As Rick Clunn cast a topwater plug toward a Table Rock bluff and spoke of the things he likes best about fall fishing, I couldn't help but consider how fortunate I am to be able to make my living writing fish stories. I began this morning watching Brian Snowden pull a 5 1/2-pounder off an offshore hump as I learned about his favorite summer strategies. Yesterday started with an hour in Kevin VanDam's boat doing photo and video work, followed soon after with time on the water with Jimmy Houston, Edwin Evers and Ott DeFoe.
Tournament wins and TV time aside, each of these pros has spent thousands of hours on the water, so the opportunity to ride along, take photos and ask questions allows me to learn so much in such a short period of time. Beyond that, relationships with many of the pros and other writers have grown into friendships, and I'm thankful to get spend time with my friends at a beautiful lodge as a big part of my job.
I'm writing from the Branson airport, and I'm also thankful that I'll be back home tonight. Not for long, though. Nathaniel and I leave Sunday morning for Branson, Round 2.
