What Can Fishing Do For You?

Until people actually get out on the water and experience it, they can never understand what fishing means, what it feels like, and how it can improve your life. Twenty years ago, if you’d told me that it would be a HUGE part of my life, I would’ve laughed, or been shocked, but every day I’m thankful that it has become a part of me. 

Fishing has put my creativity and confidence to the test. It challenges me to develop new skills all of the time. That includes writing, something that I'm not particularly good at YET, but every day I feel myself getting. In order to start my blog entries, I step away from the computer and go old school, putting my ideas on paper with a BIC pen. That’s kind of ironic, as my favorite bait is the iconic Senko, which resembles nothing so much as that very pen poured into a mold. 

Writing these blogs has allowed me to tell my own stories, but also to explore those of others. With each Google search and each interview I broaden my knowledge base. I learn about about destinations, products, tactics, and people you should know. I do the hard stuff so that you can enjoy your fishing experiences to the max. If you’ve ever been unsure about where to start, or think it’s too much work to gather the relevant situation, I’m here to help. I think everyone should die with memories, not with dreams. 

I’ve also started to explore a passion for photography. The pictures I take help tell the story of our journeys. They help us remember them and show our readers that they truly happened. Our ultimate goal is for someone reading this blog today to reach out to us, join us on one of those adventures, and end up in one of my pictures. You become part of our memories and we become part of yours. When I view the pictures, I not only see the scene, but I recall the voices, the smells and the tastes of the food we ate. Each one is a gateway to embracing the next opportunity. Of course, many time it’s the people who unexpectedly make a trip extra-special. Many of our closest friendships started because we were randomly in the same place at the same time. Once you start talking about fishing, it’s amazing how quickly that bond solidifies. 

Fishing has made me grow more creative and confident as a person. Fishing itself is bigger than just casting and reeling. It’s a way of life, a discipline and a window on the world. 

While fishing has contributed to tangible skills like writing and photography, what you may not be able to see is the “softer” advances it has enabled. In particular, it has contribute dot huge strides in my self-confidence. I am an extroverted introvert, and I hate doing anything by myself the first time. That hesitancy and the resulting fears caused me to miss out on so much over the years, but that’s changing. Pete has been a huge reason for this push. I mean, look at the huge risk I took 17 years ago. I moved halfway across the country to start my next adventure with the a guy who was obsessed with little green fish. Little did I know, they’d become my passion, too.. 

Our home is filled with fish replicas and other “fishy” artwork we’ve purchased from artists around the country and around the globe. We have a sticker door in the garage that shows where we have been and the product we like. Photographs of the people we’ve met and the places we’ve gone dot our house--every day they  remind us of the awesome adventures and the people we love. When you come into our house, you enter our extended world. 

Before I moved to Virginia one of my friends told Pete that when we got married he would have to give up some of his time fishing, I said, “No he won't. I'll just have to join him.” That has proven to be the case, even more than I expected. 

Pete and I were having dinner the other night and we were talking fishing. He said, "If you ever leave me I am never getting married again. Explaining all of this stuff to another wife would be impossible. You just get it!" 

That boosted my confidence. So did starting this website and business with Pete. The fact that Pete thought I was talented enough, had enough knowledge and was willing to learn helped encourage me to dive in. It hasn’t always been easy, but nothing worth having or doing is ever simple. He tells me all the time that having my unique perspective is every bit as valuable as his industry “insider” point of view. I provide a female touch as well. Again, our ultimate goal is to bring people under our tent who might not see a trip to Panama or Mexico or Alaska as something they’d like, and then SHOW them how amazing those places can be. We know that fishing can and should be fun, and we want to help you make the most of your remaining casts. 

The world is here to see, and we want to help you see it…from the water. 

Now do you see why I love fishing so much?