It’s been just about a month since my wife, Tiff, gave birth to Kora. While the learning curve has been steep, I feel like we’ve taken it in stride because trying to catch a bass and trying to raise a child have certain similarities. In both cases you can read everything out there, watch a ton of videos, ask a bunch of questions, and in the end, nothing compares to being in the moment. You have to figure things out on the fly.
Because I’ve been fishing for a living and spending a huge percentage of my time on the road for well over a decade, I’ve learned to pivot. Every year I get better at going with the flow, making the most of every situation. I’m not perfect, but I’m pretty good at adjusting instead of trying to force a square peg into a round hole.
That’s served me well in my short time as a dad. I’ve learned that if the kid poops on your hand when you’re trying to change a diaper, all you can do is laugh at it and figure out a way to do it cleaner the next time around. There are all sorts of little tricks and techniques to make things better, and I’m learning new ones every day (sometimes the hard way). I’m constantly adding new situations to my memory bank.
At 34, I’m not necessarily an old first-time father, but I’m not young either. I’m glad that we waited until the time was right for us. My career is more developed than it was even a few years ago, and I’m more mature too. That takes lots of the stress out of this, the most important responsibility I’ll ever have.
Watching Tiff’s strength throughout the process has made our relationship even better. I already respected her independence and talents immensely, but this takes it to another level. I still can’t get over the fact that there was a little human inside of her. The fact that the process has been replicated billions of times and still works out blows my mind, but watching someone you love experience that process obviously hits much closer to home. We have a sign by our bed that says, “Grow through what you go through together.” We’ve been through a lot, and now we have another member of the team.
What makes it even more special is Carl and Kayla Jocumsen’s daughter, Rivah, was born just five months ago. We’re already related, but this will bring us that much closer for years to come. Right now the difference between four weeks and five months seems enormous, but by the time that the girls are 2 or 3 that difference should all but evaporate. I look forward to all of us traveling together, watching the girls run around the campground together, and eating “cut ice cream” together for a long, long time.
By the time we arrive in New York, Kora will have been in 11 states, which is probably more than many Americans have visited. She’ll grow up seeing the country and meeting people from every walk of life. As a result, she’ll learn from experience and hopefully will become adept at adjusting to changing circumstances on the fly. I think that’s a huge advantage for any young person.
In the meantime, we’re hitting three great fisheries at a great time of year. I know that I’m leading the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, but to be honest I’m not sure of the gaps between me and the other anglers on my tail.
I plan to practice hard, as I always do, but I’m also hoping that the so-called “baby pattern” holds up. I caught them pretty well during the pregnancy, including three Top 10s in my last four Elite events — plus a 12th at Chickamauga — but I’m craving a blue trophy right now. It’s worked out for several of my colleagues, so why not me? Even if it doesn’t happen, right now I feel like I’ve won the lottery with my growing family.