By Jerry Purviance
Nothing is more iconic then Paul Harvey’s “So, God made a farmer” monologue. Being I don’t know much about farming, I thought I would put my own spin on it … with all due respect to the aforementioned original author.
And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a sportsman!” So, God made a fisherman!
God said I need somebody to get up at 5 a.m., begrudgingly, Monday through Friday to work hard in a factory or trade or business. But yet, awake happily and gleefully at 4 a.m. on the weekends to go fishing. So, God made a fisherman.
God said “ I need somebody that can tie a jig, untangle a bird’s nest, hook a leech, rig a nightcrawler, thread a shad, dip some stink bait, and eat a sandwich, without washing their hands before or after, so God made a fisherman.
God had to have someone strong enough to walk into a Bass pro shop, spend an hour looking over the expensive new electronic fish finders only to walk out empty-handed while wiping a tear from his eye and saying “Well maybe next year she will let me buy one.” So, God made a fisherman.
It just had to be someone that was just willing enough to get on social media and make boastful claims of what a fantastic bounty they caught that day with pictures and details of the techniques and gear they used to be successful. But yet, sly enough not to divulge what body of water they were fishing on. So, God made a fisherman.
God said “I need someone able to drink beer, sit in the hot sun, fight off insects, listen to passengers in his boat complain about how horrible it is out here and not catch anything all day, only to get up and do it all again the next day just a few more miles downstream. So, God made a fisherman.
It had to be someone that knew where the fish would be and should be without the aid of charts, graphs, or electronics. Somebody that could tie a Palomar knot with 35-pound test braid and replace a broken shear pin with a nine ought hook while stuck on a wing dam and be able to look at fish and say “she’s full of eggs … let her go.” Someone to be able to spend the day picking up others trash and debris left behind and be able to follow the laws without being watched and practice conservation and not diminish a natural resource so they can come back and enjoy it again with their family and friends or by themselves. So, God made a fisherman.
Jerry’s Outdoors Show heard Friday mornings at 9 AM on KWPC am 860 and FM 95.1.
