Entry 243-2

Looking at the Classic through College Eyes with Rusty Jones

Rusty JonesEditor’s Note: At the 2008 Bassmaster Classic, members of the University of Alabama’s bass-fishing team paid to attend the Classic and work for and with their sponsors. They were in the Strike King booth all three days of the Classic, showing new products and talking fishing with all who would listen. These young men are setting a new standard as college fishing pros, and they’re becoming tournament pros the right way through working with sponsors and honing their fishing skills, at a very young age. This week, you’ll meet Rusty Jones of Helena, Alabama, who has his education and fishing act together and uses his college courses to help further his fishing career.

Part 2: After College Plans

Rusty JonesQuestion: Rusty, you mentioned you’re in business marketing. What are your plans after college?

Jones: I’d like to get a job, save money and hopefully fish well enough to make BASS’s Elite circuit. I’d like to get into business marketing in the fishing-tackle industry. While I’m in college and fishing the college bass-fishing circuit, I’m making many contacts with a number of fishing-tackle companies. So, I’m hoping I may get to work for one of them after graduation. I want to do more than just be a fisherman. I want to use my marketing degree to help fishing-tackle companies sell their products.

Question: What have you learned from working with the Strike King Pros?

Rusty JonesJones: I’ve learned how to use the Strike King lures to catch fish. They’ve taught me how to be patient and dead stick a lure, and they’ve given me a lot of confidence as a fisherman.

Question: What have you learned about marketing while working with Strike King?

Jones: Their pros have taught us how to approach people, how to talk fishing, how to be nice to folks, and how to give them the information you have about how to catch bass.

Question: Why do you think college students should start working with fishing-tackle companies like Strike King while they’re in college?

Jones: By starting while you’re in college, you can get your roots planted early in the fishing industry. Rusty JonesYou can begin to learn who the key people are with different companies, and they can get to know you. They get to see you perform over 2 or 3 years as a college athlete before you start fishing any of the national circuits.

Question: What was the biggest surprise for you about working with a national company like Strike King?

Jones: Our entire team was surprised that Strike King would take an interest in a college fishing team. We were just starting out when we met Chris Brown, and he came onboard quickly with us. It really surprised us that Brown and the Strike King organization would get behind us in the way they have and help us as much as they have.




 

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