God I wanna fish so bad I can taste it!!!
I know I'm not alone in that feeling. Lately I've been writing letters like a madman trying to keep my mind off of how bad I wanna be on the water RIGHT NOW as I attempt to lock down as much sponsorship for 2013 as I can. So far I have made some pretty bold leaps for myself, and have set goals that are really high. Why, you might ask, am I going for broke so early on? Because I told myself "You have THREE years to make it. If you can't, it's time to hang it up, be a family man 100% full time, and see if you still want the competitive lifestyle in 20 years". This is year three...
So I have to go big or go home. Last year I told myself when I left Smith Mountain in VA that I was done. Actually, I didn't just tell myself that, I told the majority of my FAMILY that. Thankfully my son isn't old enough that I would've told him that, or he would probably be asking why I'm planning my trail for 2013... But it's true. I was tired. My Dad passed away in May and that really took its toll on me. Then when I regrouped and got on the water in August I was on fire, placing over and over again, fighting the harshest weather I've ever been in, choking at the division championship, and getting totally screwed at the Northeast Regional. It was a roller coaster of emotion that left me ridden hard, and put away wet. Literally.
Time away does a lot of things. I see now why guys like Favre couldn't walk away. I miss being on the water. I used to think my bow was attached to my arm, but I didn't hunt at all this year and all I have thought about since Smith is how close I was to having the kind of season that you see in movies. I had it and let it go.
This year I'm more motivated, more supported, and wiser than I have ever been. I have a new job, new focus, new friends, better tools and knowledge, and a better understanding of what I need to do. I'm not fishing 24/7 anymore, I'm fishing my strengths now. I'm not throwing away money anymore to participate in tournaments just to go fishing. I'm doing a much better job of marketing myself, and the products that I'm using, and I'm spending great time with my son in the off season. I'm running youth clinics, my business is sponsoring other anglers like Tyler Meadows and Allison Shaw, and I'm meeting more and more people every day. It's been an amazing off season for me, and I can't wait for April!
Happy December 14th.
Jim
