Tonight I am finialyzing my packing to head out to the National Team Championship this weekend. My partner and I luckily and skillyfully won the West Coast Owners Tournament on the California Delta back in May, and we cannot be more excited. My partner started the morning of the tournament with two stuck trebles in his hand, and still managed to land our 6.7 lb kicker in the last 5 minutes before the brisk 75mph run across Frank’s Tract to make the weigh-in on time. My Eyra and I have fished all over northern California, after I relocated her here from Missouri. She has been reliable, fast, but most of all, has the given me the freedom to enjoy the hobby that I love more than just about anything. Fishing is truly my therapy, and I would probably go crazy without it.
I have been trying to figure out what to pack on top of what I’ve already shipped out, trying to think about this mystery schedule and how we can conquer it, but most of all, I have been trying to take in what will most likely be the coolest thing that has ever happened to me in my fishing life.
I have been fishing since I was a young teen, and only this past year, as I was about to turn 40, was I able to live my dream of owning a bass boat after years of being a back seater and a float tube guy… My dad taught me how to fish in the centeral Missouri lakes, and he will be driving down just to cheer us on. He told me he was proud of me, and wished that he could have done more to help. It means a lot to know that you are treated like family, as family is so important to me. I don’t take that word lightly.
I told my partner that I was so excited and honored just to get to participate in this. I am excited to meet Rick and the Basscat team. I want to see the passion that goes into what we spend so much of our free time in. I will probably be geeking out big time.
Thanks for all that you guys do, and I cannot wait until Saturday.
