Staff Photo by Phillip Tomlinson/The South Jersey Times VINELAND - Fishermen love to tell stories. Just as fun as hauling in a mammoth moss-back is bragging to all of your fishing buddies about it. So naturally, in an age of digital media, fishermen seek each other out online to swap fish tales and share information about their hobby. For South Jersey bass enthusiasts the place to share rod and reel heroics is the online forum www.bassnj.com.
On Sunday afternoon scores of local fisherman gathered at Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland for the fifth-annual bassnj.com spring kick-off sale.
"The forum started as a local thing, but has spread state-wide in the past few years," Blackwater owner Jeff Shaw explained. "This is a closed door sale for forum members that we do as a way to kick off the spring season."
Blackwater is a sponsor of the bassnj.com forum, where membership is free, and the only dues are regular ribbings from fellow fishing aficionados.
With temperatures in the balmy lower 50s, and the sun shining, thoughts of spring and of landing a lunker bass were naturally on the mind of every angler present, as they patrolled the well-stocked aisles of Blackwater, looking to replenish tackle boxes for another year on the water.
For most of those browsing the store, bass fishing is a hobby that borders on an obsession. For some lucky souls, fishing is a profession.
Adrian Avena of Vineland is a professional on the FLW Tournament circuit, and one of, if not the, only tournament pro from New Jersey.
The FLW circuit consists of 175 top anglers from around the country, and features six tournaments every year with prize purses north of $600,000 for each event.
A 2012 graduate of Chestnut Hill College, Avena is about to start his second season on tour.
He first started tournament fishing as a kid, doing salt water tournaments with his dad and uncle from his family's vacation home in Cape May. He also spent time honing his freshwater skills, and when he started college he got involved in serious bass tournaments.
After spending two years on the bass fishing college tournament circuit, Avena qualified for the pro tour through FLW's Everstart Division.
Winning a prize totaling over $30,000 in 2011 helped stake him to his first year on the FLW tour, covering his travel and operating expenses for the 2012 season. In 2012 he did well enough to pay his way for the 2013 campaign.
But depending on prize money alone won't get you far as a bass pro. In order to cover expenses and earn a living, top anglers rely on endorsement deals and sponsorships to stay afloat.
After breaking through last year, Avena is looking to establish himself, and build his base of sponsors with a strong showing in 2013.
"As a young guy trying to break through it can be tough," he explained. "Sponsorships offset expenses, and right now I don't really have any financial support."
That will change if he can notch a win or a series of strong finishes on tour this year, and earn the level of corporate sponsorships that can establish him as a career pro.
As a New Jersey native, he feels he has an advantage over the competition.
"They say that if you can catch bass here in New Jersey you can catch bass anywhere," he said with a laugh.
Fish in New Jersey waters are exposed to a lot of pressure from anglers; trying to catch bass successfully in New Jersey means mastering a wide array of strategies.
But success at the professional level takes more than just talent and practice. To keep up with the sport's top names, Avena has to do his homework. Using internet resources, he spends weeks in advance of a tournament studying the topography of the waterway, identifying areas likely to hold the trophy bass that will land him in the money.
Regardless of his success on tour, Avena still enjoys fishing the small waters around South Jersey, naming Union Lake, Rainbow Lake in Vineland and Giampetro Park among his favorites.
Contact Phillip Tomlinson at 856-451-1000 or ptomlinson@southjerseymedia.com
