Words to live by

"Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs"

Recent incidents have reminded me of those words.
In addition to teaching all the basics of safe and ethical angling, the program combines long-term mentoring and positive life skills with conservation education in one powerful and adaptable package.

Here's how it works:

Angling Skills
Children learn all the skills necessary to fish safely on their own in a variety of settings, and the ability to teach others. Long-term mentors provide ongoing social support to motivate children to adopt fishing as a wholesome pastime, and encourage them to enjoy it regularly with their friends and family.

Conservation Ethics
Children take an active role in conservation in their own communities and develop ethical attitudes about the outdoors.

Social Skills
Children are empowered by a new, fun activity and positive life skills, such as creative decision-making, problem-solving, goal setting, patience, and camaraderie. Shared experiences with friends and family help children better communicate and interact with each other. They gain confidence and find a new sense of respect and responsibility for themselves, their friends and family, and their community.

I know adults and have met adults recently that need to get back to a program like HOFNOD. We as adults need to be a shining example to todays youth. If your hooked on some kind of drug or abusing alcohol what kind of example are you setting for the children around you?

Let's step up to the plate and become that example that the youth of America need to see. What better way than through the most enjoyable hobby in the world FISHING !!!

Lord,
I pray right now for those individuals that are struggling with the horrible addiction of drugs and or alcohol. Please reach out Your healing hand and release them from that terrible addiction. And Lord, please watch over the youth of our country and let them see the need to get Hooked on Fishing and not on drugs.
I pray all of these things in Jesus name.

Amen

(-: SNOW :-)

It really snowed today.
I'm at work and we have probably 4 inches of snow.
Patty was stranded at work because of it and is spending the night with a coworker and praying for a thaw.
It's really pretty and I'm stuck at work until 6 AM so I don't care.
Got a good shot of the patrol car in the snow.








They are predicting 60+ degrees for later today. Imagine that.
No whar but Texas. :-)

TROUT DERBY

We worked the trout derby at Towne Lake in McKinney yesterday. They put over 3000 trout in the lake. Good thing they put a lot... there were probably 400 kids. We setup next to the registration table and I tied flies from 8 AM until noon. Lot's of kids came by and watched me tie flies and then toted them off with them. I attempted to teach them how to fish those flies under a bobber for trout but don't know if any of them did or not. The wind was blowing from the north at approximately 15 mph and cold, cold, cold...
Mic and Robin gave fly casting instruction also which was very well received.

Teaching kids to fish and helping kids fish is such a fun thing to do. If you ever get a chance, put your own pole down and take the time to fish with a kid. The look on their little face will be priceless.

New Job Update

The new job is going GREAT. It is a wonderful Police Dept. with lots of seasoned officers. I should get my permanent schedule real soon so I can settle in at a couple of campuses and get into a routine. I just have to praise God for this opportunity...

Trout Derby

Next weekend we will be assisting with the Mc Kinney Kids Trout Derby. We will be teaching kids how to tie flies and how to cast a fly rod. Additionally, we will be providing flies for the kids to fish under a bobber (and hopefully catch a trout). Fly fishing is lots of fun and we like to share the enjoyment of our sport with others. Kudos to Robin for setting this up and thanks in advance to all the volunteers who plan on showing up to help. I cannot think of anything more satisfying than taking your favorite hobby and teaching a kid to enjoy it, too.

Boo Wind... you cant stop TCF from catchin fish :-)

Went to my honey hole and had very good success today. 9 huge crappie a half dozen little LMB and one huge LMB. The stupid wind didn't stop me today.

Fishing 02/02/08

I went to Little Elm and fished at the marina with some old friends. The crappie were slow. I caught a 2 pounder right off and then it was dink mania. It was fun seeing the guys and catching a few fish.

Later in the afternoon I went to Loy Lake with the big yak and fished for a few hours. I had two hookups but landed no fish. The weather was great, t-shirt and shorts, 57 degree water temp, sunshine and 68 degrees.

Come on Spring. Stupid groundhog, just had to see his shadow.