Why would a hobby be done for money? Is it then a hobby?

You have a job, you work hard. You have a family, you spend time with them. You get to take some time off from family and work and enjoy a hobby. Golf, tennis, running, fishing, going to museums, reading, or a variety of other activities designed to help you relax and enjoy a quality of life. Sometimes a hobbyist might even enjoy competing against others. There is after all a primal need to be the better man. So a good hobby is a good if not necessary part of the healthy adult life.

Where does hobby end and part-time profession come into bass fishing. It seems that the millions of runners and bike riders that do so for hobby only have managed to keep up their interest without a horde of tournaments to compete for money. The local tennis club still rewards competitors with a simple trophy and applause. So why has bass fishing become so much a for money, tournament driven "hobby?"

There are a few possible answers any of which may be completely wrong or possibly completely dependent on the other answers but here they are in no particular order.

1. Bass fishing is simply a reflection of this country's lottery win, reality millionaire, get rich quick and I deserve it mentality. Every bass fisherman watches Television and sees that some professional angler wins 1 million dollars and somewhere inside he believes that he could do that, or maybe he just thinks "man what I could do with that kinda money." Certainly tournament directors and organizers get this mentality to a point. They often have bass tournaments where first prize is $10,000 or more dollars and yet a top ten finish may net less than $1,000 and finishing in the top twenty percent may not even get you a dime! But then all you have to do is give the field the chance to get rich quick. One does have to ask though if the need to compete for an outrageous first prize is the whole answer to tournament bass fishing how does a runner train for miles a week and know that he will never get a dime for his efforts?



2. Bass fishermen are actually more gambler than hobbyist. Perhaps bass fishing is not enough of a hobby to really appeal to many people. Maybe it is the gambling aspect that really drives the sport. Indeed there does seem to be a great divide between a retired gentleman and his grandson heading out for a morning of fishing in their 18 foot bass boat versus the mad rage that is the start of many bass tournaments. Perhaps the enjoyment is driven by trying to win money not just go fishing. The fishing is a hobby that would be nice to take the kids out a day or two a month for but tournament prep can keep a working family man on the water 5, 10 or more days a month.



3. You gotta justify your toys somehow. Maybe when ya pay $600 a month for a truck capable of pulling Mount Rushmore down and another $600 a month on a bass boat that can't fit in your garage you have to say it is for more than your man ego. Bass fisherman may have a hard time admitting that they just want a truck bigger than Bubba's and a bass boat that runs faster than many sub compact cars. So they rationalize it by the fact that they fish for money so they gotta have good equipment. Well or is it that they have to make up for a lack of equipment?




The list could seemingly go on forever. It almost becomes an excuse list not a reason list. Should a true hobby need the added dimension of for money competition? Are bass fisherman just the world's worst part time employed workers?
When was the last time the average tournament fisherman competed for just a trophy?