Everyone needs a Passion. Something that you do that is only for you. Something that clears your mind and rejuvenates your soul. My Passion is Fishing, and nothing makes me want to go fishing more than good ole fashion competition.
There are six men in my family that fish on the Texas Coast. Three generations of fathers, sons, uncles, nephews, husbands, grandfathers and brothers are in this mix and each year we hold a fishing tournament. We all throw some money in the pot, and the winner is announced officially on January 1st.
The event runs from January 1st to December 31st and one point is awarded for every Speckled Trout longer than 20”, and every Redfish longer than 25”. A point is also awarded for a limit of these in a day, which is 5 for trout and 3 for redfish. 3 points are awarded for a Texas Slam, which is catching a “keeper” size Trout, Redfish and Flounder all within the same day. Any and all of these fish must be caught on Artificial Lures, as no bait is allowed. We are not there to feed the fish…we are there to trick them into the boat. This year we tried something new and created partners that add their total point fish together and those partners will split the winnings. As of this writing my brother David and his son-in-law Robert are in first place with 13 points. My brother-in-law Jake and nephew Danny are in 2nd place with 9 points, and my nephew Luke and I are in the Second Runner Up position (aka LAST) with only four points. I can share all my reasons and excuses, but the truth is that Luke and I have just been thoroughly out-fished this year. But this in no way has dampened my love for fishing. Heading out across the dark bay at 4:30 in the morning, drifting into a quiet inshore cove on glassy water and making the first cast of the day is a thrilling experience each and every time. And if it is one of those lucky mornings where a beautiful trout rises to smack the top-water lure with a splash and instant tightening of the braided line…the day becomes that much more beautiful. Watching a redfish ambush your bait with the pinkest of sunrise as the backdrop is a mental picture that cannot be taken away by the stresses of life. The energy that oozes into your body by participating in your passion is something that I wish for everyone.
The Bottom Line: My passion comes from 2 foot water and the twitch of a rod. Go find yours!