Wild on the Fly

Well I was surprised on Wednesday afternoon by a phone call from Joe Daniels - producer of Wild on the Fly saying "Brad your episode is being aired this week..."

Huh?

Turns out Musky Madness has its first run this week: Pacific Times Thursday (6am), Friday (3pm) and Saturday (9am) on the Outdoor Channel.

Situation normal all fucked up! I had planned on seeing the first showing on Feb 5th but as with most fishing situations the only sure thing is what is happening right now!

No worries...I'm a musky angler and if I could not adapt to changes I'd starve!

I took a big gulp and quickly drafted an email to everyone on my mass-email list and put the word out that our first appearance on National TV was coming a week ahead of the listed time...and I also realized it was a little like having a professor tell you a term paper is due early!

Oh Shit...

Off-season for me is anything but off. In fact the hustle being a start-up, independent, second-year owner of a guide and outfitting company requires me to wear all hats...mostly ones that do not fit and make me look silly! But I live and learn and have developed a system for learning stuff off-the-water!

Mine...Bulldozer! Lower your head and plow through it Cowboy;)

This stuff is called Business 101 and is what most folks do every day for a living. I had always been confident in what I do on the water. And the common notion is that being a good angler and good guide is all about getting it done on the water...

Well you know what? That is the easy part. Seriously, if that was all there was to the fly fishing business this job would be cake and everyone would be lining up to do it.

In my ideal world I would just snap my fingers and my Harvard Grad executive assistant would swiftly handle all my communication, proposals, requests and multitude of other behind the scenes tasks that put asses in boat seats a that allow me to be the shit hot fly fishing guide that I keep telling myself I am.

Snicker...

The reality is my executive assistant has no thumbs and thinks she is the boss. I'm her bitch and if I have any doubts all I have to do is take her for a walk! All anyone says is "Oh, what a pretty dog...she is so beautiful..."

And I roll my eyes and laugh..."Yup, she is damn pretty..." and mutter to myself "..but she don't type worth a hoot..."

I digress.

So Wednesday I get a phone call from the professor and he tells me that my term paper is due early. And I realize that all the stuff I wanted to have in place on our website and across the board with Musky Country Outfitters is just not going to be a reality when our first BIG National Break happens.

I did not even know where or when I would see the show. Seriously!

I missed the first showing on Thursday. I was tickled by phone calls and emails coming in from folks saying they saw it...my Aunt in Madison...she and Uncle Denny loved it and DVR'd it for Grandma...guide buddy in MI said he was proud to know me...Tim Fischer called from Ft. Lauderdale and was grinning ear to ear through the phone I shit you not...

So I relaxed a bit. Shook off the anxiety of not having everything "As it should be" in my control freak mind...and just did what I do best - roll with it.

I got to watch the show this afternoon! Loved it! Laughed my ass off...and was really touched and proud of how Joe put it all together.

OK my hand hurts from typing now and I will give you all a break from chewing the cud today. I'm gonna go have a long afternoon bike ride then some cold beers and bask in this life that really is:

Wild on the Fly!