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Being born in the state of Kentucky, I soon found myself moving around the country. In fact, I had moved 11 times by my 13^th birthday. Through this travel, my passion for fishing expanded. I was no longer limited to the farm ponds of the Bluegrass State. Moving allowed me to target species I had only dreamed about while reading In-Fisherman magazines as a kid. As I grew older, I found myself jigging for crappie on the rocky banks of Lake of the Ozarks, fighting King Salmon on the Kenai, targeting sturgeon on the Sacramento Delta and working long range tuna boats in Southern California. By the time I finished high school, I had fished more water than I once thought existed, met countless new friends and figured out a way to monetize my passion. The experiences I had in my younger years laid the path for the addiction that still fuels me today.

After spending 4 years at the University of Kentucky, a beautiful family and career eventually forced me to put down roots. I have been blessed to call Orange County, California my permanent home for the last decade. The business opportunities here are endless. The fishing opportunities aren’t far behind. It’s a remarkable place that allows me to pursue both passions. Just outside this concrete jungle sits a private 400 acre lake that enables me to target largemouth at sunrise, a world class trout fishery set between snowcapped mountains and a summer tuna bite that satisfies my saltwater fix. It’s unique and it’s what I have learned to call home.

However, the enjoyment I got when I traveled as a young child continues to urge me to explore more and more with age. Traveling is still a big part of my life. Unlike myself, my wife has always lived within 5 miles of where she was born. I find great joy in showing her the world outside “The OC”. I always say you will learn more through travel than anything else on this planet. She, along with my 2 daughters, have gained a great sense of adventure. Our family vacations are usually geared around fly fishing in God’s country. We are typically up in Montana a few times a year while mixing in some week long trips to explore the countless lakes, rivers and trails of the Eastern Sierras. It is here that we find ourselves closest to nature and fully in the presence of God.

Fortunately, I still find time to travel and fish a great deal outside our family trips. Whether ice fishing for monster browns in Milwaukie or chasing Roosters on the fly in Cabo, there isn’t a trip I have been disappointed in yet. I am blessed to explore and equally as fortunate to have a wife and career that allow me to do so.

Throughout my years I have learned that fishing is not always about what you catch but rather the memories you create and the people you meet along the way.  My passion is not limited to one species or one area. Fishing as a whole is the art of pursuing what is allusive but attainable. Each species, each body of water, all provide a different challenge and a new opportunity to learn. While some pursue to conquer one species, I set out to understand them all. We live in a big world.

“And he often withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed” Luke 5:16