Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Friends


I know fishing is cathartic for me.  When things are going wrong in my life, I find peace standing on the deck of my boat.  Pulling in a big or small bass helps clear away all of those things going wrong.  Yet when I have friend in the boat it seems to do the same thing, even though it seems like when I have a friend in the boat the competitor in me comes out.

Sunday afternoon my friend Josh and I hit the river   fully expecting to pick up where I left off the other day catching bass left and right.  I expected it to be bassapoloza, yet when we pulled up on my hot spot I nailed on fish and that was it.  We moved around and started catching fish.  Just as the sun set we pulled back up on my hot spot and the fish turned on.  Josh and I drilled the fish for an hour after the sun went down.  I couldn’t believe it night fishing in November.

I have to admit, when Josh had more fish than me and was bringing them in and I wasn’t a fire was lit in me.  I started changing baits doing anything I could to catch fish.  Eventually I figured out the lure and retervie and started pulling them in as Josh stopped catching them.  Looking back we caught fish in a few places I didn’t expect and wouldn’t have moved if Josh had not suggested it.  I tend to get stuck in my ways.  I would have pounded my hot spot with crank baits if Josh had not suggested we moved.  We wouldn’t have caught 7 of the bass we did if we didn’t.

I was reading Proverbs 17:17 which say: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”  Granted not catching fish was not adversity per say but when you are on the water it can be.  There can be a great feeling having your best friend in the boat helping you zero in on the fish.  If Josh had not been there a great day may have not been so great.  If I had been by myself I wouldn’t have stayed out on the water as long as I did.  When the sun was going down I would have buttoned up my rods and made the run back to the ramp.  I thank God for those friends he has put in my life, and the way they challenge me. 

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