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| That being my guiding hat. November 10th is my last guide day. I will then hang it up for about 10 years or so.
I have enjoyed the many clients that have been in my boat. Lots of good times and many muskies of coarse. I want to take this time to thank all of you that have hired me over the years.
My wife does not want me to quit(that I will never understand)[:blackeye:], but I need to. Many nights comming home just to carry my little girl to bed, gets old in a hurry. Its time for me to spend more time with my wife and daughter. So next season, when you see me parked in Glen cove on Pewaukee fishing bluegills with my little girl, dont think Jason is off his rocker. Its apart of life and I need to take care of the family more.
I will still fish muskies because I could never get rid of that drive, but I will be making muskie trips that involve family camping and campfires. Things change and often for the better.
I am happy with the idea of being free to do, and go where and when I want too. That might put in MN and Canada more often and chances at much better and better fish. The more and more I look at it, I am glad I guided and now even happier that I am done with it.[:bigsmile:]
My future efforts will be on this site, writing, seminars and catching large muskies. Life couldn't be any brighter. |
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| Jason, good for you. There is something to be said about you by the choices that you made and the reasons that you made them. I`ve got a 5 year old daughter and every day I thank God for her and the time that we get to spend together. But no matter how long I live, it just won`t be long enough. Beleive me, you`ll have a better time and build a special bond on those bluegill trips. Enjoy your time together.
Carpe Diem.
Beav |
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| Jason,
I applaud your decision. It is for all of right reasons. It is also the reason why I wear an apron everyday instead of carrying a brief case.
Jim McCullough |
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| Beav, I see you are becoming a carp dude...what does the diem mean?
Jason, a wise move indeed! Good to see I''m not the only mental giant here! The time spent w/ her now will bring BIG dividends later as she will confide in you as life gets more complex etc....I will send a picture of little sponge....who knows what can happen later![;)] Then I could move up there + you all could learn a whole new culture + way of life.....he has many "southern bells" already after him at 5 + will not be allowed to date until he is 17-18....I still check on him EVERY night before I go to bed + will always do so. They will need us later as their world will be different than ours was + to them we are heros....what we teach them now will stick w/ them later. If you ever come south w/ the family let me know + we''ll hit the coast; I have some local food spots that serve up some of the best blackened seafood in the continental US + the cokes etc. are always ice cold![:sun:] |
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| Jason- Awesome! Life's a bit&h & before you know it you're dead. Enjoy the family, especially the little one's. They're so precious and to miss this crucial part of their lives is a very common mistake. www.it'syourchoicetoputFamilyFirst.com [:halo:]
"It's your choice to Catch'em & Let'em Go!"
...>.... |
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| Jason, congrats on a great decision. It's my 19th birthday today so I don't know exactly where your coming from, but my Dad coached basketball at a local high school that I wasn't going to and he knew that he wouldn't get to see any of my games. That dissappointed me, and he knew that he couldn't let that happen, and decided to give it up all for me. I couldn't believe it, but he resigned and got to watch me play my whole high school career. I never really thanked him for what he did but reading what you doing for your daughter, I'm gonna.
Once again you made a great decision that your daughter will eventually realize that you made it for her, because you care about her that much.
Thanks a lot and way to go,
Brett Carroll
I also believe that Carpe Diem means seize the day.[:)] |
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| that is a mighty strong thing to do. Congrats. Family is so important and time goes by so fast.
The fish are not going anywhere....
all the best
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| Jason,best of luck in all you do!Kids and a great wife is the best things in the WHOLE WORLD!Everything else is second!!!!!!!!!Don`t forget I`m still the Gill King and know where they lurk!I can only take kids though!Really,its great to be able to spend QUALITY time at home cause it will be a lifetime of awesome memories!And I will always have an open seat(seats)in my boat for you and yours,gill`in or skiing! Jeff |
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| Jason, you are doing the right thing. It's something you will look back on and never regret. I hope you catch alot of panfish with your daughter with that 14" sucker hanging off the back of the boat.[;)]
I have three sons and many regrets. They live 900 miles away and my oldest is only 7. I tried like hell to stop it from happening and I think of all the things that I should have done that could have swayed the judge and it constantly knaws at me. It's been a year and a half now and the ache is as strong as it was the day they left. I don't know if you ever get over it. They love to fish and I get to take them maybe three times a year which is all they get to do since there is no water to fish where they live. I applaud what you are doing. I am in my finest hour when my sons have fishing poles in their hands and I am sure you will be too. Enjoy.[:)] |
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| Jason,
You gotta let us know what your last day brings!
FamilyFIRST.com
Congrats! And thanks for making me think about some things.
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| "say it ain't so Joe?"....not that my cheap ass was probably going to find a dime to pay for a guide day (sorry, like paying for sex, gotta be with the hottest lady, so I reserve the guide $$$ for Canada)...but still, we'll still have to find sometime to share a boat together. But, unless you get into full-time bluegill mastery (coming soon, BlueGillFirst), we will do that someday. I totally understand the family concern...wedding planning is taking years off my life, so I can see where being away from the family could be rough. As much as I love to fish, I'd still rather be with Ms. Slamr versus the ugly mugs of jm_03, Boro or Running Hot. Family comes first, last and only.
Slamr |
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| Jason:
I applaud your descison!!!! It is the right one!!!! I am kinda going through the same thing as far as work and it interfering with time with my son. He is only 5 1/2 months old but i do not want to miss him growing up and regret it.
Enjoy![:bigsmile:] |
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| Tell me it ain't so Jason....what am I going to do on those jaunts to Waukesha with my wife?? Shoot you just barely taught me how to do a decent figure 8.....and I appreciate you not laughing me off the boat the first time I tried doing it.
But I do agree with your rationale...family always needs to come first, the fishies second. Hopefully we can get together sometime when I'm out your way. If we can I can turn you on to some of the "hot" bluegill spots I found fishing out of Smokey's hot little boats. Always did great with big gills when I was looking for walleye....the only eyes I caught were midget variety.
The 5 years I spent divorced and fishing with my daughter (from age 5 to 10)all the time are some of my most memorable---fish or no fish. You got some great memories to make!!
Good Family Fishin,
BrianW |
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| Jason: Good move, I have always beleived in FAMILY FIRST.
Do we still have a trip on the Big Pond for Salmon next year?
See Ya at the shows
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| Way to go!
I used to want to be guide, but the more I thought about it the more I changed my mind. I fish because I enjoy doing it and to guide would make it into work. I used to be a Automotive Mechanic and hated coming home and working on my own ride. Now I enjoy it again.
Not to mention now you will have more time to fish with your buds. |
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| Way to go!
I used to want to be guide, but the more I thought about it the more I changed my mind. I fish because I enjoy doing it and to guide would make it into work. I used to be a Automotive Mechanic and hated coming home and working on my own ride. Now I enjoy it again.
Not to mention now you will have more time to fish with your buds. |
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| Jason,
I hung up the old guiding hat nearly ten years ago, and miss the time with clients. Not enough to offset the ability to fish where, when, and how I want to, even if I know the day may draw a blank.
Your daughter is an absolute doll, and deserves to see her Dad. Alot. You will not regret your move!![:bigsmile:] |
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| I applaud you decision Jason! You can guide all you want when your old and gray and the kid is married and off having kids of her own....but now the clock is ticking!
We will have to get together again and do some perch jerk'n with the kids over here in Madtown...we killed them this year, BIG gills too!
Spring trolling too for muskies was great! BUT, a second adult was needed to handle the snacks/kids while one ran the rods! Very fun....sprinkles make a neat design when they get ground into carpet!
Enjoy the fam!!
Cory |
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| Thanks for the comments guys.
This was a very hard thing to do and my wife stood behind me at the keyboard yesterday when I was going to hit submit and said.. "Are you sure you want to do it". So I wont be on the water much and my house will get it's needed repairs and my daughter will get to see her daddy. I can still go on trips on weekends, write and talk muskies. Sounds great to me.
Quiting someting that you work hard to build, makes you think real hard, but life has to change and its good to hear the support of freinds. I will have more time to get up to MN, Canada or go south and fish with Sponge in KY. More time to go on trips and fish with friend, instead of being tied up to bookings in my calender.
The outings next year will be fun, hopefully I can get a chance to fish with all of you in the future.
Slamr,, When are we going to Webster in Dec?.
[:bigsmile:] |
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| Good luck with the new turn in your life and the adventures it will bring. It's not an ending, it's a beginning.
Jono
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| Jason,
You and I talked about this earlier this year after the yard sale at Smokey's and I know how difficult this was for you. I congratulate you on your commitment to the family.
There's an extra room in the house that's always open to you and your family and a fire ring in the back yard. Lots of ski's to chase in the heart of Chippewa Valley. Maybe next summer It'll be my turn to treat you...
Best of luck, see you on the water.
Mark
Musky Adventures
Eau Claire, WI |
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| Mark.....like the idea of a "fire ring"! I have Stone Henge, a pyramid + will soon be working on a small version of Eiffel Tower which will see time as a tree stand....I enjoy yard work + plan on adding a concrete chicken + flamingo family this spring.....[:knockout:] [:sun:] |
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| Way to go dude, family comes first.If your ever down in the West Virginia area, stop by and I'll do my best to show you the finer points of the mountain state. Probably not the best fishing for muskys, but I'll promise you I'll do my best to make the trip one to remember.Maybe a float on the New River for smallmouths??? Trout fishing on the Cranberry river or one of many in my area. Any way , all the best and enjoy that child as they grow up way to quick.
C.J. Cantley[ Mauser]
Just outside Beckley
Almost Heaven
West Virginia |
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| Jason,
My cap is off to you. I know what courage it took for you to make this decision, but it's the right one.
I wish I'd done it when my son was young.
A wise man once said, "You can make more money, but you can't make more time."
Spend all the time you can with your children, they are only young once.
Connie, now you'll have to put up with him ALL the time! LOL
Good Fishing,
Dave Dorazio |
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| Hey Jason, I wish you all the best in the future. I am sure your family will be better off because of your decision. Hope we get to fish together someday and you can show me how to improve my figure 8 ratio. [:sun:] |
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| jason,good for you!9 years I up and left a pit crew job with a Winston Cup team for the very same reason.Missed my family and my little girls were growing up fast. no regrets whatsoever.Best of luck and when in Madtown pick up the phone.608-837-7672[:)] |
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| Jason as you know I phased out my tournament fishing this year. Only fished two MWC's this year and skipped the championship this fall. It was just too hard with young kids at home, I don't think I could ever pick fishing over them.
It was very hard to do, I am a tournament fishing addict, but I also love to fish the Mississippi River here in my backyard. I haven't been able to do alot of that over the last few years because of the tournaments. It's a trade off; I guarantee you'll be happy with your decision.
I'm sure we'll hook up more than once in the boat next year with all of the free time we'll both have!
Zach |
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| Jason,
Congrats on your decision. I am sure Connie and Sierra will certainly enjoy having more quality time together. I hope we will be able to share a boat more as well.
I know too well where you are coming from. Just when I thought I was getting back to fishing again now that our two kids are getting older, we just found out we are having our 3rd! Yikes!! And it is due in May. So much for the PMTT next year - especially on the Madison Chain. We will have to have some cookouts together.
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