Andy Dear | Monday, 3 January 2022
I've never been a big fan of the whole "New Year's Resolution" thing that everyone does. I've kind of always believed that if you know you should do something, or if there is something you want to accomplish, there's no better time like the present to do it....no need to wait until January 1st.
Having said all of that, I have finally come around to the idea that setting goals is indeed a valuable practice. So consider this Front Page about angling resolutions for 2022, more of a list of angling goals to accomplish.
- Fish more...MUCH more than I did in 2021. Unfortunately, 2021 saw a lot of upheaval both globally due to the ongoing pandemic, and in my personal life as well. The company I've worked for most of my adult life was purchased by a new owner (not a bad thing), my other business providing epoxy coatings and adhesives saw huge volume growth (a really good thing), and of course, as Jack gets older he finds new interests to engage in...namely basketball. All of those are REALLY good, but they do cut into our angling time. Last Friday Jack and I discussed this and vowed to notch out more time on the water this year, which I am really looking forward to.
- Explore my bucket list of angling locations, both new and old. Now that the Monark is in the arsenal of weapons, it's time to extend the reach of our exploration of the backcountry of the Texas Gulf. I am constantly scouring satellite imagery for out of the way spots, if for no other reason, just to say I've been there. And, just today my old buddy Jesse Alonzo and I started discussing the possibility of a trip to the Mission River system to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our last trip down there in 1997.
- Put in more practice time with the long rod. I usually like to spend several hours a week honing my casting accuracy with a series of "games" that have evolved out of my practice routine over the years. Unfortunately there just wasn't a lot of spare time for this in 2021, mainly due to the growth of the epoxy company. Now that things are stabilizing and in an efficient groove, the practice regimen can be amp'd up a little bit.
- Resume our raft trips on the Guadalupe. Even though the Guadalupe River is within walking distance of my house, Jack and I didn't make one raft trip in 2021. It breaks my heart to say that, as I feel so fortunate to live so close to such a beautiful stretch of water. Part of that is because, given the opportunity and time, I'd rather throw flies at Redfish on the flats more than anything. Having said that sight fishing tailing Carp is a close second, and that fishery is less than a mile from my front door.
- Lastly...and with all the uncertainty that is going on in the world, I don't even know if this is possible, I'd really like to start laying the groundwork for some sort of a small part-time residence/fishing cabin on the Gulf Coast. This has been a dream of mine for close to 20 years, and the older I get, the more I realize that time becomes more and more valuable. Of course this coming to fruition is dependent on a lot of things, and with the chaotic state of the global supply chain and unstable economies, this may have to wait a little while.
So, those are my big 5 for 2021. Here's hoping that all of you Sexyloops readers can realize your angling goals in 2022 as well. And of course, I hope the first Front Page of 2022 finds all of you and you're families and loved ones are happy and healthy.
Andy