Somethings work out!

   This weekend I had the opportunity to fish the Irish Water Dogs Tournament. The focus of this event is to raise money to benefit the Cleft Palate Clinic of Jacksonville Fl. Coming to Florida to work I was unable to bring a kayak to fish from so when Jeff Suber told me he would bring an extra kayak and we could fish the event together I was all in. After work Friday I headed north to Jax to make the Capts. meeting and hook up with Chappy, who's house Jeff and I would be crashing at. We awoke Sat morn to find sunny warm Florida had changed to a balmy 45 degrees. Now I was really in the dark, fishing water I had never seen before, launching from a muddy dark bank and missing all my warm clothing back in Va. Jeff and I started our day throwing top water and having instant blow ups but couldn't get them to connect. We worked our way out of the creeks to a nice flat. Lots of bait and an outgoing tide kept us optimistic and soon we would both have a couple reds to show for that optimism. Neither of mine would make size but Jeff did have a nice 22" on top water. From there our day went a lot slower as the tide kept falling. All the while Jeff and I kept trying and caught up on a lot since last time we fished. Finally we gave in loaded the cars and went to the weigh in. Seems the morning was a lot better for other anglers as some nice fish were caught. All in all though I had a great time. Thanks to Jeff I got to fish a new place and enter another tournament. I also got to meet some people who I'm friends with on Face Book and share some stories and got to catch up with some old friends I haven't seen in awhile. The whole time I was helping a great cause that also helped me get on the water!! Somethings work out. Visit http://irishwaterdogsinvitational.com/ to learn more.

Proud moments!

  I've involved several years of my life into this thing called fishing. To most it is a hobby, a means to get away and relax and catch some fish, hopefully. For me it has become more than that. Yes I relax when I'm out there, some of the time. I've also been told I take it too seriously. In these past years I have had the great pleasure of sharing my "serious hobby" with others. Whether it is on the water with a client, an article I may have wrote or in a classroom type environment doing a seminar I enjoy spreading what I have learned. I occasionally here from people thanking me for that and even get them to share how that time helped them catch a fish or get them more involved in fishing. There has been no greater feeling for me of this then from my new wife Kris.
    In the beginning she wanted to just kayak no interest in fishing. So we would go on the water together. Her paddling her new kayak while I fished. Then one day she says she would like to try fishing a little. From there her interest grew. We were no longer just a couple with one half fishing the other paddling. We were fishing every chance we could. We fished in tournaments, we traveled to south Florida so she could enter a woman's only event. To the mountains fly fishing for trout, local ponds for blue gill and the occasionally bass. Even off a pier for some Croaker and what ever else we may find. Fast forward to present day, my job has taken me to Florida for a couple months. With an upcoming tournament at home my not yet but wife to be was pre-fishing every chance she got for the event.Listening to her tell me her plan of attacks, the lures she was using, how she fished a particular area, all those things she had developed. My kayaking partner has become my fishing wife. I'm so proud of her, she never stops amazing me! So next time someone ask you to take them fishing do it. Maybe it's a child or a co-worker or even your spouse it may just turn out to be the best "fishing partner" of your life.