Five Things I Learn About God, Myself, and Ministry When I Go Fishing!
Yes, it is true- I am 100% guilty, therefore I must confess, “My name is Joe Wyrostek and I am a fish-aholic.” I’ve had many hobbies over the years, but there has only been one that has stuck with me through every phase of my life- fishing!
Sad but true, I’m also the most sickly person on a boat you can ever find. As a result, every “fun day on the deep waters” has turned me into “puke boy!” Therefore, I have been forced to become the “pier fishing pro.” And my favorite kind of fish to catch on the piers is sharks and big reds. Here is a picture of me around early 2000 with my first shark (black tip) from the Louisiana Gulf of Mexico.
Living in Nawlins Baby
I used to live in New Orleans for eight years (96′-04′) and I have literally fished the whole Gulf Coast. I have traveled and fished on piers from Houston all the way to Miami, Florida- and everywhere in between. Some of my favorite fishing spots are: Grand Isle, Louisiana and Panama City, Florida- where I caught my largest shark, an 8ft nurse shark.
Fishing Trips
I have taken a fishing trip to the Bahama’s and fished off of the most beautiful coral reef I have ever seen- and I also fell on the beautiful coral reef and earned the most extensive cuts and injuries while fishing! I have been able to take my poles and fish right next to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransisco in the Pacific. Plus, I was blessed by a family to stay in their luxurious beach front condo and fish all along Daytona Beach in the Atlantic.
The dedication I have to this hobbie knows no bounds… I have drove 16hrs straight to go fishing, brought my poles on my honeymoon, and have even slept in my car for two days in the Pensacola, Florida pier parking lot just to catch sharks at night!
You might ask, “Is it worth it?” My simple answer, “YES!” Below are some of the pics from my last trip to Grand Isle, Louisiana in August of 2012:
Living in the Mid-West
Even while living in Chicago I have found the art of catching big fish to be fun, like carp and catfish. Below is the biggest carp I have caught from the Algonquin Dam- around 10lbs! I generally only like to catch smaller fish like bass and blue gill when I can fish in a stocked pond. However, some of the locals have tried to turn me on to salmon fishing, but I have not found much success as of yet.
Therefore, I am always excited about taking trips back to the Gulf Coast and to the ocean. In 2012 from April to August, I was able to go on five fishing trips (three of which were on business trips)! I try to travel whenever I can with my poles and plan the next adventure.
Jesus Loved Fishermen
As a result, after literally days on the piers and around the water, I have learned many valuable life lessons. I don’t believe it is any accident that Jesus’ first disciples were fishermen. Or random coincidence that many of Jesus’ miracles (walking on the water, money in the fish’s mouth, net breaking catch, or feeding the five thousand) happened around the water. As a matter of fact, Jesus’ first words to the Peter and Andrew were, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men!” (Matthew 4:19)
Therefore, fishing contains many important lessons about life… or atleast that’s what I tell myself when leaving to go on another 2-day trip! On a more serious note, here are some things I’ve learned about God, life, and myself from fishing.
FIVE LESSONS LEARNED WHILE FISHING
1. Patience
I’m in no way a naturally “patient person,” actually the exact opposite. However, while wishing I have learned to have this virtue like a saint. I have waited all night just for one fish before. Sometimes I have drove 3hrs one way to fish for another 8hrs and drive home again 3hrs without any catches- but just to “stare at water” all day and night!
Recently, while in Grand Isle a family was so badly wanting to catch the famed “big reds” but they left too early. All the signs were there that it was going to be a great night, but they got impatient. Literally within 1 hour of them leaving I caught 3 huge fishes (the ones pictured above). If only they had been patient- they could’ve gotten some biggins’ too!
Life Lesson on Patience: Don’t give up when things don’t go right, be patient, new things can happen in a moment and make all the waiting time worth it all, Galatians 6:9.
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2. The Right Gear
Nothing is more funnier and frustrating to watch than a “newbie” get a big ole’ fish on their 20lb line and get “broke off.” We “pro’s” on the pier know that you can’t expect to really bring in any fish over 20lbs without special branded line and strong poles. I usually fish with 60-80lb braided line with 3/4in round poles.
The guys on boats love to tease us pier guys because they say they can catch the same size fish/sharks on small lines and poles- however, they don’t have to fight the current and sharp barnacle-laced pylons. Thus, we must come with the biggest poles and the strongest line just to have a fighting chance at bringing in that 100lb 6ft bull shark!
Life Lesson on Having the Right Gear: Understand and gain the tools you need to be successful in life in whatever you do. Do whatever it takes to be the best on your job (college/specialty training), in your marriage (counseling/date nights), and ministry (mentoring/good materials); Read the story of Solomon building the temple with the best materials.
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3. The Right Bait
Every fish has its own feeding time and favorite food. All experienced fishermen understand their fish and exactly what it takes to catch them. For me, I know that sharks and big Gulf fish- like bull reds and black drums, love to feed at night and eat large bloody fishes on the bottom of the ocean.
Therefore, I fish at night with freshly caught bait fish. I cut the fish in medium size chunks for my size 8 hook, then use a big 6 ounce weight with a strong 1000lb steel leader to keep the bait on the ocean floor. I may not catch every fish, but I know there is gonna be one big fish out there during feeding time that won’t be able to resist it!
Life Lesson on Having the Right Bait: Each person has their own way of receiving love and friendship. For you to be successful in building relationships you must understand each person’s importance, love language, and values; 1 Corinthians 13.
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4. Catch and Release
The reason I don’t have all the pics of the fish and sharks I have caught is because I practice catch and release. I used to go through the hassle of bringing a big cooler full of ice everywhere I went, then having to come home beat-tired and clean massive fish for hours. Then I came to the realization, I don’t have to do this- I can have all the fun of catching the fish- without all the hassle… all I have to do is release them back into the water!
Sometimes I will bring a cooler so I can bring back fish for those I stay with. Or sometimes I give the fish away on the pier to people who are up for all the work. However, 99% of the time I get all the trill I need just by catching the fish- no need to keep em’, I just throw em’ back for another fisherman to catch on another day.
Life Lesson on Catching and Releasing: Some people are in our lives just for a specific reason and season. We can’t expect everyone in ministry, in friendship, or even in our family to be around forever. Sometimes the best gift we can give someone is the “gift of goodbye,” Acts 20:36-38.
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5. Have Fun!
Oh my, do I have some fun(ny) fish stories! I remember once another young pastor and myself bought a two person raft and set out into the ocean to catch bigger fish… well, lets just say by the time we rowed our little Walmart raft back to shore we passed out for the next 6 hours on the beach! For hours people walked and played all around us- we couldn’t move an inch due to being so sick and weak from our “deep sea” adventure.” Today, we’re both happy just to be alive!
Another time an intern and I we’re fishing on Cocoa Beach and were catching 20-30lb bull reds almost on every cast- I have never experienced anything like that again with the reds. However, right at day break there was a new cruise ship being set out to sea and literally there were dozens of people on the pier watching this massive boat leave dock. Right about that time I threw out my line and a big sea gull came and snatched up my bait. I tried to get my line back but I saw he was hooked in the mouth by my big ole’ hook.
I couldn’t let him have my rig so I reeled him onto the pier. By the time I brought the sea gull to the dock all these people were around me saying “Oh look, he caught a sea gull- how cute!” As I tried to get my hook and leader back he started to fly away- I then instantly jerked him back to the pier and he made a loud “thud” as he slammed head first into the deck.
The crowd didn’t like this at all- I had to cut my line lest I get mobbed by the onlookers. I’ll never forget how their sounds of joy and amazement turned to sounds of terror and shock as they saw me yank a large bird out of the sky to the pier with my fishing pole!
Life Lesson on Having Fun: Life is too short not to have fun and laugh. Stop taking yourself so serious- enjoy the spontaneous moments that make everyone around you smile, Proverbs 17:22.