When I am not Hunting…

Unfortunately I do not live on a ranch or farm or lease so I do not have easy access to hunting land; I usually have to drive anywhere from an hour to 7 hours to get to some of the places I can hunt. That being said it is not always easy on short weekends to make those kinds of trips and make them successful or worthwhile. The bright side of where I live is that I am relatively close to the gulf coast in South Texas allowing me to enjoy another one of my favorite passions…fishing.

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If you remember in my bio I mentioned I grew up fishing since I was 3 years old, so it is basically in my blood; saltwater runs through my veins haha! There is something about being on the water that is just as magical as being in the field; it’s a different type of feeling but it all leads back to the same core values and passion I have. I have fished from piers, boats, banks, offshore, bridges, and for every type of saltwater fish I can think of and some freshwater fish.

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Growing up my family couldn’t afford a boat so our vacations to the gulf coast usually included fishing from a pier, wade fishing, or fishing from the bank. My husband and I had the wonderful blessing of owning a boat for about 5 years that provided us hundreds of weekends on the water and thousands of fish caught. I also had the fortunate friend who owned offshore boats who would provide us with a few more exciting trips further into the gulf for bigger and more dangerous and beautiful fish. Regardless of where I am fishing though, the feeling is always the same.

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Waking up early to get on the water keeps me prepared and trained for early mornings in the field. Watching the sun rise over the water provides some of the most breathtaking moments of quiet and peace and leaves you with such a serene feeling that makes you want the sunrise to last all day. The reflection on the water, the birds soaring in the orange glow of the sun’s rays, and the sound of water splashing, flowing, or crashing against the boat, shore, or pier, will ignite a feeling as pure as the sunrise itself.

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As it is with hunting, fishing is not always about the catch, it’s about the experience, the feeling, and the moments of peace and tranquility my heart and soul feels whenever I am near water. The great thing about these moments is that most of the time I am standing near my husband, my mother, my father, my brother, or my friend sharing the exact same feeling. Although we are both enjoying these moments, no words need to be spoken, no thoughts need to be expressed; everyone feels it, enjoys it, and cherishes it. There could be 6 people in the boat and at the moment the sun rises there is usually silence as everyone appreciates the beauty.

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Fishing is also one of my favorite ways to relax; although there are bag limits, size limits, and restrictions it is very relaxing; the water has a calming effect on the human soul. Regardless of the rules and regulations there is always something to see or experience; from catching a random fish you have never seen, to watching birds dive bomb their lunch in the water, to seeing porpoises swim near your boat, and watching other people fish. I love watching families out on the water teaching their children to fish, and seeing a young child scream and jump with joy when they catch their first fish; I remember mine and I know they will remember theirs. There is teamwork involved in some fishing when catching larger fish offshore and bonding with others will happen.

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Every fish has a story, every story is a memory, and every memory creates the desire to go back to the water. I have caught thousands of fish since I started at age 3, my best memories of my childhood were the trips to the gulf, I learned about being outside because of fishing, and it is the water that calls my name and brings me back to all of those moments wrapped in one. Now that I have broke the ice with my “intro to fishing” blog, I promise to have many more blogs about the magical moments I have had while fishing, some that didn’t even involve a catch, but all hold a special place in my heart. So when I am not hunting, you can almost bet I will be fishing!