The World Record Striper and $$$$

[piemma]

I disagree with you guys. I firmly believe that the next world record will be worth a lot of money. But, it's just my opinion.

As it was pointed out by Mike, Al McReynolds ruined his own life, the fish didn't.
Just so you know, Garcia paid McReynolds $250,000 in 1978. That was a lot of cabbage in 1978! Translate that into 2010 dollars and you are in the million dollar range. I believe that you guys don't see the merchandising and marketability that could be generated by hiring the right sports agent.
But what the hell difference does it make? None of us are in that position.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by piemma

I disagree with you guys. I firmly believe that the next world record will be worth a lot of money. But, it's just my opinion.

As it was pointed out by Mike, Al McReynolds ruined his own life, the fish didn't.
Just so you know, Garcia paid McReynolds $250,000 in 1978. That was a lot of cabbage in 1978! Translate that into 2010 dollars and you are in the million dollar range. I believe that you guys don't see the merchandising and marketability that could be generated by hiring the right sports agent.
But what the hell difference does it make? None of us are in that position.

Im not worried about ruining life, there are many ways fo doing that. I am purely talking $.
Fishing was not as popular as today when McReynolds caught that fish. Look how many networks have BIG name fishing shows on cable. Paul, think of it as an investment - will Shimano invest in Joe Blow or Larry Dahlberg? I can SEE Larry catch fish all the time on Shimanos, but Joe Blow has a few pics of him with a reel and a dead fish. Think of the legendary names in Saltwater fishing, striper lures, etc, how many guys are rich????? Lets say Joe Blow comes up with the "Joe Blow Surf baby" lure and markets it. And it sells VERY well. How many of us have Gibbs lures at home? Was Stan Gibbs rich?
Im really looking to be enlightened, my opinion is not really based on much, just speculation. Id be really curious to see how someone can make $ on this.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by piemma

I disagree with you guys. I firmly believe that the next world record will be worth a lot of money. But, it's just my opinion.

As it was pointed out by Mike, Al McReynolds ruined his own life, the fish didn't.
Just so you know, Garcia paid McReynolds $250,000 in 1978. That was a lot of cabbage in 1978! Translate that into 2010 dollars and you are in the million dollar range. I believe that you guys don't see the merchandising and marketability that could be generated by hiring the right sports agent.
But what the hell difference does it make? None of us are in that position.

$812k, not millions.
And you'd be lucky to get half that today.

[Finaddict]

Just bear in mind that every tackle manufacturer is getting thousands of fishermen ... thousands hounding them for sponsorship dollars, gear, and money for records, etc. ... they are truly harrassed beyond belief by striper fishermen, tarpon fishermen, sailfish fishermen, trout fishermen, largemouth bass fishermen, walleye fishermen, pike fishermen, musky fishermen, redfish fishermen, salmon fishermen ... the list goes on.

Their budgets for that kind of thing are pretty slim these days. When I was an editor for The Fisherman magazine - especially down in Florida, the manufacturers would call me all the time because some hack who wanted to right an article was demanding free stuff ... and they couldn't afford everyone who offered to write about their gear ... as I have to believe that their margins are not as large as they were back in the 1970s and 1980s ... even with the improvements in the manufacturing processes that have been brought on by technology, supplies costs are up, taxes are higher than even, human resources expenses are up (even in Asia and other third world countries where stuff is made) ... so their budgets are thin ...

... even a television show on ESPN is not going to net someone all that much money ...obviously a show by Bill Dance, Roland Martin and other leading largemouth bass fisherman has greater rewards than a saltwater fish show because the market is so much larger ... freshwater is 80 percent of the fishing industry in the US ...

... while I cannot beging to guess the incomes generated off the shows, I have to believe that some of the saltwater celebrities such as George Poveromo and Jose Wejebe must make a good living off their television programs, but they also do other things as well and they do it because they love to do it ...

... so there would not be very much money in catching a world record ... again as highlighted above, a ton of world record fish are caught every day by people who are in it for the thrill of the record, not the money ... most of them already have the money because they can afford to fish all the time ...

... and the big money for the television shows doesn't even come from fishing companies or related products, they come from the car manufacturers, beer companies and other big named companies such as that ... because the money required for those small cable programs with a 1.4 gross rating point is tinsy compared to the dollars that are shelled out for professional sports ...

... IMHO, I'd stick to the day job if anyone thought they'd get a fat bank roll from catching a world record fish ...

[chefchris401]

Heres a few other things to consider.

If the worls record was caught and broken, you would have to take a polygraph, IGFA rules.

So you couldnt lie and say you caught it on this plug from this maker or your own plug to help business, they look at everything from the line, rod, reel, swivel, clip, etc. There is no getting away with anything. They check everything! You and only you can touch the fish, rod, reel, line, etc, so no help, if someone does help you record is void.

you would also have to truthfully tell were and when you caught it, so your go to spot will be burned. I know alot of spots that are very limited access and catching the next world record would definetly close it down.

I know it was mentioned, i think if someone who was known caught it, it would be worth lots more, someone like Zeno or DJ Muller could really go to the next level where if someone like me caught it, not so much a big deal.

The hassles and aggrevation would be high, but not many people would be able to stomach releasing a fish that big.

I think its all in how you play it out, if your smart and keep photos down to a minium and keep your story for a one time only thing then its worth more.

look at what happens when a big fish is caught, veryone accuses you of being a photoshop magician by the end of the thread people are even questioning if its fish or not!

[ecduzitgood]

I think the $250,000 Al got was a bounty offered to anyone who broke the world record and he happen to do it. I have not seen or heard of any bounty from any manufactures these days, maybe they should offer one so more anglers would use their equipment.

I couldn't even guess what it might be worth but I hope this season I will find out .

[Pete_G]

I don't see it being worth much at all.

There's just not enough money in the little striper based section of the "industry". Most of the companies are little operations where no one is getting rich. More like struggling to stay afloat. And if they are a big company only a little portion of their efforts (if any) is focused on the striped bass.

You might get some free gear out of it and I honestly think that would be about it.

I think you'd make out better winning the Striper Cup.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by ecduzitgood

I think the $250,000 Al got was a bounty offered to anyone who broke the world record and he happen to do it.

I think if we had this scenario nowadays a record fish just might turn up. One of those big breeders being illegally caught and released would likely find their way onto a scale.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by ecduzitgood

I think the $250,000 Al got was a bounty offered to anyone who broke the world record and he happen to do it. I have not seen or heard of any bounty from any manufactures these days, maybe they should offer one so more anglers would use their equipment.

I couldn't even guess what it might be worth but I hope this season I will find out .

Yes, it was offered by the old Garcia company--not ABU-Garcia, but the ones who imported the Mitchell reels in the 60s and 70s. And he damn near had to sue them to get it. Nelson Bryant, who wrote the outdoors column for the NY Times, was really the key to Al getting the money. He brought the weight of the paper to bear and Garcia finally ponied up.

After Uncle and the state of NJ took their cut, Al used what was left to buy a house in Manomet. He fished Long Beach in Plymouth regularly and visited the Canal a few times, and came back occasionally even after he moved to the southwest--which is when things started going into the crapper for him. Mike CC's dad used to have a picture of himself shaking hands with Al on the photo wall, when he owned Cape Cod Charlie's.

Don't believe for a minute that Al didn't enjoy his time in the spotlight, too--no matter what he says today. He used to carry business cards that read "Al McReynolds, World Record Holder, Striped Bass" around with him and passed them out to people he'd meet on the fishing grounds