Chasing Smallies and Life’s Biggest Dreams
Just a fun-filled day doing what I love: getting lost in the Ozarks and chasing smallies. It was a tough day on the water.
I saw plenty of smallmouth in the mile stretch I covered, but most would chase my streamer and then disengage at the last minute. I tried a variety of streamer patterns, testing different colors and sizes, but the outcome remained the same.
It was one of those days where heading home seemed tempting, but I’m glad I pressed on upstream. At the end of my one-mile wet wade hike, two smallmouth finally took the bait and fully committed. It turned out to be a beautifully memorable day.
If you had told me 10 years ago that I would uproot my family from Kansas, move to the heart of the Ozarks, and start recording fly fishing adventures to share with the world, I might have believed part of it.
The moving part was always a dream of mine. I fell in love with the Ozarks when I was very young, and that love never left me. But then life happens, and some dreams start to fade.
You always believe there will be time for them later. Life moves fast, and sometimes you hit potholes that throw you off course or even fall asleep at the wheel. Well, about five years ago, I woke up. I wanted to explore the most beautiful place I know: the Ozarks.
Every time I venture outdoors, I see something new that fascinates me. But to find those moments, you need to slow down, almost to a stop, and look around.
This episode is different—it’s for you. Live your life now and do what makes you happy. Don’t wait, because your older self will wish you had done it sooner.
Appreciate the day you have and savor every moment. -Paul
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