We're Back!!
I guess you could say I’ve been back for a little while now but technically 2020 is my first full year back. Have I still been fishing? Absolutely. Did I need to take some time off since my last blog post in 2017? Yes. So many things to share here, so much is going on in the world, where does one actually begin a “comeback” blog in today’s times?!
2020 is a crazy time. Coronavirus, rioting, killings, the world shut down, no professional sports, millions out of work, the list goes on and on. This is a point in history that our parents, even their parents, have never witnessed before. It is something that will make texts books be re-written and potentially alter the entire way we live our lives moving forward. But we aren’t going to get into all that here. Since a young age, I was told there are multiple things you never discuss: politics, religion, & Michael Jackson (bizarre I know but when has a conversation about MJ ever been civil with all the alleged stuff around him). Now I guess we can add Coronavirus, BLM, and law enforcement to this list as well.
So where the heck did I go since 2017? That’s a fabulous question and you would need a beer, or perhaps a whole 12-pack to hear the whole story. I guess the best way to keep this as concise as possible, let’s itemize my life since this time:
-
Ended up winning Angler of the Year in 2017
-
Also in 2017, I started focusing more on the business side of the industry and partnering with fantastic brands to help them with their digital marketing, sponsorship platform creation, and product sourcing
-
Took 2018 off from competing due to my back issues becoming worse and heavily affecting my quality of life
-
Re-injured my back in 2018 which completely put my issues over the edge and collapsed my lumbar spine
-
Ended up having major back surgery (two-level anterior lumbar fusion) at the end of 2018 from my injury
-
Developed RSD/CRPS in my left leg and foot as a result of my surgery because my surgeon messed up my procedure and refused to acknowledge for over 6 months I had any issues now causing permanent damage (that story is a doozy for sure)
-
While dealing with all of this, I also suffered major heartbreak with my very long-term relationship ending (You’d need a whole bottle of the strongest liquor you can get your hands on for that story)
-
After a grueling year of recovery, intense physical therapy, etc, I was finally able to get back out on the water in 2019
-
Fished my first event in well over a year in the spring of 2019. Ended up winning that event by a landslide in crazy conditions which really put things into perspective
-
Summer of 2019, I decided I couldn’t take New York anymore and moved to Ohio.
-
2020, I decided to start competing again regionally and was now faced with the task of fishing bodies of water I had zero experience on
-
May of 2020, as the season was pushed back due to the world ending, I fished my first event here and won the event
-
As we sit here in July 2020, I am currently first place in Angler of the Year and have not finished below 5th place and on track to capture my second AOY title
So do you need a drink yet? Going through this very brief itemized synopsis, I definitely do and we aren’t even done yet. But this blog is not here for a “woe is me” type effect so don’t get it twisted. So many great things have come from all I have been through since my last blog. Frankly, all the terrible things I’ve endured throughout my life has led me to this point and although I lived with regrets for a long time, I have come to terms with the things that have happened to me, realized most were out of my control, and living with regrets is just not worth it.
I’m now a legit business owner with my “brotha from anotha motha” of multiple brands. Well technically I have been since 2016 but now 3 years later from the launch of our CPG brand, we are well established and I have been blessed to wake up every day and do what I love. I realized long ago, I was not 9-5 material, nor a cubicle worker. Been there and done that. But hey, not knocking those people at all. Shoutout to everyone grinding that 9-5 in their cubicles with their family photos posted on their fabric-covered partitions, random office desk figurines, and sweet staplers! You’re honestly the real MVP’s here and I mean that.
Getting out of New York was the best decision I ever made. New York is a great place to visit but a terrible place to live. But some people love it. It’s sad to see though how many close friends and family grind every day to support their families, make good money (even six-figure jobs), and you’re living paycheck to paycheck. Meanwhile, you can move anywhere outside of the centralized northeast and live like a king on half the amount of money.
There are multiple reasons for writing this blog. The most important reason is this website needed a major update especially now that I’m out there competing again. To parallel off of this, there is also some major news in the pipeline in which I’m not at liberty to say just yet as the contract is being finalized and many moving parts are still being put together. But let’s just say there is a new major tournament trail which sparked up a year ago that I’ve been closely following. I’ve now had friends who have accepted their invitations to compete in said tournament trail, and I decided to finally start the conversations with the ownership of this trail. From these conversations, I have been blessed with the opportunity to compete. However, this is a life-changing decision that most people don’t realize. You reading this, could be a random Facebook friend who knows nothing about fishing and looking for a good read. Or, you could be a friend who I fish with all the time and understand this decision. Nonetheless, I’m sure you can relate to this very prevaricated paragraph in some way or another. This opportunity could finally give me the platform I have been looking for to showcase all of my abilities as an angler, individual, businessman, marketable entity, and truly allow me to live the dream I’ve had since I was a child. But at the end of the day, everything needs to make sense and line up correctly. That goes for anything which involves a life-changing decision.
Given this opportunity that has been sprung on me, I have been working diligently each day to make this happen. Within the next week or two, I hope to finalize my partnership with a major outdoor marketing agency and become a client of theirs. *Cue Started From The Bottom by Drake*. This will really be the next level and jumpstart my path in truly being a full-time professional angler. So please stay tuned for the actual announcement on this in the coming months.
Another reason for writing this is it honestly cleanses the soul. I enjoy writing and looking back, I should have pursued a degree/career in it. Getting your thoughts on paper really helps put things in perspective. There is also the running joke between all of my friends and basically every individual I’ve crossed paths with throughout my life that I’ve shared my story with - “Dude, you need to write a book or have a movie about your life” or “You should really start a YouTube channel and just sit behind a camera and talk about your life”. Ironically I spoke to a big name marketing agency yesterday and gave the owner a brief background on my life. He stops me mid-sentence and says “So we have been on the phone for 8 minutes now talking and I’m amazed at your story. Have you ever thought of making a short video or mini-documentary on your life and what’s happened to you? I think it would really connect with so many people in the world and have them understand who you really are as an individual”. I couldn’t help but laugh at this statement he made and was just like, funny story because this is what everyone says. So now somehow that conversation led to his film crew wanting to drive out here and shoot some type of short film. I sware I can’t make this stuff up. So we will see what happens with all that.
As time goes on though, the more and more I feel the desire to make one of these personal videos, documentaries, whatever you wanna call it. Perhaps this new venture my life path is going down will allow me the platform and public spotlight to make this a reality. What do you think? Should I give it a go?
Well, I think that’s enough for now. It’s felt good to write this out though. It’s very strange how the world works and the opportunities that come in and out of your life. I think it just boils down to analyzing these situations and seeing the positive and negative effects they’ve had or will have on you moving forward. Too many people immediately think of the worst-case scenario; I’m guilty of that. It’s a full-time job to not think that way. But one day at a time.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, the reader, in taking however much time out of your day to read this rant. I would like to also thank all of my friends, family, and current sponsors who have stood by me through good times and hard times. It is appreciated more than you know. Until next time, Tight Lines!
