Ashley, my wife, and I are weekend warriors. That term is usually meant to be derogatory in nature but we can only fish the weekend, so it fits! We both have full-time jobs and when we can get out on Tampa Bay to catch some fish, we take full advantage of it.
I have been fishing my whole life. Since I could lift a fishing pole, I was always trying to land the big one. When I met Ashley, I wasnât fishing often and was consumed with work and school. I started to get back into it when I bought myself a kayak and rigged it up for fishing. I knew I would feel bad leaving my lovely wife (fiancĂŠ at the time) at home while I spent one of the few days off we have together out on the bay. So, I decided to get Ashley a kayak too and try to get her involved in fishing. I got her a small lime green kidâs kayak that I put a rod holder on and she loved it!
I took her out to Picnic Island in Tampa Bay and we had a bucket of select shrimp as bait. We went to a nice looking cut in the mangroves and had her throw a fat shrimp out under a popping cork. The next thing I knew, Ashleyâs reel is screaming and she is being pulled into the mangroves by a monster redfish. She was smiling ear to ear and was so excited. When the fish was finally landed, Ashley didnât even know the volume of her own voice. âYou see the size of this fish?!â her voice echoing in the mangroves. That was when I knew she was hooked.
Now Ashley and I are a team. We ended up getting a 22.5â Skeeter bay boat and we use it every chance we get. Ashley has grown so much as an angler and it is impressive. She does everything now, including driving the boat, tying her own knots, throwing a cast net, catching and landing her own fish, scouting out fishing spots on satellite maps, and she even won 3rd place trout in a tournament we entered in 2015. (Our team won first place overall, 1st and 2nd in the redfish division as well). Now she tells me if Iâm busy sheâs taking my truck and going fishing without me.
We enjoy doing what we love together and even take trips around the world to catch our bucket list fish when we can. This video is a typical day on Tampa Bay with my wife. Sheâs out there slaying the redfish and I just sit back and wait for my turn. If there is any advice I can give to guys wanting to fish more: get your girl involved in fishing!
There will still be honey-do list days but they will be few and far between. Just get out there on a nice day and when the fish are biting. You never know, you could have the best first mate in the making.