A tackle shop is going to be risky Warren... and from what I've heard, once
you get into the fishing business, you really spend less time fishing than
you ever have.

If you can afford to compete in the opens... I'd stick with that plan. As
far as your current business... you're never too old to start over. If I
felt that what I was doing was headed downhill, I'd get out in a hurry. 39
isn't old, young man... 49 is getting close.


"gobassn" wrote in message
...
Hi guys. It's 10:45 PM, I just worked a 12-hr shift & I'm going back to
do
another one in a few hours. I work in the same room in a giant shopping
mall every day. I'm 39 now & totally burned out on my lifelong business.
I'm not enjoying my work at all anymore. My business has been somewhat
non-profitable for almost 2 years now. I'm dealing in a dying market
(sports collectibles), and the worth of my present location has been
deteriorating for roughly 3 years now.

I hope you don't mind me spewing all this cr-p here, but I consider so
many
of you "fishin' buddies" that I feel like I'm among friends (for the most
part lol).

I think about fishing 24-7. I'm talking chronic fellas. I am 100%
obsessed
with bass fishing. I doubt the pros think about fishing as much as I do.
Well, maybe a few.

When I fished the B.A.S.S. Opens two years ago I know I didn't set any
worlds on fire; Lord knows I made my mistakes in every tournament I
fished.
The Opens were like a much-needed vacation for me. I learned more about
bass fishing competitively in those 3 events than I'd learned over the
past
few years. But the most important thing I learned was that I can find
good
fish on big water. In the last two tourneys I fished (Erie & Onieda), I
felt like, well, that I belonged there. I finished just out of the money
in
both, but more importantly I was "on" good quality fish, and I found them
myself. I made bad decisions that cost me checks in both of those
tournaments. Lessons learned.

I want to go back. In the worst way. I want to fish for a living. I
want
to fish every day, all day.

OK, I'm not in a good position here. We're like 120-something days into
2005. I've spent a single 8-hour tournament day on the water. Sure, it
felt like I fished just the day before when I was finally fishing, but the
fact was that I hadn't casted a bait in almost half-a-year (my arm didn't
even hurt the next day). To me that is astonishing & very upsetting.

Aside from doing nothing on-the-water to improve my game, it's also making
me generally unhappy.

I'm at a crossroads in my life. I want to be part of the fishing
industry,
in some capacity. I don't care what it is. Preferably tournament
fishing,
but I'm open to anything. I need to be outdoors more. There are lots of
people working in fishing.

Why not me?

Is it really impossible for someone to build an excellent local tackle
shop,
& I mean excellent, and succeed? I know I'd much rather visit a "real"
tackle shop than Dick's, WalM-rt, etc.

There are NO really good tackle shops in my area. None.

Should I put it on the line & make a real go of fishing tournaments? I
know
in 10 years it'll be to late & I'll hate myself for it.

I need a plan & I know I need to make a move.

You only live once, right?

I have a wife, child, home & other assorted overheads to be reponsible
for,
please keep this in mind when replying. I can't jeapordize any of them.

Hence my dilemna folks.

ideas, opinions & criticisms welcome

Warren
--
http://www.warrenwolk.com
Http://www.tri-statebassmasters.com
2004 NJ B.A.S.S. Federation State Champions