The Youngest Pro Fisherman with Jonny Schultz
The Beginning of a Professional Fishing Career
 Editor’s Note: Fourteen year-old Jonny Schultz, of Little Rock, Arkansas, started his fishing career when he was 7-years old. Now that he’s 14, he’s already earned $20, 000 in college scholarships. This week we’ll see how this phenomenal young man has made his life, living and fortune as a professional fisherman and learn what the future holds for him.
Question: Jonny, what do you do as a professional fisherman?
Schultz: I do seminars in Bass Pro Shops and at the Bassmaster Classic each year. I promote Strike King lures, Plano tackle boxes and my other sponsors’ products, not only in the seminars I give, but also in the tournaments I fish.
Question: Jonny, how did you get started as a professional fisherman?
Schultz: I started in the B.A.S.S. CastingKids competition when I was 7. I won the Casting Kids competition when I was 8. I won it again this last year when I was 13.
Question: Jonny, you get up on the trailers called Hog Troughs that are filled with water and bass, and you give casting demonstrations and teach people how to fish Strike King lures. You also show Plano tackle boxes and put-on seminars. How did you learn to become a public speaker?
Schultz: The first time I climbed on top of the Hog Trough and started speaking and casting, was at a seminar when one of the speakers didn’t show-up. When I got on the platform and started casting and demonstrating the lures, I just talked about what I knew - the lures and how to fish them. I picked out one person in the crowd and just started talking to him. Before long, there was a really-big crowd around the tank, listening to me talkand demons trate lures. After I made several presentations, public speaking just came naturally to me. Really, public speaking isn’t all that difficult for me anymore. I learn all I can about bass fishing, lures and why bass are attracted to certain types of lures. Then, I just teach people what I’ve learned.
Question: Jonny, what’s the largest crowd to which you’ve ever spoken?
Schultz: About 200 or 300.
Question: How many seminars do you do each year?
Schultz: I usually try to do one at the Bassmaster Classic and one at a BassPro Shop. I try to get young people and adults excited about the sport of bass fishing.
Question: What do your folks think about your being a professional fisherman?
Schultz: At first they didn’t really understand because neither of them fish, and my family doesn’t even own a boat.
To learn more about Jonny Shultz, visit www.jonnyschultz.com.
Tomorrow: Jonny Schultz on Becoming Adaptable In Your Bass Fishing |
