But you can lose big, too. Walker's simple words sum up the life of the professional angler. A majority of the anglers starting out on the professional level hope their sponsors will fund their way. But that isn't usually the case. There are not very many guys who have sponsors that pay that much.
Tournament checks are important.
Both Walker and Bolton strategically planned their rise to the professional level. They spent several years refining their skills and saving their money by competing on the Red Man circuit. Bolton also said the circuit gave him the opportunity to fish different waters and face strong competition. Even today on the Red Man Trail there is still a great level of competition. Bolton says the better your competition, the better tournament angler you become.