Chasing Dreams Not Dollars

At one point in my life I fancied myself an artist. I would craft sculptures out of bronze, plaster and found objects. I would paint for hours only to decide to white wash the canvas and start over. I studied art in college and earned a degree from it.The hardest thing I had to do to learn to be an artist was to learn how to get my tools to do what I wanted them to. Anyone can buy a chisel or paintbrush and create something. It may or may not be successful as art.

Fishing is not so different.

I can buy the exact same equipment as the top angler in the country but I most likely cannot match his angling prowess. What’s the difference? Preparation, study, practice and a dash of natural ability. So many people have great dreams but are afraid to wake up and do something about them. Chasing your dreams can be fun but it is work. Hard work. Everyone can get lucky or fish a short lived pattern and appear to be good but even Ernest Hemingway said “Anyone can be an angler in May.”

Those anglers on the big stage, the ones whose names are on your gear, they work their tails off to be there. Not one of those top anglers woke up at six years old and started slaying fish on highly pressured public waters. Not one.

What does that mean?

You really can be whatever you want to be but you have to be the first to invest in it.

Chasing your dreams can mean staying up late, studying, preparing, working on your craft, learning the ins and outs of every spring, gear and guide of your equipment. You have to invest in you. When you stay up late with whiskey and cigars, decide you’ll work on your craft later, study maps later, retune that bait later, you postpone your dream. You make a choice every morning what to do.

For me the dream isn’t to be a top tournament angler. I don’t care to be known as the next Ike or KVD (though the paycheck would be nice). I love to write, develop new writers, help share kayaking with everyone who will listen or read and constantly improve my craft. In March of 2015 I pushed myself to invest in the time to put out a magazine knowing it would cost me money out of pocket, no one may ever read it and it would take a significant amount of time. In June Kayak Bass Fishing Magazine released its first issue. With a ton of help from contributors, industry partners and lots of late nights the KBFMAG had become real. In October the second issue was released. In December a Gear Guide is coming out. The plan is moving forward.

I also have three new bloggers I am working with on the Kayak Fishing Blog. They have a shared love of writing and I love their passion. I plan to add a few more in the upcoming months. The industry will be blessed by these new voices in the coming months and years. Their unique perspectives and unwavering voices will keep the flow of knowledge and discussions on hard topics at the forefront.

The dreams cost a lot of money. Having to prove yourself takes years before others buy in. It’s okay though because I love what I am doing.  I have great friends across the gamut of kayak fishing from company owners to one pole creek runners and hearing their encouragement feeds the fire to do more, get better each time and produce the best possible experiences in every venue.
Though it doesn’t pay the bills, it doesn’t keep me from it either. The throngs that are joining kayak fishing each week right now give me great hope that the world is realizing what many of us have known, that kayak fishing is AWESOME!

Look for opportunities to do what you love. It’s a mantra I see kayak brethren living every day from Florida to Hawaii, Corpus to Canada and beyond. The key for them is doing first what you love and worry about making money from it later. Sometimes that means working it as a second job, or a third. My guys Isaac, and Rob from Aquahunters, Rex from LIVELIVE and many others have shown me that time and again. Willingly doing it day after day, even without a check to show for the work is worth it. The bank may not be full but your purpose will be.

When you are chasing dreams, plan to put in more than you ever hope to get out of it.