Chasing Dreams
I’ve met some pretty incredible people over the years through this sport and industry. Lately, Its been the customers that have supported this business venture that keep me excited about what I am doing. About 8 months ago, I met an angler named Daniel. Daniel found me via social media like most have, and decided to stop out at the shop and see what we had to offer. When I met Daniel, he explained to me that he was pretty new to offshore big game fishing, he had some success, but was looking to learn more to be successful. Daniel had some lures that he needed re-skirted and some hooksets that needed to be replaced. While at the shop Daniel saw that we had a pretty good lineup of High Speed wahoo gear, and he explained to me that he hadn’t ever caught a wahoo but desperately wanted to. After learning what size Rods and Reels, as well as boat setup Daniel was running, I was able to set him up with a set of our West End Bell Wahoo lures and Shock leaders. I explained to Daniel how to set up his High Speed Spread, as well as some depths and conditions to look for. I Told him the most important thing was to not get discouraged, and to take every trip as a learning experience. Over the next few weeks he would message me with his observations and questions and I gave him some more pointers. Summer fishing had the wahoo gear put away, and before you know it Summer was over and the Fall wahoo season had begun. This next part is the part I live for…. In my everyday career I work night shift, so I tend to be on my way home at prime early morning Wahoo feeding time…. Last week, as I am getting in my truck at 7 am , I have a text come through with a video…. Its a Wahoo, on deck, with one of our west end bells hanging from its mouth. The sender…..Daniel. I couldn’t be more excited for this angler, let alone, I was elated to be the first person he reached out to, to celebrate his first wahoo. It’s an amazing feeling when our dreams align with others… I dreamed one day to make a difference in this industry, while Daniel dreamed of catching his first wahoo. The successes and failures involved with this sport are what keep us waking up early in the morning to chase our dreams, and as one bucket list item is checked off, another arises. Thank you Daniel for sharing your angling success with me, I look forward to seeing you and all of our customer fishing successes daily, and it sure does validate that I truly have found my calling in this industry. Congratulations on that first wahoo, with many more to come!
As Always, Tightlines, Fair winds, and following seas.
Capt. Justin Santillo
