment, fuel, etc.

4 events remain

Two Anglers with 5 Checks - Lucas and Rojas
14 with 4 checks
38 with 3 checks
29 with 2 checks
21 with 1 check
9 with no check

Angler Total
Aaron Martens $156,500.00
Justin Lucas $145,000.00
Edwin Evers $135,000.00
Chris Lane $123,500.00
Skeet Reese $120,000.00
Kevin VanDam $90,000.00
Dean Rojas $67,500.00
Cliff Pirch $58,500.00
Tim Horton $54,500.00
Derek Remitz $49,000.00
Keith Combs $46,500.00
Brett Hite $46,000.00
Ish Monroe $45,000.00
John Crews $45,000.00
Brent Ehrler $43,000.00
Jonathon VanDam $43,000.00
Greg Vinson $42,500.00
Jordan Lee $41,000.00
Bernie Schultz $40,000.00
Jacob Powroznik $40,000.00
Matthew Herren $40,000.00
Randy Howell $40,000.00
Brandon Lester $40,000.00
Micah Frazier $38,500.00
Chris Zaldain $36,500.00
Brandon Card $36,000.00
Jason Christie $36,000.00
David Walker $35,000.00
Mike McClelland $35,000.00
Bobby Lane $34,500.00
Greg Hackney $34,000.00
Shaw Grigsby $33,000.00
Ken Iyobe $32,000.00
Stephen Kennedy $32,000.00
Terry Scroggins $31,500.00
Brandon Coulter $31,000.00
David Mullins $31,000.00
Gary Klein $31,000.00
Gerald Swindle $31,000.00
Ott DeFoe $31,000.00
Alton Jones $30,000.00
Bill Lowen $30,000.00
Boyd Duckett $30,000.00
Brent Chapman $30,000.00
Brian Snowden $30,000.00
Davy Hite $30,000.00
James Elam $30,000.00
James Niggemeyer $30,000.00
Jeff Kriet $30,000.00
Josh Bertrand $30,000.00
Kelley Jaye $30,000.00
Kelly Jordon $30,000.00
Kevin Short $30,000.00
Mark Menendez $30,000.00
Marty Robinson $30,000.00
Russ Lane $30,000.00
David Williams $26,000.00
Byron Velvick $25,000.00
Billy McCaghren $24,000.00
Casey Ashley $23,000.00
Scott Rook $22,500.00
Kotaro Kiriyama $22,000.00
Mike Kernan $22,000.00
Brandon Palaniuk $21,500.00
Chad Morgenthaler $21,500.00
John Murray $21,500.00
Britt Myers $21,000.00
Jason Williamson $21,000.00
Keith Poche $21,000.00
Matt Lee $21,000.00
Randall Tharp $21,000.00
Fred Roumbanis $21,000.00
Michael Iaconelli $20,500.00
Bradley Roy $20,000.00
Casey Scanlon $20,000.00
Chad Pipkens $20,000.00
Cliff Prince $20,000.00
Dennis Tietje $20,000.00
Hank Cherry $20,000.00
Jared Lintner $20,000.00
Matt Reed $20,000.00
Morizo Shimizu $20,000.00
Seth Feider $20,000.00
Stephen Browning $20,000.00
Tommy Biffle $20,000.00
Takahiro Omori $16,000.00
Carl Jocumsen $13,500.00
Andy Montgomery $13,000.00
Todd Faircloth $12,000.00
Fletcher Shryock $11,000.00
Charlie Hartley $10,000.00
Cliff Crochet $10,000.00
Cliff Pace $10,000.00
David Smith $10,000.00
J Todd Tucker $10,000.00
Jared Miller $10,000.00
Kenyon Hill $10,000.00
Koby Kreiger $10,000.00
Kurt Dove $10,000.00
Mark Davis $10,000.00
Nate Wellman $10,000.00
Paul Elias $10,000.00
Paul Mueller $10,000.00
Randy Allen $10,000.00
Joseph Sancho $-
Kenneth "Boo" Woods $-
Kevin Hawk $-
Kevin Ledoux $-
Rick Clunn $-
Scott Ashmore $-
Stephen Longobardi $-
Yusuke Miyazaki $-
Zell Rowland $-

A lot of the guys at the bottom do just fine with or without a check

I read somewhere that Swindle makes over half a mil a year in sponsor money and that was years ago. He's getting paid even if he isn't cashing checks

My BIL has a good friend who fished elite series for a few years. The only reason he could do it was because he was independently wealthy. His parents own Gulf Oil.

From what I have seen that would be the exception for a small percentage. A good percentage need to earn some decent check money thru the year .

BASS and FLW seem like more of an ongoing bass fishing product infomercial than a true test of bass fishing talent. Don't know of anything where the specific equipment used by a competitor is more of a focus than in this sport. Tournament pros seem more like on the water product reps first and foremost. Finding and showcasing the very best fisherman out there doesn't really seem to be the purpose. There are lots of potential giant killers out there that will never get a true opportunity to make it, mostly from an economic standpoint. Compared to something like pro golf, where its all about who can get it done. The best golfers make a lot from product endorsement but no one really cares what they use. It's all about the game.

Should be 10 with no checks cashed I haven't cashed either!

Very true. This was the top money getters. KVD, Skeet, Ike, GMAN, etc.

Wow they make lots of money for just going fishing .

Its a job you could pay $100K+ for and not make a dime from the actual fishing.

that sounds like gambling to me

These guys aren't making a living tournament fishing. They're making a living by moving product for their sponsors.

I saw a youtube video a while back interviewing pros about fishing without sponsors. The consensus was it's not possible unless you're already wealthy. Sponsors pay the bills. Most claimed it costs 80-100k a year just to fish the elite series. Very few elites even win enough to cover expenses.

Also, I think it's a bad idea for unproven "poor boy" fisherman to jump into the elite series if they qualify. The young, unproven guys would be better off starting in the FLW tour - lower entry fees (3k rather than 5k), 6 tourneys rather than 8, and travel limited to the southern US. Use the FLW tour to make a name for yourself, pick up 2-3 solid sponsors, and then make the jump to the elites. Ehrler, Tharp, Hite, and Ashley all did it this way, and I'm sure there are others.