BFL’s ingredients for success

     Most anglers who dream of a carrer as a pro fisherman begin their pro-am carrer in what the angling community calls the ”weekend series” tournaments. For FLW, they have a stepping stone weekend series known as the BFL sponsored by Wal-Mart. Compared to other series alike, the BFL has got it going on.

     I have fished a few BFL’s in years past when I was fishing on the amature or non-boater side. I was amazed at the fact that there were many obvious similarities between it and other circuits, but the BFL’s were drawing much larger fields and in many cases maxing out the 200 boater field. While there are differences in small processes such as boat check and weigh-in procedures, I know those things alone are not enough to draw a field larger than the rest.

     The ingredients that other circuits are missing are history and consistancy. Formerly know as the Redman tournaments, the series has been around since the early 90’s (some might say over 20 years if you consider when the series was ran by Operation Bass) and has a rich following of dedicated and loyal fisherman who have been there since the beggining, fishing and networking the series in a positive way. That comes with history. How do you get a following to stay with you like that? Consistancy. Throughout the good or bad, the series has continued to maintain it’s course and allow success to evolve before giving its rights to another organization at the first sign of struggle. Sound judgement and consistant desicion making on the FLW/BFL staff has helped as well.