# Why we do it



## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

For the last several days I've done nothing but fish non stop. No work, very little food or rest, just fishing.
I've fished with friends, family,and strangers. I've fished from boats, from beaches, from rocks, from docks, from piers, and even in knee deep mud. I've fished in the middle of the calm July days with the sun beating down on me and in the middle of the night with pouring rain and tropical storm force winds.
I've fished bays, lakes, lagoons, rivers, creeks, marshes, and the gulf.
I've caught trout, reds, flounder, drum, sheepshead,croaker, whiteing, sand trout, sharks, stingray, gar, hardheads, and gafftop.
I've uses live bait, dead bait, soft plastics, slow sinkers, and topwaters.
I've stepped on stingrays, been stung by jellyfish, pinched by crabs, stuck by hardheads, slimed by gafftop, and been bitten by so many mosquito's I need a blood transfusion.
All the blood, sweat, and tears come down to a single moment in time when the world stops turning. You see the supple flash behind your bait. You feel the slightest bump as the strike transfers up your line to your rod. You feel the heavy weight as you set the hook. You feel the head shaking as the line peels from your reel. You see the silver, the iridescent, the spots, and the yellow mouth and it breaks the surface. Your heart is racing, your mind goes blank, you can't breath. This is what it all boils down to. You grab you net, you pray that the hook holds firm and your line don't break. It's getting tired now, laying on it's side in the current, fins gently moving. You slowly pull it into the net, VICTORY.
This is why I do it. I've been through this same scenario with different fish at different times, and it always feels great. This time it was a 28" 6.99lb trout that won me 1st place in the Tackle Time Tournament this weekend. 
After all the fishing I've done, I've decided to hang up my rods and call it quits. At least until next weekend.:biggrin:


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## johnsons1480 (Jun 24, 2016)

Man, I can't tell you how much I enjoy your posts!


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## WillieT (Aug 25, 2010)

Sweet. Wish I was young enough to still fish day and night., just canâ€™t do it anymore. Congratulations on your catch and win.


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

Ain't gonna lie I miss fishing and working nice job John.


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## AFORWW (May 2, 2018)

Excellent post. This is why I do it, above all else.









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## oakforestmx (Feb 9, 2011)

Nice fish Ricky Bobby!


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

bubbas kenner said:


> Ain't gonna lie I miss fishing and working nice job John.


 I know you do. I know its not the same as catching them yourself, but I have plenty trout, reds, and flounder in my freezer here at work if you want some.


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

sharkchum said:


> I know you do. I know its not the same as catching them yourself, but I have plenty trout, reds, and flounder in my freezer here at work if you want some.


Thank you brother I will call you when I'm in your area


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## SaltwaterSlick (Jun 11, 2012)

Thank you sir once again for a great post!!


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## FisherofMen1 (Jun 18, 2013)

Yes Sir!!! Great Read


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## Skiff_man49 (Apr 24, 2018)

WTH brother!! Congratulations on the 1st place win. I can really relate to everything you just said. Keep chunkin.

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## BayouBonsaiMan (Apr 14, 2009)

Very cool post! And if I know you are fishing in a tournament , I'll keep my money in my pocket! Congratulations Mr Shark! "John"


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## Fishon 13 (Jul 6, 2016)

Good post. From the heart. I love fishing. 


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## Skiff_man49 (Apr 24, 2018)

That was supposed to be WTG, Not WTH

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## Kevin Nicholls (Nov 22, 2005)

That is why we do it. That moment can't last long enough. Jod well done.


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## GSMAN (May 22, 2004)

Congratulations on your tournament win!


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## Hawglife (Mar 9, 2014)

You described it perfectly! Congrats! 

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## atcNick (Apr 7, 2005)

Great post


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## ccketchum (Oct 18, 2010)

congrats on the win ! 
good story .


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## TexasWineGuy (Jun 19, 2017)

AFORWW said:


> Excellent post. This is why I do it, above all else.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is what I call "winning bigly".

It doesn't get any better.

TWG


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## c hook (Jul 6, 2016)

*cool*

John well written, you may want to join the outdoor sports writing team.


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## NOCREEK (Jan 18, 2012)

Nice post John, gooda answer as any! Makes me feel a little more sane after being up 22 hours just to get my Git Bit fix Lol. You should be running out room on the wall to hang to those winning plaques! 


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

Yes, Great Posts - keep em coming!


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## mactx812 (Aug 1, 2011)

Well said my sentiments exactly. Tight Lines!


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

Great post. If that doesn't get you excited to get up at 3AM nothing will! Congrats on the win.


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## gotmuddy (Dec 19, 2013)

Great post John. We will be doing the same thing in august when we come down. Ready to hit the beach, bay, offshore, and dock!


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## Txredfish (Oct 27, 2010)

Great pictures and posts. Keeping them coming.


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## MitchTX (Mar 30, 2011)

I've heard coworkers talking about 2cool. So being from MO and knowing zilch about saltwater, I thought this may be a good place to learn a thing or two. I didn't have to troll long to see a pattern. Soooo much of the info that I needed was coming coming from you. I don't post. Have nothing but questions and if I dig I'll find answers. But I had to say thank you for sharing as you do. I felt like I was there with the rod in my hand. 
Bought a few surf rods and I'm about ready to go get laughed at.


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## Captain Dave (Jul 19, 2006)

I see a book in the near future.. I like mine autographed... WTG John


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