The worth of an animal isn’t measured by some number people created, ( which is often exaggerated anyway). The worth of an animal can only be measured by the person who harvested that animal. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say. The goal to harvest an animal shouldn’t be based on numbers alone. It should be based on the quality of an experience. We all know people who do unethical things to achieve a score whether it is in sports, business, or sadly in hunting and fishing. The number becomes the focus, and the true value of an animals life becomes blurry and worth much less.

I do think that scoring holds a small value, because it is a fairly decent way to judge maturity of an animal, or fish. I like to hunt for big animals. I like to catch big fish. However, score is never my concern. Numbers don’t mean anything to an animal. Most people associate maturity with intelligence. A very large brown trout is typically harder to fool with a dry fly than a little one, though not always. Very large animals are more rare, more experienced, and much harder to harvest than the small ones. It’s like selling a car to a 18 year old kid versus a 55 year old man. The stakes are much higher. I believe the reward is greater. Not because of a number. Because of the experience. Because of the challenge. I also don’t believe that makes a difference in the value of an animals life. It is only a starting point to determine what animal I would like to pursue. Everyone has their own measuring system for success, and it should never be based solely on a number. I believe that is the fastest way to devalue the experience.

Hunting and fishing should’t be about how much money you have. I do realize that it is a little ironic coming from an outfitter, but it shouldn’t be. Outfitters should be making their living by helping people acquire quality experiences in the outdoors in areas that they aren’t familiar with, or don’t have the ability to access on their own. I believe outfitters shouldn’t be selling numbers for people to measure themselves with. We all know being privileged doesn’t make you a better person. Being privileged also doesn’t make you a better hunter or angler.

I want kids to grow up hunting and fishing. I think that if it is done ethically and for the right reasons, it can be a very wonderful thing. When we learn to truly value the lives of wild animals and wild places, we can better value our own lives.

I swear I just blinked and it was May 28th. That was a month ago!
I can’t seem to grasp how time can go by so quickly during the summers. It seems to me that during the winter, when the daylight is in short supply, the hours drag slowly along. Yet, during the summer solstice, when we have an over abundance of daylight, time moves exceptionally fast.

Now it seems to be compounded since I have a child. She changes rapidly everyday, growing, learning, gaining personality. I would hate to miss even one day. Though, I will. It is this type of situation that reminds me what my priorities should be.

I remember looking forward all summer long to a week long fishing trip on the St. Joe River with my Dad. I had heard so many stories that I couldn’t wait to go see it for myself. Time seemed to drag by… Until finally it arrived on the right date. Before I could even blink it was over. How could a week go so fast when all the other ones seemed to take forever?
The answer is fun. Having fun makes time a distant measuring device, that doesn’t seem to register the same way when we aren’t having as much fun.

For me, nothing will compare to my first trip up the river. Everything was new, exciting and fun. I can’t wait to do that for my daughter. I know I have been apart of many of those same experiences, and I can’t wait to be a part of many more.

Before the summer is over, which will be sooner than you think, plan something with a friend or someone you love. Go fishing. Make it special. Before you know it time will pass us by and the only thing we take away from it will be our memories.

Fishing has been good. I took a couple days off, mental health days, and went fishing with my dad on one of those days. I told my wife how it got me hooked on fishing again. I can’t wait to get back on the water, just like days of old! Sometimes all it takes is a little R and R. I got to do somethings that I normally don’t get to do when I am guiding. I got to fish. I got to relax with my Dad. BBQ on the river bank in the shade next to a nice riffle. No worries about time or number of fish caught. It was awesome. It was like being a kid in college again. A college kid who scheduled his classes around fishing, because all he can think about is getting back on the water.

It was a great reminder of what fishing should really be about. It’s not all about the catching. I feel like the corporate mindset is edging its way into the fishing world everyday, and ruining it as well. So many concerns about numbers. So many concerns about production.

B.S.

I didn’t get into this business for the money, or for the numbers. I am in it for the lifestyle. For the simplicity. I take people fishing. I make people smile. I take pictures of people smiling with fish. This is a picture of my dad smiling with a fish.