Nickajack Angler
Well-known member
As of 9am this morning, I am officially fishing the FLW Tour as a Co-Angler for the 2014 season!
It's been a while since I've been here on the forum since moving to FL, but I felt it appropriate to share here as until I came to Chattanooga in 2008... and soon there after - found this forum. I had never fished a tournament in my life. Never really considered it, until when I was leaving MN to move to Chatt, my cousin who had fished a couple of Classics, said "Man, you are a lucky dog. Chattanooga is one of four of the best fishing areas in the US! You are gonna go off down there..." That seed was planted and I never imagined what would unfold. I found the forum, I think I was the 2000th member.
Since the first time I logged in here the folks I've met have taught me so much. Given me so very much. Put up with me. Many of you took me fishing. And a good number of you, I've become truly great friends with and more folks than I realized until early today when I called a few of you to share this news personally - I honestly didn't realize how much you guys got me out on the water. It would take an hour to try to remember all the backseats I fished out of. The words of wisdom. The "secrets shared". The lures given. The rod & reels given to me. The books shared. Uh... a couple of times I was told to "Shut up and fish..." I feel a great deal of loyalty to so many of you. From Fat Albert being the first person to call me from the forum. Blazer the first person to invite me fishing on the forum - that old thread "What's a silver buddy?" and becoming one of my best buddies. He also showed me what 43 degree water feels like in a 20mph wind at the MC ramp... twice. EricM taking me, my son, my Dad, and my friends catfishing and catching the biggest catfish of my life & theirs. (He was the one who told me to shut up and fish the 2nd most!) Polo teaching me the great skill of shooting docks for supper. Doghouse for picking me as a partner and taking my boys fishing. Spur for always stirring the pot - but I wouldn't fish with him - he kills bass and promised to eat any I brought into his boat. BPrice for marking up maps and sending them to me to teach me some water. RSimms for his sense of humor, but he never would let me in that boat! Churly for putting me in the front deck and putting on clinics with a swimbait in the middle of summer and 95 degree heat. And that "secret bait" at night was AWESOME and I still have in my box today. Scott teaching me how to use binoculars to see who's watching me from across the river. Billy for being a resource for about anything a man could ever want - from advice, to getting my vehicle fixed, who I had pissed off and how to make it right. TNDoe for taking me & my Dad out many times and scaring the crap out of my Dad by putting a helmet on after launching. I also have that $100 rod you sold me for $25 and it hangs on my garage wall. DLancas who later became a neighbor and how to do a Low Country Crab Boil. Flip1up for taking me to Guntersville for the first time and teaching me to flip for the first time. Pointer78 for telling me "you are one of the best non-boaters, you need to go signup for the BFL's and DO IT and quit talking about it" but still ticked he sold that dang boat to some dude he didn't know - and leaving me boatless!
Craazzzy for teaching me Parksville Spaaaaats on float & fly - and the great experience of having me, my Dad and my son come stay at his house with his Mom within months of his getting his drivers license. CarlGuffey for picking ME to be his partner when he had guys waiting in line to fish with him & making me laugh while he laid in bed recovering from his fall off the horse. Earl Westbrook for freaking me out by pulling out a side arm and then putting me on the FISH to win my First CFF Tourney ever on the Nick! Jmax for telling me "No, I don't think I'll ever fish with you" after winning on a Spook in the weigh in line, but inspired me to master it and you know what Jmax? It works! Andrew who went and sat down at 8am after we got a limit, to eat his lunch and browse FB on his phone for an hour. Drumking taking me fishing so many times - putting me to work to fill our limits of slabs for his fish fry's. Teaching me that using a crappie jig all day long and NOTHING ELSE - you will still catch a 4lb smallie and a 7lb LM.
Thank you DK for praying with me when I got divorced and lost my family, my dog & my dignity - there were many of you who prayed for me then. Dhaun who started it all and I finally got to fish in the Gulf with him this past year and listened as he played an acoustic set at a local watering hole. And TeamD who to this day is still one of the best friends I've ever had - and bar none - the best fishing partner a guy could ever ask for who gave selflessly, expected nothing in return and is always there. Love my buddies on the CFF - I'm fairly sure all of you here helped me reach this place where I am able to do this. If you get to the weigh in's that are nearby this coming season, it would mean a lot to see any of you there. I've felt like the kid with no parents in the stands this past two years as it's sure not the same as it is in Chattanooga. Which isn't a big deal, I only got a check once. You guys have a special place, with some special folks and I cannot wait to get back and fish the Chick/Nick/G!
Sorry if I left anyone out, as I'm sure I did. I fish a lot! So come on down to FL, we'll go to Okeechobee and I'll show you the Monkey Box, Tin House, Harney Pond, and a bunch of places that would blow your mind if you haven't ever been. 75k square miles of water, and you won't fish in over 5 ft of water all day. And I still don't know how to get back to the ramp yet... Thank goodness I'm a Co-Angler. I just fish the water presented to me. Thanks CFF. emoThanks emoAngler
It's been a while since I've been here on the forum since moving to FL, but I felt it appropriate to share here as until I came to Chattanooga in 2008... and soon there after - found this forum. I had never fished a tournament in my life. Never really considered it, until when I was leaving MN to move to Chatt, my cousin who had fished a couple of Classics, said "Man, you are a lucky dog. Chattanooga is one of four of the best fishing areas in the US! You are gonna go off down there..." That seed was planted and I never imagined what would unfold. I found the forum, I think I was the 2000th member.
Since the first time I logged in here the folks I've met have taught me so much. Given me so very much. Put up with me. Many of you took me fishing. And a good number of you, I've become truly great friends with and more folks than I realized until early today when I called a few of you to share this news personally - I honestly didn't realize how much you guys got me out on the water. It would take an hour to try to remember all the backseats I fished out of. The words of wisdom. The "secrets shared". The lures given. The rod & reels given to me. The books shared. Uh... a couple of times I was told to "Shut up and fish..." I feel a great deal of loyalty to so many of you. From Fat Albert being the first person to call me from the forum. Blazer the first person to invite me fishing on the forum - that old thread "What's a silver buddy?" and becoming one of my best buddies. He also showed me what 43 degree water feels like in a 20mph wind at the MC ramp... twice. EricM taking me, my son, my Dad, and my friends catfishing and catching the biggest catfish of my life & theirs. (He was the one who told me to shut up and fish the 2nd most!) Polo teaching me the great skill of shooting docks for supper. Doghouse for picking me as a partner and taking my boys fishing. Spur for always stirring the pot - but I wouldn't fish with him - he kills bass and promised to eat any I brought into his boat. BPrice for marking up maps and sending them to me to teach me some water. RSimms for his sense of humor, but he never would let me in that boat! Churly for putting me in the front deck and putting on clinics with a swimbait in the middle of summer and 95 degree heat. And that "secret bait" at night was AWESOME and I still have in my box today. Scott teaching me how to use binoculars to see who's watching me from across the river. Billy for being a resource for about anything a man could ever want - from advice, to getting my vehicle fixed, who I had pissed off and how to make it right. TNDoe for taking me & my Dad out many times and scaring the crap out of my Dad by putting a helmet on after launching. I also have that $100 rod you sold me for $25 and it hangs on my garage wall. DLancas who later became a neighbor and how to do a Low Country Crab Boil. Flip1up for taking me to Guntersville for the first time and teaching me to flip for the first time. Pointer78 for telling me "you are one of the best non-boaters, you need to go signup for the BFL's and DO IT and quit talking about it" but still ticked he sold that dang boat to some dude he didn't know - and leaving me boatless!
Craazzzy for teaching me Parksville Spaaaaats on float & fly - and the great experience of having me, my Dad and my son come stay at his house with his Mom within months of his getting his drivers license. CarlGuffey for picking ME to be his partner when he had guys waiting in line to fish with him & making me laugh while he laid in bed recovering from his fall off the horse. Earl Westbrook for freaking me out by pulling out a side arm and then putting me on the FISH to win my First CFF Tourney ever on the Nick! Jmax for telling me "No, I don't think I'll ever fish with you" after winning on a Spook in the weigh in line, but inspired me to master it and you know what Jmax? It works! Andrew who went and sat down at 8am after we got a limit, to eat his lunch and browse FB on his phone for an hour. Drumking taking me fishing so many times - putting me to work to fill our limits of slabs for his fish fry's. Teaching me that using a crappie jig all day long and NOTHING ELSE - you will still catch a 4lb smallie and a 7lb LM. Thank you DK for praying with me when I got divorced and lost my family, my dog & my dignity - there were many of you who prayed for me then. Dhaun who started it all and I finally got to fish in the Gulf with him this past year and listened as he played an acoustic set at a local watering hole. And TeamD who to this day is still one of the best friends I've ever had - and bar none - the best fishing partner a guy could ever ask for who gave selflessly, expected nothing in return and is always there. Love my buddies on the CFF - I'm fairly sure all of you here helped me reach this place where I am able to do this. If you get to the weigh in's that are nearby this coming season, it would mean a lot to see any of you there. I've felt like the kid with no parents in the stands this past two years as it's sure not the same as it is in Chattanooga. Which isn't a big deal, I only got a check once. You guys have a special place, with some special folks and I cannot wait to get back and fish the Chick/Nick/G!
Sorry if I left anyone out, as I'm sure I did. I fish a lot! So come on down to FL, we'll go to Okeechobee and I'll show you the Monkey Box, Tin House, Harney Pond, and a bunch of places that would blow your mind if you haven't ever been. 75k square miles of water, and you won't fish in over 5 ft of water all day. And I still don't know how to get back to the ramp yet... Thank goodness I'm a Co-Angler. I just fish the water presented to me. Thanks CFF. emoThanks emoAngler
