Let the Games Begin

There comes a point in your angling career when you must decide whether you will go the tournament route.  This is a decision that I’ve been considering for about a year, and I can’t escape the question:  Are tournaments for me?

For some people, competition is a natural course.  For others, it seems that competition brings out an ugly side to something that is otherwise a peaceful outlet.  When you enter a tournament, your otherwise private skunk becomes embarrassingly public within moments after the weigh-in begins.  Instead of just a slow day on the water, you begin to wonder if all those who have supported or sponsored you will doubt their faith in you.

Fact of the matter is- if you want to be a pro, you have to prove that you are a pro in a public forum.  No longer does it matter if you are your mom’s favorite angler.  

I had been signed up for my first Lone Star Kayak Series Tournament for several months. The first event out of four was to be on April 18th. I was more than anxious on several levels. Before the 18th came around, I got the opportunity to fish in a local benefit tournament for Lance Linthicum . I was excited to be able to compete for a good cause, and this was also a great way to pre-fish for the LSKS.  I had my Hook 1 jersey ready for the winner’s stand and my new T-bone bed extender  was going to get my Wildy Ride 135  there in good condition.

 

It took me until about 10 pm the night before to rig up my HookSpit Performance Rods and finally decide on a spot to fish. I wanted to be close to the weigh-in located in Sunny San Leon, but at the last minute, I decided to fish a familiar spot in Galveston. Since this tourney allowed bait or artificial, I decided to use both.

 

This proved to be a fun mistake on my part. I know live shrimp can be a great choice, but I usually go with dead shrimp if I'm using bait. I was confident I'd catch some reds on it. Instead of a beautiful red, I ended up catching the following (on dead shrimp):

- Two stingrays

- a 22" gafftop

- several hardhead catfish

- one small black drum,

- a whiting

- a  couple of croakers

I knew I had back-tracked into a pattern of fishing I had started out with years ago and although I don't discourage it because it can be fun for some, it’s just not my style anymore. Too many unwanted fish caught and precious minutes with my line out of the water while releasing them. Running out of time, I found a familiar deeper channel in the marsh and started throwing a popping cork with a Vudu shrimp. A few minutes later, I felt that hit and knew I had a redfish. 17" was not going to cut it, but I was relieved it was not a stingray. My buddy, Jose, joined me in my spot and he, too, quickly got a smaller redfish. He was smarter and using live shrimp. Sadly our time was running out, and we both ended up with an empty stringer. Later on in the day, I found out that only four kayakers had signed up and out of the four of us- only one caught some tourney-grade fish. One keeper redfish, flounder, or trout would have put me in second place. I'm sure I won’t get that opportunity again.  This is likely something that will haunt me for quite a while, as my Hook 1 jersey will have to wait for another day in the sun.

The weigh-in was a blast as this tournament had a boat division as well, and I loved watching the fish being brought in, especially when so many were released to fight another day. Most importantly, they raised quite a bit of money to help Lance and his family out. I met lots of new people and saw some friendly, familiar faces. I'll be back, better and with no dead shrimp. Add in that I missed a couple of flounder and had a nice trout get off at the boat somewhere.

After getting a few high-fives and hand shakes from the wonderful Pier Pressure Girls and Mike Bishop (the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner - he and his lady are cool as a fan) in my first-ever tournament, it was good to learn that most people in the angling world are still supportive and understanding when a day on the water doesn’t turn out as expected.  It was also important to learn that the only expectations I have to live up to are the ones I set for myself. No bad days on the water... only lessons learned.

An Open Letter to the "Fishing Widows" from a Coastie Wife

I’m just going to say it--- if I see one more picture of a skinny, bikini-clad blonde holding up a bull red and smiling on a fancy fishing boat, I am going to puke.  That is NOT what most fishermen’s wives look like.  These cute little blondes have a rich daddy who was nice enough to send his little princess to Cancun for Spring Break, and she just so happened to try to go out on a fishing excursion to show the boys how cool she was, and she accidentally caught some big ol’ Mahi-Tuna-Swordfish crossbreed (which I’m sure she did not know the name of until she was told --- 4 times).  This is the story in my head, and I’m sticking to it.

It more than upsets me to see these pictures for a few reasons:

1)      Hell yes, I am jealous that she looks so damn good in that cut off tank top that I could NEVER pull off.

2)      Hell yes, I am jealous that she is on a fancy boat off the coast of Cancun without a care in the world, and her daddy paid for it.

3)      Hell yes, I am jealous that she caught a Mahi-Tuna-Swordfish crossbreed.

4)      But mostly---- these photos make the bile rise in my throat because REAL Fishermen’s wives do far more than giggle while looking cute in a paradise photo op.

Let me paint a real picture for you--- the real wife of an angler rarely shows up in photos because she is either at home with the kids, or she is the one taking the photo.  However, IF a fisherman’s wife did show up in a photo--- here is what you would see.  You would see her making sure that each kid had his/her line in the water before she even baits her own hook.  You’d see her rubbing 70 SPF sunscreen on her husband because GOD FORBID he have the instrinsic motivation to prevent his own skin cancer.  You’d see her running in the background toward her son’s catch because she knows it’s a hard-head from 20 feet away, and she doesn’t want him to get barbed.  You might see a picture of her cutting the bait into smaller pieces to make it last longer for her daughter.  You most definitely would see a picture of her trying to get fish guts out of her hair.  And if she is really lucky, you might catch her in a moment of relaxation trying to wipe dead-shrimp juice off the top of the can of beer (because somebody got the bait & beer coolers mixed up) while she sits down to catch her breath for two seconds.

Of course there will be a few occasions which she actually catches her own little whiting or black drum, and her hubby will be proud enough to drop his own line long enough to take a picture.  In that photo, she damn sure won’t be wearing a freaking string bikini with cut-offs and a face full of make-up (WHO are these girls?).   Instead--- she will probably have on the same grungy, baggy pants she has on in the last photo because those are her comfy, fish-gut-wiping pants, and they have enough room in the pockets to hold pliers, rags, and a flask. A real fishing wife will be wearing one of her husband’s XL Coastie Culture (or other fishing related brand) shirt.  She won’t have any make-up on because she knows that if her sunscreen runs into her eyes, it will sting and her mascara will run.  She will also be wearing a hat in order to avoid her hair getting entangled with fish guts or getting blown in her freaking eyes every freaking 5 freaking seconds.

             Ladies and Gentlemen--- THIS is what a real fishing wife FREAKING looks like.

                                At a Super Bowl party last week, my husband and I were blessed to meet Richard.  Richard is the first person I’ve met in a while who appreciates what we ladies sometimes deal with.  After introductions were made and my husband swayed the conversation over to fishing, I thought I was only secretly rolling my eyes and sighing at an all too familiar scene.  Apparently, Richard caught on.  He leaned over, and through a smile, he asked, “Are you a fishing widow?”  With one small question, he had validated every bit of what I have felt since I figuratively lost my husband to the ocean 3 years ago. 

                If he isn’t at the pier, in a kayak, or surfcasting--- then he is at Fishing Tackle Unlimited or his eyes are glued to TKF forum.  We have even sacrificed date nights due to off shore fishing trips or to meet up with fishing buddies.

 I know you other fishing widows are feeling what I’m saying right now.  I know you are putting your hand in the air and screaming out, “Preach it, Sister!” But, before you start letting that bitter streak show--- let me share with you something with which I am coming to terms---- While the ocean is pretty big competition, it ain’t a skinny, bikini-clad blonde.  Fishing is where my husband goes to refill his soul just like I do when my nose is buried in a book (or a glass of wine).  Through the years, I have seen too many of my friends lose their love to gambling, bar-hopping, cheating, or just plain indifference.  I have to tell you, sisters, I don’t see fishing being the root of any of that.  I see my husband passionate about learning, I see him reading, I see him making memories with our kids, I see him trying to spark the same zeal within me, I see him bringing home dinner like a BOSS!

I’m not so sure I’m a widow.  This isn’t a man who is indifferent or dead to his wife.  Quite conversely, it’s a man who is most definitely alive.  Can’t complain about that.

This blog’s shout out goes to all of the fishing wives I see in the background of those photos!  Go give your fisherman a big fat kiss on the mouth, and tell him thanks for choosing fishing as a habit instead of all of the other things he could have been addicted to.  Remind yourself that he has to go to sleep sometime, so unless there is a tournament going on at the pier, he will be home in time to lay his head on the pillow next to yours.  On the days when you feel like you have slipped too far into the background, I hope you find it in your heart to step into the sunlight, stand next to your man, represent the rest of us in your fish-gut covered jeans, and cast that line out into the ocean. 

(Side Note to the Anglers--- please go hug, kiss, and thank your significant others.)

"Say hello to my little boat" KAYAK

My passion and desire to learn more about the Coastie life, mastering catch and release of our salt water creatures led me to wanting a Kayak. Mobile , requires no gas , can float on less than a foot of water ! The hunt , the ride , the scenery of the birds diving for bait as the sun rises and you are watching the day awake before your eyes. I'll miss the pier , a lot , but it's time to  move around. I'll be back!

 Ok so what did I know about Kayaks . Nada, other than it's a small plastic boat ! Then TKF , (Texas Kayak Fisherman) came out of nowhere--like someone said "here's a book of information with anglers you can talk to!"  Thanks TKF and all its members for all the great info and my intro to virtual kayaking.

Next stop , FTU, (Fishing Tackle Unlimited ) where I met Devin Hood in the Kayak department, and he was more than knowledgeable and extremely helpful. Devin had no clue that I would be in to talk to him several times with endless questions, but he was captain cool about it and he was the main  reason I bought my kayak there. Thanks Devin, I hope we hit the water someday. After a couple of months of reading reviews, I finally  pulled the trigger. Say hello to my Wilderness RIDE 135 2013 model. I'm extremely happy with my choice and love my coastie cruiser! Purchased in Mid December.  My beautiful wife Crystal got me a lot off goodies for my kayak, and I was about ready to hit the h20.

But, I still needed a PFD and with a little research, I ordered a stulquist form ACK online Austin store. Here is how that went .... I'm in Houston , there was no shipping fee, the PFD showed up the next day before noon via fed x. I was like wow what great service . So thanks ACK!

Finally, hit the water first week of this month thanks to John Vining. Thanks for my first trip and I'll see you again soon. You are a pro in my blog! Also, I picked up some norton quick twist. See ya soon.

Since then I've been out a few times and haven't figured out this cold winter kayak fishing yet. Although I have met a bunch of new anglers, created a Kayak team, made some friends , and fish or no fish I've enjoyed every second on the water . Sunrises , birds giving clues to the sign of fish , the anticipation of what's to come at any moment . Fish on! Oh wait , that was a branch . Till next time