Find your fishing buddies and cherish them. It’ll help get you past tough times

Fishing buddies. The very term brings up a whole set of thoughts and deep emotions for most sportsmen and women. In the last year the term has come to have new significance for me in a time of isolation.

For most, The very essence of life is wrapped up in their close relationships, especially ones that we have with our family and friends. During the dark times of the past year, my connections with my fishing buddies have become a critical lifeline for me.

Back during the lockdown I found that my one real source of hope and excitement came from the long conversations I had with a few of my guys. I would feel revitalized and not so depressed after these “mental health sessions.”

It’s no small thing to have someone who has chased the same dreams you have, trusts you implicitly, keeps your secrets secret and in some cases is closer than family. In today’s throwaway and show-off society, these relationships are built on solid character, humility and a servant’s attitude toward your buddy. It’s a solid, earned respect that fuels this kind of brotherhood — many times one that continues past death in the heart of the survivor.

Being on the same wavelength, sharing ideas and your vision while recalling the past victories and defeats is what fuels and builds such a special friendship. It was this very kind of sharing that kept me going.

I’ve had some say these kinds of ties are overstated. I would tell you that I’ve seen it happen many times that when someone passes away, a person will stand up and say just one thing about the person in the casket. “He/she was my fishing buddy.”

I’ve lost quite a few of these special people over the last few decades. Each time, I feel the profound loss of a special bond that was forged over time in the furnace of life. In a world of copies and fakes, these real people and who they were are what we take into eternity.

My dad was my fishing buddy and I miss being able to share my victories and struggles with him more than anything. For years the first thing I thought about was calling my dad after a big or special catch. He was more than Dad, he was my best fishing partner.

I’ve been blessed with having a life where I have folks who cherish the same things I do. It has held me over during these tough days. It’s no small thing to be called a fishing buddy, or have someone you fish with who you consider to have earned that prestigious title. Be real, be humble, be passionate and be the best buddy you can be. It’s a forever thing. Never give up!