Well, we are now into the second month of 2023. So, are there any New Year’s resolutions still going? I wish you good luck with them! Don’t follow me around for advice on those, folks. You are likely to end up on a beach, on a skiff, or chasing a fish around the gulf – all while probably slightly intoxicated.
As the great prophet Jimmy Buffett says: Take another road to a hiding place Disappear without a trace Take another road to another time On another road in another time Like a novel from the five-and-dime Take another road, another time Follow the equator, like that old articulator Sail upon the ocean, just like Mr. Twain Never look back, this is my plan Run my pony through the sand Somewhere, somewhere … There’s no way around the fact that I’m past middle-aged and if you doubt that, I would have to live to be 100 for it not to be true anymore.
My life is such that it has gone through many changes in the years: the usual ups and downs of business, kids, family life, and the passing of many good friends. I might think on some occasions that I have life figured out, that I might understand what is happening, or that my purpose in life is this or that.
Well, the truth is, through this column I have discovered my new purpose in life just might be to catch fish and then write about it. To share this passion with others.
Sound funny? Yeah, I thought so, too. But we are going to give this a solid try folks. As of Feb. 1, you can now book fishing trips with me on Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee. Yep. I know you have all been waiting for this with bated breath and shaking knees. There is that much excitement in the air!
However, this is part of a lifelong dream that honestly, it’s just time to pursue. If you have ever met me, you know family and fishing are what I live for. I’m also probably as whacked out and dysfunctional as I have written about to look for in a guide! Seriously, in my life, I have spent years on the water, and I look forward to sharing my experiences, my knowledge, and my tactics with any of you who have the desire to go.
I will specialize in stripers, hybrids, white bass, and largemouth on our respective lakes for the time being. We will blur the lines between what is currently done and what we can only hope to imagine with new products, tactics, and ideas from different lakes, ecosystems, and fishing guides from around the country. From slow-pitch jigging (my version of it) for hybrids and stripers to swim baits for white bass! We’ll try it all.
My ultimate hope is to later expand down to the big bend of Florida for speckled trout, reds, and tarpon. Fishing is more than a passion for me and my family. It’s our life. It’s how I relate to the world and what I think about most.
So, I look forward to having you on the boat.