Seeing the person I was years ago and seeing me now, it would be clear something substantial happened, and it did. My dad is a serious guy, a hard worker, and has a big heart. But initially, I was pushed away from doing things with him. He loved to fish, and so did my brother, but I always stayed back on fishing trips. It might have been for a few reasons, mainly my negligence and his serious nature, which created a conflict. Tensions on the boat were high, he wanted us to catch fish, and my brother and I wanted to have fun and mess around. I can remember several rainy, cold days with very few bites. My dad always knew what to do and what baits to use, but me and my brother didn’t want to listen. That led to yelling and a negative experience on multiple occasions. Now I know his intentions were good, but I didn't see that initially.

I had a very active and adventurous childhood. Growing up in the country with trees and rivers around me made my life anything but dull. But I still didn’t have a passion for anything. I played sports; baseball, soccer, and basketball were some of my favorite things. But sports weren’t something I wanted to do with my life. I was opposed to fishing, and I thought all my experiences would be negative because, up to that point, they had been. While my father and I had a great relationship and spent lots of time together, I wasn't interested in fishing. Back then, I would rather watch TV or play video games than be outdoors. He wanted to change that. My dad grew up catching fish with his grandpa, and fishing the rivers by his house was a way to provide for his family when he was younger. 

My father was raised on the banks of the Cannon River, near where I was. And that river is the birthplace of a burning passion inside of me. Some call it fishing fever, but I imagine it’s a cure for anything in life. Even though I constantly declined his offers to fish, he asked every time, hoping I would say yes. And one of those times, I did. It was a crappie fishing trip to a local lake. That day we caught upwards of 200 crappies, their white scales stippled with black dots reflected by the lake's crystal clear water. I remember that being my first positive fishing experience. Since that first positive experience, I’ve seen the good in fishing and have had many more. Each fishing trip launched me further into the bastion of growth and has helped me find my place. At this time, I thought maybe fishing wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my life, but the skills necessary for fishing, like adaptability and discipline, could be transferred and used in school and at a job.

Years later, my dad and brother's instruction and patience caused me to introduce other people to fishing and the joy it can bring. Even though I didn't start out liking fishing, in recent years, fishing has consumed my thoughts and led me to be a better person. Max Depree once said, “We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are.” This quote emulates the changes I went through to become who I am now and indicates that change is necessary for development and growth. Without my father's help, I wouldn’t have been molded into the person I am today. I am forever thankful for my family asking me to go on fishing trips because, without those fishing trips, I would be a completely different person.

Though the person I am today will change, I stand on a pillar of development built and honed by fishing. Perhaps the most vital lesson I’ve learned from fishing is that I love to help people. Even if my future career doesn’t involve fishing, the skills and lessons fishing has taught me, like patience and perseverance will be used. If I hadn’t wanted to spend more time with my father by going on a fishing trip all those years ago, I would never have discovered my love for fishing and how it has matured me.