By: Ryan Kennedy
As a collegiate angler, I am blessed to be able to travel all around the country and experience all sorts of new places, fish new lakes and meet new people everywhere I go. With that in mind I got to thinking about what really makes bass fishing and the entire fishing industry so great. The first things that come to mind are the thrill of competition at tournaments, learning about and trying out new products from different companies and enjoying the fellowship of other anglers that all “suffer” from the addictive fish-catching disease that we all do.
What do all of these things have in common? The people. There is no competition without other people. Companies cannot create new products for us to enjoy without people, and we cannot fellowship amongst other anglers without people.
I am in my sophomore year of college at Kennesaw State University, and I am in the middle of my second year competing on the collegiate fishing trails. I will never forget the memories with people I have already made in these two short years. Whether it’s showing up at the hotel and talking to guys from other colleges, shooting the bull at the boat ramp about that 8 pounder you broke off that we all know was a stump, or simply just sitting down after weigh-in and hearing about everyone’s day, I love every minute of it. Even on a tough day of fishing it gives you something to look forward too. Interactions with other people in the fishing industry can lead to one of your new friends, a future contact for a business opportunity or simply someone to talk to.
I say all of this for us to be thankful for the one thing that gets taken for granted over everything else in this industry… the people. Truth be told, sometimes after a long day on the water while I’m on the road practicing for a tournament, I want nothing more than to go lay down for some sleep, but I gain a lot of relaxation going out to the boats and just enjoying my fellow angler’s company.
Now sure, I run into the occasional jack wagon who thinks he’s all that and is too good to talk to anybody, but give him some time and he’ll come around. Every person has their limit of solitude and has to break down and talk to others some time or another. Be the person that people want to see show up at the hotel or the boat ramp, the person who can talk to anyone and is approachable. We are all human beings, and companionship is in our nature. Now go ahead and call your fishing buddy, get ready for a relaxing day out on the water, enjoy each other’s company and make sure you talk to somebody new. You never know when you’ll make a new friend or connection. Tight lines and God bless.