Thank God for Little Plastic Boats...

What a year, I reached my goal of thirty freshwater species from Georgia caught from my Jackson Big Rig. I earned two big fish awards, the first from Georgia was a 19.5" smallmouth bass and the second, a 14" Suwannee bass from Florida. I caught more big fish than I could hope for, fished the largest kayak bass tourney in the history of the sport, started a blog and last but not least...I was chosen by HOOK1, the largest kayak fishing retailer on the planet and Jackson Kayak, the maker of my "Big Rig", a leader in fishing kayak innovation and a company that embodies what I believe kayak fishing is. The start of this journey began as a very personal one. It was fueled by a lust for adventure that I've had in me since childhood and delivered by way of a small plastic boat. The purpose...to catch as many different fish, to catch big fish and to witness the diverse layers of nature that Georgia, my home, has to offer. I spent many nights in remote areas sleeping alone in my hammock. I learned things about nature and myself that I never imagined and I was satisfied. I was happy with what I'd done and I never considered anyone outside of my close circle would take notice. With the urging of several friends and the unexpected popularity of this blog I applied for spots on Jackson Kayak and HOOK1's fishing teams and was chosen. Just like that, a lifelong dream comes true. Emotions I've never experienced...feelings of pride and extreme humility have overwhelmed me, a sense of accomplishment has set my course and the end product has eliminated the guilt I had felt caused by the 150+ days I spent fishing and the approximately 30 days I spent sleeping in the woods instead of at home. I never imagined it would lead to this...never. What next? Well I'll keep doing exactly what I was doing in the past...paddling, fishing and camping in the most beautiful, scenic, and fishiest places in the Southeastern U.S. I will share my stories with whomever will read my blog, I will help anyone that is interested in this activity get started and I will thank God daily for this opportunity and for little plastic boats. Peace