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Montgomery, Tex. – Not too many professional anglers can say that they have had a more successful and profitable career than Zell Rowland. In fact, only 15 BASS pros can say that they have out performed him over the span of their careers. Rowland sat down with The BASS ZONE and talked about the future of the sport, and setting up his Skeeter boat for competition.
In November of 1979, a 22-year-old Rowland entered his first BASS tournament at Lake Eufala in Alabama. In the 28 years since that tournament, Rowland has entered a total of 264 BASS events, finished in money in 137 events, including 34 top 10 finishes; five of them wins. In that time, he has earned $1,126,065, which ranks 16th on the BASS All Time Money List.
With all of these accomplishments on his resume, the 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series was almost without him thanks to a bad season. The only reason he is returning for the 2008 season is because he used his one available exemption; 10 years in the Classic.
“This was the worst year I have ever had in my career,” Rowland said. “But, as they say, everything that goes up must come down.” The Skeeter / Yamaha pro definitely experienced the down side of competitive fishing as he finished 96th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Standings. |
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Having had a very successful career as a tournament angler Rowland told The BASS ZONE that 2007 was a bad year, losing a bunch of money, missing the Bassmaster Classic, and not requalifying for the Elite Series, he worries about the young guys, and sees some opportunities to improve the future of the sport for everyone.
Looking at the industry through the eyes of a veteran pro, Rowland sees the trends, and like an uncle, knows there are opportunities to advance “There are a few things that we need to take a look at,” he said. “There are great things about the way things are, but there are some suggestions that I have to make things better.”
“While the sport has gotten bigger, the industry has gotten smaller overall,” Rowland relayed. “There are fewer companies out there to work with as corporations have purchased them; and it means fewer opportunities to go around.” He said sponsorship opportunities are harder to come by, and even with the increased payouts, its becoming harder to make a living fishing.
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“I’ve looked at the numbers down to the event level, and at $10,000, we don’t break even,” Rowland said. “I t seems funny to say it this way, but if we had fewer events with a higher entry fee, we would stand a chance at making a living at this.”
He also felt that there was room to improve the ability of veterans to requalify for the next year. “After nearly 30 years, I used my only exemption,” Rowland said. “While I would like to see more opportunities for someone of my tenure to be in if they stumble.” |
In preparation for 2008, Rowland, as he does every year, is set to rig his new Skeeter boat. Rowland is well known for the efforts he makes at rigging his boat for the season. A recent article in Bassmaster Magazine pointed out that he removes excess weight and insulates the wires to make them neat, and protect them from wear.
Rowland said that he works four to six hours a day for a total of four days to rig his boat for the next season. He said that he cuts out every extra bit of wire, and install conduit to keep it from rubbing on the hull creating shorts that can ruin a day of fishing.
“I cut out every piece of extra wire that is not necessary,” Rowland said. “Extra length in the trolling motor wires, wiring harnesses to the engine, livewells, etc. is all removed; I take almost 80 pounds of weight out of the boat, as well as protect all of the wires.”
One of the steps that Rowland takes to reduce weight is to remove the on board battery charger, and turn it into a portable charger by affixing a handle to it. “Each of these transformer type chargers weighs around 30 pounds,” Rowland exclaimed. “I have put alligator clips on the wires, and turned them into portable chargers, but I may have found one that changes the way I do things.”
Rowland said that he found a new charger that is lighter than traditional chargers, but thanks to a different kind of technology, charges his batteries faster. “I am putting a Pro Mariner Pro Tournament 300 Quad in my boat this season,” Rowland said. “I am really excited about this charger; it is an electronic charger that will charge my batteries in less than four hours after a full day of fishing. One of the best parts of the whole thing, aside from the efficiency is that the thing only weighs 13 pounds; I might even put it in my boat, as opposed to making it a portable unit.”
Rowland said that he is looking forward to next season, and that he is going into the year ready to show why he is one of the highest ranked earners in the business. “Last year was difficult, but I’m not going to give them a chance to run me out again; I’m ready to take somebody’s money next year.”
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