Who's lost a "big one?"

https://www.bassmaster.com/gerald-swindle/big-ones-got-away

Whew. That's real right there.

That's deep. Fishing is great but not worth missing some of those moments. No career is that important in my opinion. There's always things that are going to cause you to miss things though. And it's tougher for someone who fishes for a living because you only have a handful of tournaments which dictate most of your income. That's just the side a lot of people don't think about or see

Remember seeing the winning interview from a basschamps team and one of the team members missed his mothers funeral to be able to fish the tourney, whew is right I don't know about that.

Very well said. Thanks

Dang.

I'm sorry, I just can't make excuses for any of that. Time to change professions if it becomes more important than family. Pretty sure he was a carpenter ( framed houses I think )before he started fishing for a living. Priorities should be God, family and ...............or at least that was the way I was raised.

If everyone refused to take a job that takes time from family away then you would have no military, firefighters, cops etc. I missed too many moments in my family's lives while on duty at the FD that I have huge regrets over it. Sometimes it takes getting older to understand just what was lost by doing so.

Don't think you can compare bass fishing to the military, firefighters or cops Mark, those occupations are in the business of saving lives, big difference. A daughter only has one prom and a mother could only have one heart attack, there's lots of bass tournaments.

That's his living though. One missed event and nonClassic etc. That could affect his earnings from sponsors etc. I did not take his comments as whining or complaining. I took it as a comment to young anglers to not lose sight of what really is important in the end.

I seen it as he had to make a living and he was telling people in a polite way. It�s not for everyone

Swindle is a Class Act. No two ways about it. I watched his acceptance speech when he won AOY and it brought tears to my eyes more than once.

His adornment for his wife is also very refreshing. Seems like a stand up dude

We all make livings a different way. I've missed more than I care to admit on trips to China or mexico or wherever. Was I saving lives? No, but it's part of the job that puts a roof over our heads and food on the table. Absolutely there is more to life than money, but each man has to find his own balance. At an minimum it's refreshing to see a guy like Swindle reflecting on all that. It'll make us all do a little reflecting of our own.

What most don't remember is that he was not the most popular guy on the circuit UNTIL after he met his wife. By his own admission, it changed his life. Good for him.