Rant

[GitchaSome]

Has anyone ever had a Dad or someone close to you that told you to quit your passion?

Like many of yall here I put my life into fishing, I wear my fishing hat, cloths, sunglasses every day, have a rod in my truck ( just in case ) I have worked 600 hours in one season as a mate for free just to be on the water and to learn. But I have never had my own father tell me to quit my passion.

Today my father approached me and told me that my last AP test was a 75, now I am sorry but I am a junior in high school and an AP class is college level, I get college credit for it. Now this is not my first test like this but again its college level and I have a 91 average in the class. My dad told me to give something up.... hinting to my passion of fishing.... in order to bring my supposibly bad grade up

Now I have always taken the challenging rout, most my friends have fun electives, right now my schedule is 20th century war fare, marketing, algebra 3, and AP US History I have yet ( well besides gym ) have an easy elective all year or an easy course in my school all the years I have been there. I have a 3.4 GPA unweighted, it will probably be higher when its weighted before I graduate.

I tell you though the only thing I have a passion for in the world is fishing..... I have a picture of a fish on everything I have!!! my garage is a giant tackle shop..... and the nerve of him to tell me, 2 days before I go to a fishing show with one of my best friends in the fishing industry really infuriates me

My father has never really liked fishing, and this fall and winter fishing with Deep and my friend who is coming to visit tomorrow he seemed to be enjoying it, even looking into a new tournament boat for me to use for the last few years I am around before I am off and on my own he pulls this

Fishing is everything to me, its my job, my therapy, its what I dream about, its what keeps me going and gives me the motivation to do what I do so I can have a boat for myself one day that I can fish the world with. I have been fishing since I could remember and without it I mean I am nothing.... most my teachers can back me up on this..... all I talk about is fishing, all I write and refer to is fishing...... all my class mates can say that I am the fish kid, I know how to catch most fish and if a kid ever has a question about fishing they are sent to me..... I hang out with one of my teacher, Mr Purdy every morning before school starts talking about fishing, he is a fishing enthusiast and at another shallow point like this he helped me out big time..... I have a whole support basis for fishing and I thank everyone that has helped me out in the fishing industry....... its just a depressing thought that my own father doesn't have my back in the one thing that I have a passion for when I thought he did

[Glenn W]

I doubt you will receive much sympathy here Gitchasome. Your pop is a wise man (which you will come to understand with time), as are most readers on SFC. As a father of 4, I can assure you your dad is proud of you for your love of fishing, but he has a much more important responsibility than your recreational contentment--- Trust and respect his wisdom.

[Capt_John]

Keep doing what you love, but still respect your father. He just wants the best for you and since he doesn't share your passion for fishing as much as you, it's a hard sell for him. Keep your grades up and be the best you can at whatever you want, but just remember to respect your dad and appreciate him. From what I can tell, you have a roof over your head, the ability to go fishing quite a bit, and probably a fairly comfortable lifestyle if you're looking to buy a new boat. You're lucky to have a dad that loves you and gives a damn about your grades,etc. My father died when I was 2 and I wish everyday that I had a man around to give me advice, etc. It may suck now, but be thankful for what you have.

[GitchaSome]

Thanks guys!!! I am sorry to hear about your loss

Needed to get all that off my chest.... and thanks for all the advise

[Deep C]

I'm never gonna bash a Dad for doing what he thinks is best. The same way we know what buttons to push to get their undivided attention, so do they... His intentions are well meant the delivery is screwed up... Relax good friend... Patience... It'll all come right...

[double tap]

Okay... As a father of two teens I'll kick in my 2 cents worth...

From reading your post, I suspect that your dad might want to make sure you know there are other things (important things) in life besides fishing. I doubt he expects you to completely give up everything to do with fishing, but he might be trying to get you to throttle down just a bit. Lord knows I like to get out on the boat as much as the next guy, but to be successful in life you will probably need to learn how to balance your passions with the other, less exciting, realities life throws at you.

Having a passion (like fishing) is great, but sometimes we can get so focused on that passion we forget to be balanced. You say that all you talk about is fishing, all you write about is fishing, fishing is everything to you, and that without fishing you are nothing. Maybe your dad just wants to be sure he helps give you the tools you will need to be successful with all those other little details in life which occur when you don't have a fishing rod in your hand!

It sounds like your dad loves you and wants the best for you, and it sounds like he has even tried to become involved in fishing with you to share your enthisiasm. As other posters have said, respect your Dads efforts to help and guide you. You will come to understand and appreciate his wisdom in time, but don't forget; a Dads job is not to always be your best buddy and give you everything you want. As much as it kills us sometimes, our job is to try and help our kids become successful people, and sometimes that requires us to make decisions and take actions our kids feel are completely unfair!

Patience, young grasshopper...

[bigfish4me]

Sacrifice......its a word i have been all to familiar with, your dad has good intentions....i dont think he wants you to give up fishing all together...like stated already just slow your roll a bit. You are obviously an intelligent person, just keep in mind your dad has your best interest behind his actions. I would love to spend more time on the water, upgrade my boat and have my weekends off.....i also have 2 daughters that i am going to put through college, so for now i will sacrifice doing what i would love to do and work my ass off and make dam sure that the money will be there when they graduate.....its something my parents were unable to do, not for lack of hard work either....i watched my father work himself half to death to provide for our family.......All any loving father wants to do is provide their children with the best possible life they can. I think your dad is just giving you some advice and a lesson on life.

[#1Gaffman]

Its a tough thing man. I was in a similar situation, I use to be all about fishing, night and day, 24-7. But i also started to screw up in school, and not to mention other parts of my life seemed to deteriorate.

I found that the only way to live life is balance.... Theres a time to hit the books, and when your studying and such a thought of fishing shouldnt even enter your mind. And then summer rolls around and your focus should be on catchn everydam thing that has gills.

Find the balance and i bet your dad will back off. And this is coming from someone who knows exactly were ya are. Hope this helps.

[Capt. kapoc]

First things first......trust glenn he is REALLLLYYYYY OLD!!!!

Ok now the real deal. I was almost in the same shoes as you my father had put up with a great deal (some of which he shouldn't have) like me me quitting school to go work on a grouper longliner. he saw me and my grades go the wayward while i was at school and we had The talk about how i had to reapply myself, not give up what i loved to do but to focus on the things that would allow me to do these things when i get further down the road. Keep in mind my fater doesn't eat fish,go fishing, or even allow me to cook it within 100yds of the house. I was pissed off agrivated and hurt but i got over it and eventually joined the military, moved up in the ranks QUICK and now have the money,time and knowledge to run a charterboat to continue with my passion and bring more into it. Rember everything is about the big picture, you can't go fishing if your working 4 jobs at taco world, to pay the rent...if you go jobless you can't afford the line or the gas to go fishing bt if you apply yourself you get educated, get a better job with benifits, and can do all of the above.


By the way did i mention glen is old

Capt. Mike Beane
Blue Dragon Charters

[sashamy]

Hey there I feel your pain...BUT I now work for my dad, he is my best friend, we laugh, argue but most of all I realized that everything he says comes from experience...I spent the last 15 years of my life fishing, hunting...I forgot abouyt my wife and daughter at home, I alomost got divorced, why didn't I? My father...I watch him and admire what he has done for us, and I realized that there is more to life than fishing...I am 31 years old, I have caught and sold a couple hundred giants, landed probably 200000 pounds of cod, I have guided in SE Alaska, caught 55 pound King Salmon 200 pound Halibut, hooked more striped bass than I care to mention...but all that means nothing to me when I see my wife and daughter laughing at me when I can't fix the bathroom sink, or the look I got the other day when I tld my daughter we are going to Disney...don't get me wrong I love fishing and hunting...but family comes first and to be succesful you need good grades...sounds to me like you have great work ethic! Keep it up and some day you will realize what your father means...It took me 31 years to do it...Thanks Dad!