One Hell Of A Life Outdoor Podcast

North Georgia Fisherman | Luis Delgado

• Tristan Vogel & Tony Vogel • Episode 185

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We sit down with Lou Delgado (the North Georgia Fisherman) to talk about the American dream, the cost of starting over, and why the outdoors still feels like the most honest place to build a life. Along the way, we dig into kayak fishing, river striper strategy, and simple gear advice that helps anybody catch more fish without spending a fortune. 

• Lou’s upbringing in Georgia shaped by Mexican hunting and fishing culture 
• His parents’ immigration story and the work ethic that came with it 
• Rebuilding after losing a ministry job, community, and stability 
• The long process of developing discipline and a daily routine 
• Why access often decides what species we target 
• How Lou targets river stripers from a kayak using timing and glidebaits 
• Learning faster by leaning on locals and experienced anglers 
• Kayak fishing as adventure, exploration, and lifelong “new water” 
• Respecting different outdoor styles from fly fishing to rifle hunting 
• Creating content that opens doors to real conversations and help 
• Budget fishing gear tips, keeping it basic, and having fun 


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Cold Open And Welcome

SPEAKER_00

I've been southern, I've been hell bound, I've been on a bit time straight. Going too fast now, finger all slow down, standing in the poor rain.

SPEAKER_04

What's up, guys? Tristan and Tony back with another episode of the One Hove Life Outdoor Podcast. Today we got Lou Delgado, also known as the North Georgia fisherman, and uh he's also the host of the kayak, what the kayak weekly podcast. Is that what it is? Yeah, yeah, kayak fishing weekly podcast, yeah. So he's uh he's a fisherman here in North Georgia, has got some incredible content and just a lot of stuff from funny stuff from like a family perspective to like educational stuff to just cool content, kind of everything. But uh excited. What I think is the cool thing about like just from following you in the last few weeks, Lou, is like I saw you post the other day about like when you made the jump to go content full time, and I just have a lot of respect for anybody that makes that jump, man, because I know it's a grind trying to balance it with like work life and stuff. So tell us a little bit about who you are, man, what you do.

Lou’s Backstory And Outdoor Roots

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. So, you know, my name, if I give you my my legal name, it's uh very very Hispanic Luis Andrés Delgado. Um you know, the best way I can describe my life, guys, is uh I tell people that I am the American dream incarnate. I am like a walking example of the American dream. Um, so I um, you know, my parents came here chasing that dream. Uh they came here through the legal process, got jobs, and assimilated into American lifestyle and culture um for the sake of their children, uh, me and my two other brothers. And um, I don't know how many people know this, but fishing is huge in Mexico.

SPEAKER_04

Oh, okay. Yeah, fishing, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So we are from the northern part of uh Mexico. Um, I was born here in Gainesville, but my parents are from Monterey, Mexico. Fishing and hunting over there is it's major. I mean, it's major. Yeah. So um that's also the crib, they call that the crib of baseball in Mexico, the the birthplace of you know, baseball. So my father came over here with with those three loves baseball, fishing, hunting. And yeah, he would he would run us to Lake Lanier, uh, literally with like uh I'll never forget a couple ugly sticks, um, coke cans wrapped in mono, you know, for catfish, uh, chicken liver, worms, and um yeah, we just I I out of the out of you know the the three of us, my younger brothers and I, I just love being outside. Um I love being in the deer stand. I would literally watch like you know, ESP back when uh Bassmaster was on ESPN, I would watch ESPN um, you know, fishing, and then um I would sleep by the door because eventually my dad got a job at the golf course. Uh it's uh Royal Lakes golf course, and they had some awesome stock ponds, and um he had to leave at about 4 35 a.m. I'd sleep at the door, and that way he wouldn't leave without me. I'd go out there and they would give me a little work golf cart, you know, not the nice ones, they give me like the loud gasp ones, you know. So yeah, yeah. So I mean, I thought it was hilarious if uh, you know, if you'd look out there on a Saturday, my dad's working eight or ten hours, and if you just listen, like you could hear me just going in that little golf cart with my spinning pole and a white zoom trick worm just catching, you know, catching fish all over those ponds. But that's that's basically how I grew up. I'm a I'm a Georgia boy. Um, you know, went to college here, played baseball here. I'm raising my family here now. So uh, you know, that's in a nutshell kind of who I am, really. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Dude, that's such a cool backstory. Yeah, man. I hadn't I had no idea. Um, I had no idea there was like that passion for like fishing and hunting in Mexico. I mean, it makes sense, like you know, you would imagine, and like you'll see like um every once in a while on social media, you'll see like an outfitter for like whether it be duck hunting or you know, maybe not so much. I haven't seen fishing, but like it seems like there's some incredible opportunities down there too.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. I don't know. Um, if you guys want to get on some crazy bass fishing, I mean, like I'm talking about you know, catching a bass, a you know, anywhere from two to eight pounds, every cast, every other cast go to Mexico. It is no kidding, it is unbelievable. Wow, yeah, and if you want some great A hunting, they have some trophy class ranches. I mean, 20 minutes from our house, they've got a trophy class ranch. I mean, some of the they had a they had a bad storm, the fence went down, and some of the deer got out, and now they're mating uh with some of the wild deer out there. Um then, yeah, and then we've got one of the most uh popular lakes there. We've had some MLF events there. Uh it's called uh yeah, it's called Lake Cuchill. That translates to the lake of the knife or the lake, the lake of the blade, and uh they've got some tremendous largemouth fishing there.

SPEAKER_04

Wow, that's awesome, man. Yeah, we we grew up like we're originally from Illinois, and like up there it's just a lot of farm ponds for the most part, and like that kind of ruins your perspective on bass fishing a little bit because it's like oh, there's nothing to it, you know. But then this and this is part of why I'm interested to talk to with you is all the river fishing you do and stuff. Like it's just a I mean, as you know, a completely different beast like fishing bigger bodies of water versus like a farm pond, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, absolutely.

Immigration Work Ethic And Perspective

SPEAKER_02

Well, Lou, and you know, before we kind of get away from it, um, I'd like to dig in a little bit more if you don't mind, and get a little bit more personal with you about the experience that your parents, you know, took, you know, the leap of faith that they took to come over to our country. And the reason why I mean it resonates with me so much is that you know, my mom came here from Germany when she was 18 years old, you know, and and uh marrying a GI, you know, and uh so I've got a lot of respect for people that you know it's so hard because you know, my mom had to leave her her nine brothers and sisters and her mom and to to do that, you know. So no doubt your your dad and your mom, you know, they had to leave their families to come pursue the dream for the kids and stuff like that. And I just kind of like to know a little bit more about that, you know, like what sparked that in your dad? What you know, I mean, just kind of tell us a little bit more about that, if you don't mind.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. So um, you know, where we're from, Santa Isabel, um they're honestly like my dad came here with a third grade education. Um you know, for for people listening, if they're not familiar, this is if I could paint a picture, when we used to go back and I would play ball with those kids, they had one baseball for the entire town. Wow, like wow, they had that was it, and the coach kept it at his house, and if they lost it, you know, they they lost it for a while, they weren't playing ball for a while. So you know, there there wasn't a lot of opportunity. You either, you know, worked in the um in the orange fields, like they, you know, they'd uh pick oranges or um, you know, uh grapefruit, all kinds of they had all kinds of stuff out there. Um, and that was really the bulk of work. Other than that, you'd have to educate yourself, learn a bit a little bit of English, maybe you know, go to school and and go try to get a job in the city, which for you know, for people like my mom and dad, that was very, very difficult. I mean, they they didn't get Wi-Fi till like in the town, it didn't become normal to have Wi-Fi and phones till a few years ago. Wow. And I mean, and we're in 2026. So, you know, they they came over here out of simply just desperation, looking for work, um, and looking for just that opportunity. And like I said, they my dad came here with a third grade education. Um, he used to work anywhere from two to three jobs, um and really had to like they really had to pull themselves up uh from the ground. And thankfully now, you know, only in this, you know, I know there's a lot going on in this country, but you know, I still believe in that concept of only a Spanish speaking man could come here and like build himself up and he's got a great business now. He's got his you know, his homes are paid off. He's got a he's just he's living, he's literally living the dream compared to what would have been in Mexico. And now he goes back and he gives back to that community every year. You know, they'll take they'll take clothes, they'll take uh, you know, sports gear, you know, stuff like that, and they'll do fundraisers. So it's been it's been a it's been a really awesome thing to see them do. That's so cool.

SPEAKER_04

It's so cool, and it just stories like that just kind of remind you like how, like you said, how great the opportunities are in this country. And it's like really when you hear stuff like that, there's really no excuses for like just the average person to like not pursue what you want to pursue. Because it's like at the end of the day, I mean, yeah, obviously there's some hardships that people can face that throws major curveballs, you know, whether it be health or financial or whatever, but like if you are determined enough, like you can make a lot out of a little, you know.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, dude. No, no, no. And you know, I mean, I I won't mention his name, but you know, uh another story since we're on this topic, you know, I just think it's such a neat story. You know, I I had a somebody that I worked with that was a um a uh I'll just call them a business uh a franchise owner um uh of a of a franchise that uh um that worked for us. And his mom and dad came here, claimed asylum from Cuba. Um same thing, just to come to America. And here's the thing, I I remember number one, that family just made everybody else look like they were moving in slow motion, you know. I mean, like, I mean, literally, you if there's work to be done, you just don't go to sleep until the work's done. Like you don't put it off until tomorrow, you just work as much as you can today. And just I watched them do that, it's it was humbling. And anyway, one day after working with a side, you know, the dad had gotten out of the business, gave it to his son. His son's probably um, I'd say in his his young 40s now, mid-40s. And anyway, at the time he's like 35. He uh he shows up at the office and he said, he comes in and he said, Uh, can I speak with Tony? And I came out and he goes, Tony, come here. And I'm like, What? And he goes, I got to show you something. I'm like, what? And we walk outside and we had a parking lot, we're on the second floor, and we look down the parking lot, he goes, Look, and I said, What? And he goes, Look at that truck, and I said, Well, what is it? He goes, That is a GMC truck, the best GMC truck you can buy. And I said, Oh yeah, he goes, Ever since he was a little boy, that was his dream was to come to America and buy a GMC truck. And not only did he buy the best one, he paid full cash for it. At the time, you know, this was eight, ten years ago, it was almost an eighty thousand dollar truck, you know, he just paid cash for it. You know, but that's all because his dad and mom, that's why I'm inspired. When you when I started hearing you say that with your story, this person's story always just sunk with me. My mom, of course, that's always you know been close to me. And I just think that you know, it's so easy in this country to it's so easy to look in a blue sky and find a dark cloud.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

It really

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SPEAKER_02

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SPEAKER_04

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SPEAKER_02

And you go, oh, look at that dark cloud, and you're like, oh, wait a minute. 98% of it is a beautiful blue sky. You know, so much gets gets we all get stuck in this, like talking about the negativity side of America. Yeah, oh yeah, let's all bitch about gas prices right now. They've been there before, they've been higher than this before, FYI, but but you know, that's the world, that's the government. We but at the end of the day, this is the land of the free, the home of the brave. You can come here, do it right, and you can live the American dream, like you said. And that's that's something I think that a lot of people just we live our everyday lives, and I've got so much respect for people that come to our country and do it like that because I've never met one of them that I could outwork. Really? I mean, seriously, like they take it way as serious as I wish I could.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, you know, yeah, yeah, man. Yeah. So

Content Journey After Church Life

SPEAKER_04

Lou, when did like when along your journey growing up and stuff, like when did you realize like, hey, I want to do outdoor content, I want to just start building this thing. Like, did you get out of college and like start a career and then do this, or was it straight out of college? What was kind of your journey on that?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so I'm um I'm a I'm a trier. I am uh I am a uh a risky, you know. I I I've lived risky, I'm not gonna lie. Some of sometimes sometimes it's been really dumb, you know, and then other times it's been you know pretty good. But um, you know, when I was young, um, I'd always tell people this because it this is really how it happened. Like, I watched uh Mike Iconelli that one season when he won that bass master, and he was yelling across the TV, and I was like, you know, it just got me pumped.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I don't think Tristan's seen him, but man, I tell him about him all the time. I'm like, dude, you're talking about something that gets you into bass fishing, bro.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I don't know if people know, but like he he came into the scene and he really shook things up. And he even wrote a book. I think if I'm not mistaken, there is a book where on the cover, I might be wrong. I'm not sure he might be shirtless on that cover, and he's got like punk rock hair. I mean, he wrote a book, yeah. Back in the day, he wrote a book about it, and um, I'll never forget my my great aunt, you know, she was living with us at the time, and she looked at me, so you know what do you want to do when you grow up? And I was cleaning my little Abu Garcia reels. I was like, I want to fish, yeah. And she was like, Okay, you know, kind of like, yeah, you know, like um, so you know, got got older, kept fishing my entire life, and um, you know, when I left college, I I did a lot of ministry work, I did a lot of um work with like homeless communities, busing kids to church and stuff like that. So I got really busy with that. I got into the the music scene with that. Um, and then you know, had I went through a lot of stuff there. Um, you know, like we we had uh this this big group of children that we were busing to the church and then you know got married, went through a divorce from that marriage. And this is like we're always try to tell people this is where a lot of my discipline and and like really chasing my dreams happened is um when I lost that job, I was working at a very big church, um, I lost everything. So when when you're a pastor and you get let go, it's really hard for corporate America to look at you and say, Yeah, we want to hire you. Yeah. You know, so and then at the same time, other churches are like, Well, you just went through a divorce, we're not we're not gonna hire you, it's too messy. Man, so I went, I it was tough. I went through that for for about two years. Like when that happened, I lost uh literally, I lost my home, lost my car, lost my community. Um, the process of letting me go was kind of like um I was there one day, the next day I wasn't. They did not allow me to have an exit. Kind of like, hey guys, I'm going through this, I'll be away, but I'm okay. So there was a lot of room for speculation. Um, so uh, you know, it was a tough time. I was accused of a lot of things, you know, like yeah, maybe he was stealing money, maybe he had an affair. None of those things happened. We just we separated. There was um, you know, we couldn't agree on certain things, and and that's all that happened. Um so eventually, you know, I met my wife now, and she really nurtured all of my passions, if that makes sense. Like, if I wanted to do something, she would just be like, do it, and she would support me to the fullest. And that's so important. Like, yeah, that's so important when you're picking your partner, or you know, you're gonna be with someone, and they love it for you, yeah. Yeah, so in the previous, you know, in the previous relationship, it was not anything like that. If anything, it was the opposite. And in this one, she was like, No, like, let's go. I mean, I'll she drove with me to get my first kayak that someone gave me, and we stuffed it in her mom's Pathfinder. I mean, yeah, uh, and she went out with me on our first uh like trip. Um, you know, she's a strong woman, but like I had her paddling up the Savannah River. We were suffering, I didn't know anything. So yeah, it was it was rough, like it was super, it had rained, the current had picked up, and I mean, she was there. A lot of people don't know this, but my first trips where I was trying to figure things out and I was really frustrated with it. She was out there with me. Oh wow. Um, so when I started my my page, she was like, you know, do it, you know, just do it.

SPEAKER_02

I support you, and um yeah, been living it with you, I guess, you know.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. That's that's kind of yeah, that's kind of how I got into that. Was like the initial start of getting into this, you know.

SPEAKER_04

Right. Now that's cool, dude. Do you think like that discipline has kind of been like the key to your like growth and kind of like continued success? It's just like staying staying at it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, absolutely, a hundred percent. It's

Daily Discipline And Family Support

SPEAKER_01

um, you know, it it took me 10 years to develop that process of waking up at 4 30, 5 a.m., working out, you know, journaling, um, maybe reading a you know, growth book for me, staying in the Bible, praying, and then looking for opportunities and for ways to grow as a father, as a husband, as a human being, it it took 10 years of ups and downs to to figure that out. It took a while. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, man, that's that's uh it's to hear 10 years, I don't know, like gives me like a sense of like not to care compare like my journey to your journey, because I don't know, obviously, everything you've been through. Um, but like I I can relate in the sense of like I got a baby on the way, and like we do our content stuff, and we it's all a passion project at this point. It's not like we're doing this as our day jobs, you know, but it's like finding that balance, right? Of like trying to grind the content, trying to do day job and sales, which is like a whole different grind, and then like you know, like you said, better yourself, work out, you know, like and all these little things. And I'm 29 and it's kind of like you feel I feel like it there's a lot of guys in my like at this age, like that are kind of in this place of like trying to find your career, trying to be a good husband, trying to, and it's just like you know, trying to find that balance, like you said.

SPEAKER_02

It's kind of just part of the process, man. I mean, it just it's it's where you're at in your life, you know what I mean? And and no different than like your experience with your life right now is different than what my experience with your child's getting ready to be, you know what I mean? Because I'm getting ready to be a grandfather for the first time, you know. So while you know, you sit there and you're trying to figure all this stuff out, you know, at the same time, you know, I think it's it's all about like where you're at in in that stage, you know, that kind of thing. So but uh no, that's so cool, man. I mean, that is awesome.

What Lou Loves To Fish

SPEAKER_02

So when it comes to fishing, like is bass like your number one? Is that is that your is that the number one fish you love to go after?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I mean, um, I think honestly, I think that the right answer there would be access, you know. So so because we have such great bass fisheries around, you know, I love going bass fishing, there's a lot of opportunity. Um, but honestly, um, if I could pursue one fish in these rivers like that the way that I like to, it would probably be striper. Okay. Um, yeah, I know I want to do that so bad.

SPEAKER_02

I've never caught one.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so much fun. And um, you know, definitely, but I I love bass fishing. But to be honest with you guys, I mean, I I fished for musky last year, a little bit of trout. Um, I will chase anything. Um, yeah, you know, yeah, I'll have a good time with whatever.

SPEAKER_04

What does uh what does chase a striper look like in the river? Because

Targeting River Stripers From A Kayak

SPEAKER_04

the only like from the outside looking in, the only striper fishing I like hear of is like people. Going by like by the dam or whatever, and you're catching them super deep from like a I don't even know a boat.

SPEAKER_02

I like a Lake Lanier.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah. I don't know if they're like slow trolling or what.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so so for me, um, when I'm in the river, the approach definitely changes. I've learned from a lot of the the guys that have been fishing and doing this. Actually, a lot of them are fly guys.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01

Um, yeah, I learned a lot from a lot of fly guys that have been doing this since like the 70s or 80s. Wow. Um, but I've learned that timing is absolutely crucial, location is crucial, and your presentation is everything um in these tight spots. So um, you know, you have to be real subtle, you have to be real careful with them. They are intelligent creatures. I I get a lot of comments where people are like, striper fishing is so easy, it's the dumbest thing in the world. But I've learned that it comes from two people. It's either A, the guys who may accidentally catch them while bass fishing, you know, like I'm like, no, no, go go target like five of those. Go give me five like 15 plus pounds or 10 plus pounds out of Lake Lanier, and then you know, you can tell me, oh, this is really easy.

SPEAKER_02

Go catch a 35 pound striper.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, yeah, or exactly, or go catch like a 35, 40 pound striper. Then we can talk without live bait. Let's do that without live bait. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, and then um, you know, I the saltwater guys, it's different for them, you know. The striper in saltwater, when they're they're wolf packed like that, they tend to get worked up a little, you know, they're a little more aggressive. Um, in the river, you have these isolated schools, or what I get is I see these isolated schools of like two, three, or four, and you really have to take advantage of how you present that bait to get the biggest one drawn out to attack like at the right moment. So, yeah, you gotta you gotta just make small sneaky changes um in those situations. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Now, this like might be a stupid question, but like, are you is this a combination of like sometimes you can like spot like cast at these fish, or is this just like using technology to like figure out where they are? Like, what do you when you say like see them, how are you seeing them? How are you hunting them?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's kind of like yeah, yeah, yeah. So the um the reason I had I did a swim bait collaboration with um with uh York comp uh York company this this year, and they make some awesome glide baits. Um I the colors I chose is like uh that kind of white, you know, white shad pattern with a little bit of blue glimmer in the belly, but I wanted the chartreuse and accents of chartreuse. What I like to do is if there are areas where I know they could be stacked up in, you know, there's there's moving water, um, there's a little bit of depth, there's hard bottom, or you know, the bait fish may be stacked up in a way that they can really take advantage of it. I'll get the 9.5 glide bait, and I will just cast and stay anchored and try to figure out where they where they're gonna come out of. And that's kind of how I like to draw them out. Once I understand where they're at, I'll just back off and make the longest cast possible and you know continue to try that pattern and switch up the size of the glide bait, whether it be a seven inch, a nine inch, or even a 5.5. But that's typically how how I'm doing it. Um, it's just a really big understanding of like, okay, in March, they're running up this area right now, they're in this section of the river doing this right now. Two weeks later, they're going to be somewhere else positioned a little bit differently and in a different mood, if that makes sense. So that's that's kind of how um, you know, I've been tracking them in the last couple years.

SPEAKER_04

Nice, okay. Yeah, no, that's it's so interesting, like figuring out different. I mean, it's any species of anything, you know, there's just a figuring out phase to being successful at any any of it. Like you said, talking to guys that have been doing it from the you know 70s or 80s, you know, to get tips. Yeah,

The Value Of Local Knowledge

SPEAKER_04

that's that's a pro tip for anybody listening. Maybe stop in a bait shop.

SPEAKER_02

I I think one of the most powerful things in fishing, I think, is you know, we run into this a lot of times. Like, you know, Tristan, like we've talked uh several times about, you know, like, hey, if you're going to say hunt public land in Arkansas, uh you'd be very wise to get with somebody that does that. Yeah, right. Because just like you remember the first time we went with Davey and stuff, like we'd be driving around with the water at that level, which he knew was at that level, but you remember how he'd be like, see that big dent on the side of that tree? Yeah, he goes, Everybody always always hits that, you know. It just you know, like locals know these things in like these you know, and just when it I think when it comes to fishermen, that data download that you go through as a fisherman, it's so I think that's where a lot of people become recreational versus like taking it to the next level, is that to take it to the next level, it requires a lot of time. A lot of time. And we watch these things on TV, we see these guys, like if you're watching Chris Lane, you know, um catching monster bass, right? Whatever dude, he might have been there for two days doing that, you know, and you're seeing like six fish, you know, out of that whole thing. But point is is that as a fisherman, we when you are in your local area, right? And you're fishing that offshore, inshore, lakes, ponds, rivers, it doesn't matter. The local folks are the best people to talk to because they've been through that whole like it's almost like a sanctification process of wherever you're fishing at. Yeah, you know what I mean? And I've had to do it in my own lake out back, you know, and it's I told Tristan last night, I go, it's been humbling as it to death because I decided to like really go after the crappie this year, and for like two, three weeks straight, dude, I just kept walking out off my boat with my bottom lip sticking out for a bird to poop on it, as my dad my mom used to say, you re tuck that lip in for a bird poops on it. But but that's how I felt, and I was just like, dude, there's no way I suck as a fisherman this bad. And then you know what? Now I'm slaying them. I've been slaying them for a month, and it's all because I spent the time to figure them out. And that's in my little area, you know, they won't bite shiners, they won't bite shad, they they don't do it because that's not what they have here. They have little bluegill and crappie and stuff to eat. So I mean, anyway, um, that's the most intriguing thing about fishing to me is this just that the time it takes for, you know, when somebody's got a special spot, man, I respect what they did to get through it and figure out where that spot is.

SPEAKER_04

So

Kayak Adventure Versus Bass Boats

SPEAKER_04

Lou, um, I know that uh obviously like kayaks a big, if not like the biggest thing of your like brand, but like is that what you're like where your passion really lies is just like being able to go out and get them on a kayak versus using a boat. Is that like part of what's fun for you?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, right now, right now it is. Um, I am you know I definitely want a boat because you know I've got I've got my my third baby on the way. Yeah. Uh so you know, thank you, thank you. Um, but yeah, third baby's on the way. Uh mid-June. Mid June. Wow, we're right in the corner. We're not too far off, yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I do want a boat eventually, just for the sake of taking the family out and and getting on the lake and just hanging out.

SPEAKER_04

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SPEAKER_01

You know, the rest of my life, there's just something special about man, just finding these these rivers and these creeks on a map and just saying, I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go dump my kayak there and see what happens. Yeah. And you yeah, and some some special stuff happens. I mean, it's um I don't know, man. I just I don't hate on people who have bass boats. I I don't like I I don't have like uh like any beef or anything, but I just I guess I I have a lot of friends like Lake Lanier is right here, and they will die happy going to Lake Lanier running the same brush piles every like every week, and that's cool, and I'm glad that makes them happy. And like they know, hey, this brush pile or this point should be firing this week, and that's awesome. But to me, there's just something about being like, oh, look, here's a river in Tennessee. I've heard there's muskie in it. Let's buy some giant whopper ploppers, let's and yeah, let's go camp for a couple of days and then let's go see if we can catch these musky and like and running up there getting to an area where a boat can't get into. And it turns out there are muskie there, and you do catch a few, and you're like, holy crap, now I have a musky spot for the rest of my life. Like, yeah. There's a lot of adventuring.

SPEAKER_04

Oh, I think we did you smack on something. I think you might have unplugged that. Just a second, man. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I didn't think so. I didn't even mind.

SPEAKER_01

Can you guys still hear me okay?

SPEAKER_02

Yep. I think we're good now.

SPEAKER_04

Okay. It must have been that cord. Sorry about that. I think we touched a cord and it was like messed up your audio.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know. You're good. You got me okay?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, we got you good. But uh no, dude, that's that's super cool. And

Outdoors Culture From Fly Rods To Bowhunting

SPEAKER_04

I think like I kind of had like a eye-opening thing to fishing this past weekend that like we're big bow hunters, and to me, I but like bow hunting is always kind of like the kayak fishing, like you said, like the challenge of that like is kind of relatable to like intentionally making deer hunting harder by bow hunting or whatever. I was I went trout fishing, actually caught my first trout ever in Georgia this past weekend, so I was pretty stoked about that. But um, I was just using like a spin rod, you know, or yeah, a spin reel or whatever, with like a um what's it called? Like a Panther Martin, like you know, um, it's got a little spinny spoon thing on it or whatever, with like a little fly looking thing. Well, uh the buddy that I went with, he was fly fishing. There's like six or seven other guys all fly fishing. So all morning I was just like watching those guys and just thinking, like, man, that is so cool. But then it like clicked to me. I'm like, the reason it's the same thing as like bow hunting, they're like they're taking the challenge of that to like, and that's what's fun for them, and that's why I was like, okay, now this looks like another expensive hobby I'm gonna have to get into. But no, it's so cool how at the anything you can kind of do it any way you want. I mean, you could shoot a deer from 200 yards away with a rifle off a food plot, or you could like you know, get up close and personal, or you know, same with the fishing, man.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, I agree. I um I think um for our communities, duck hunting, you know, deer hunting, whatever it may be, like I think I just I really wish we could all just understand each other. Like, if you've got a guy who likes to sit there and shoot a rifle 200 yards away, I'm listening I'm not gonna judge him because I don't know why he's doing that. I don't know what kind of peace that brings him. I don't know what I don't know if he did that with his grandfather, that's how he was taught. And it's the same thing as a basketball. Doesn't matter, exactly. Yeah, I I don't care. As long as you're respecting the outdoors and you're doing it the right way. Amen. And and I I think we can all agree this this gives us something. I mean, I don't want I'll go down this little rabbit hole, but like I I look at men today and I'm like, man, y'all really need to get outside. Like, I look at young men today, I'm like, you really need to get outside, yeah. Right. Touch grass, yeah. Yeah, go touch grass and uh get get yourself straightened out a little bit.

SPEAKER_02

Go outside, go get your hands dirty, bro. Get the hand sanitizer out of your corner door pocket of your Subaru and get out there and get your hands dirty. Catch some night crawlers, cat touch a fit, slimy fish, do something, bro. Like it's not gonna hurt you, I promise. And you don't need hand sanitizer, and you know, uh a freaking shot to get for my stop right there. No, I'll be I'm being funny, sorry.

SPEAKER_01

No, you're good. It's it's good at the end of the day, like it's true, it's good for it's good for your soul, it's good for your heart. And we, you know, like that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_02

Like, you know, well, and that's as men, like especially you younger guys, that's the you guys are the difference makers. I mean, honestly, like you, Tristan, anybody that's a young man or woman that has the position to like we've we've met with so many people that weren't had nothing to do, women too, nothing to do with outdoors hunting, nothing, and explored it on their own. It's folks like all of y'all that have this, like, like I felt like it was always my duty to instill what I like I love it so much that the people that I love so much, I want them to understand why I love it so much so they can love it their own way and love it so much. And I just think it's all of y'all's duty, and I think you guys are doing a pretty good job of it. Uh, generally speaking, folks your age, I think there's a great positive movement for that, but um, it's your duty to to share that experience and pass it on because there's so many, you know, Tristan, we've just ran into too many people that like in my era, it was very common for somebody to pass it on. Yeah, then there was a gap, all right? And and you got y'all are doing a great job filling that gap.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. Amen to that.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, dude. I think um, like kind of to your point, like I always look at it like, well, as long as people are like buying fishing license, buying hunting license, like all that money goes to like keeping these lands available that we all love to be on. So it's like at the end of the day, it's a net positive, you know, no matter how people are approaching it. Um back to kind of like uh the bass fishing, like you have that love

Living Present Plus Ministry And Community

SPEAKER_04

for that. You guide bass, you do guided stuff too, don't you?

SPEAKER_01

I will like I will take people out occasionally, I don't do it too much, but I will take people out like um you know, and I usually don't film, like I don't film or post it or share it because that's that's their experience. And I want to preserve the areas that were yeah that we're fishing. Sure. Um, so yeah, I I'll do like you know one or two trips every couple of months, depending on my availability. Um and it's it's awesome to see people go. And you know, I had a guy catch his first shoal bass, and uh that that was awesome to watch. I mean, he he like lost it. Uh he was on top of a boulder, on top of a shoal. Yeah, it was more of a shoal, but he was on top of a shoal and he cast it onto this deeper pool, he reeled it back in, it fell off the hook and the last minute he dove in the water and got it. Wow, that's awesome. So that was that was awesome. So yeah, I mean, it's uh it's really fun to see people like you know just enjoy being outside, like we talked about.

SPEAKER_04

Sure. And you know, with when it comes to your podcast, like what's the mission there just to bring like uh education in the kayak fishing world, or like what's kind of your thing there? Yeah, just a little bit of everything.

SPEAKER_01

Um you know, I I like to just uh share what I'm going through or what I'm walking through or what I feel maybe people could benefit from. So we do a little bit of like you know fishing tips, or we'll do like uh um, you know, I just had one this morning, me and the guys, we went on a trip to New York and we talked about that. So just a little bit of everything life fishing and different experiences. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_04

That's great, man. That's great. Do you have anything that like you're really looking forward to here in the next few months? Like anything, any trips lined up or anything like that?

SPEAKER_01

Man, I just uh I've learned, you know, through so many ups and downs in life. Okay. I'm uh I'm not trying to be like super uh mysterious or corny or anything like that, but I've I've just genuinely learned through through failure, through uh struggle. Um, what I look forward to the most is like right now. Yeah, um and the reason I yeah, the reason I've developed that discipline is because um all I used to do was worry about the future. And because of that anxiety, like I I would implode and blow things up on my own, my relationships, my jobs, you know, stuff like that. So um, you know, I mean that. Like I I look forward to like right now, this conversation we're having here in a moment. I'm gonna have dinner with my family. And I think I think those are the things that make me a wealthy man is uh living right here, right now. And if I if if I take care of this right here, right now, this this very this very moment, and um, you know, build this this conversation with you guys, this relationship, then the next thing will be a blessing as well, and so on and so on. So if I just focus on taking the next step and moving in the right direction, eventually I'll end up to where I need to be, you know.

SPEAKER_04

So that's such such dude, such that's such good advice.

SPEAKER_02

No, man. I'm just sitting there listening to you talk and it's it's raising the hair on the back of my neck. I mean, I wise words, wise words.

SPEAKER_04

I know personally I get I'm definitely guilty of that. I get caught up and just like it could be yesterday too.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it could be it could be future, and it could be, and I think people suffer both ways, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, absolutely. I um, but again, um, you know, I I I went through a lot of struggle growing up. We went through a lot. Um, it was not it was not easy. Um, and so but I'm very thankful that I got to go through that. I used to be very bitter about it, like I used to be really angry about it. Um, but I'm so thankful that I've been able to go through that and um you know, just be someone who can uh help build other men up through that process and focus on those things. So it's been it's been a heck of a blessing, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_02

Wow.

SPEAKER_04

That's awesome, man. And do you uh do you find like through your page like you're able to kind of fill that kind of like because you mentioned earlier like being in kind of ministry a little bit, like do you feel like through your page and fishing that's kind of like your new ministry a little bit to some people? Because I know a lot of people find like the so much peace, as you know, in the outdoors, you know?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Um I've I've had I've had the opportunity to do more ministry um with this than when I was a pastor. Now, when I pastored, I pastored a church that had thousands of members. I was um um I'm what's up, guys?

SPEAKER_04

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SPEAKER_01

I was on TV, I was on radio. Um, like I would go to I would go outside the country and people would be like, I saw you on TV, I saw you, you know, we would broadcast to thousands of people. Wow. Um, so when I was younger, when I was about 27, you know, about 23 to 27, I thought that I could impact the people biggest inside the four walls of the church. But it's like, you know, God definitely had a different plan for me because I've done the most outside of those four walls. Because um there's a lot of people out here that you know, you guys see what's going on with everything. So there's a lot of people that just need peace, you know, sure that yeah, that that need to just walk through this life in in community, in truth, and uh just be able to live with purpose, you know. So absolutely the page I I make this joke all the time. I do a lot of funny stuff on there, but that funny stuff that draws people in is what eventually leads to those moments of like ministry in the DMs or like through text messages or whatever.

SPEAKER_02

I think it's your authenticity, it's your authenticity because you're not just being like serious or whatever. You know, you're just being you, and that's the draw. That's what your wife saw, like you were talking about, and that's why she supports you, and and and quite honestly, that's why you're getting ready. That's why you're gonna come over here and go crappie fishing with me. And and because you're not that far away that now that we know that off air, but but yeah, bro, you gotta come over here. I've been slaying them. I mean, I'm telling you, I keep trying to get him over here. And it it's just a pain for him to get over here, especially you know, with Katie getting kind of close and his his his uh duties are starting to ramp up a little bit and he's working hard.

SPEAKER_04

Usually when I'm over here, it's for a podcast.

SPEAKER_02

So I'm in between jobs right now, and so I do my work, I do my job search, I spend hours, sometimes I spend six, eight hours. You know, yesterday I spent nine hours on it, but uh I'm gonna fit some fishing time in there. And I just last night I caught a slog. That's why I'll call it a slog. It was it was a big old crappie, but uh we'll have to have you come over. I'll have to have you come over here soon. We'll we'll we'll wreck them. I got a little two-seater uh little bass raider. We'll just go around and mess them up.

SPEAKER_01

Man, you nothing beats that bass raider, I'll tell you. That little two seat bass raider, that's awesome. That's right. I've had some serious memories made on that little bass raider.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, oh dude, yeah. I mean, you feel like all it takes is that to feel like a king sometimes, you know. I mean, it doesn't take much, man. A kayak makes you feel like a king when you get off the shore or get you know, when you can finally get off a dock or get off the bank, you know, you can get out of there. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Well, and I even took it up a notch, so I thought, you know what, dude, I want to like really try to find like just I'm just a consumer like anybody else, and I don't have the funds, especially without a job right now, to go out and buy me the highest end lose rod and pole and all that stuff, right? So I go to Walmart and I'm doing, I mean, I'm using Chat GBT, dude. I'm trying to like maximize the dollar and what I'm getting, right? And I'm even taking pictures of each rod, all this stuff. And I picked up this little lose rod that's a 2000 series, and um, I'll have to tell you the name of the pole, but it's a seven and a half foot um, and it's uh what do you call it? Not the extra sensitive. What do you call those poles? The um that type of pole. It's it's it's extra sensitive because it's long and it's got a real skinny long end to it. Yeah, let me tell you something, dude. Catching a 12-inch crappie on that makes it feel like you're catching like a nine-pound bass. Because that tip it's dance all the way over. I'm like, this is what I like. You know, heck with heck with my little Zebco or whatever, that's not catching a fit, dude. And now, if you rock a big uh bluegill or you happen to catch a nice bass on that pole, oh yeah, you you think you're pulling up like the world record. So that's awesome. That's why I've loved about like kind of getting into it a little bit deeper, is just like what kind of like feel there's so many options, you know what I mean? Yeah, and uh for like I think with the line and everything, I was less than a hundred bucks, you know what I mean? So yeah, yeah, there's a lot of good stuff out there, budget stuff.

SPEAKER_04

What uh

Budget Fishing Gear And Simple Basics

SPEAKER_04

on that point, Lou, like what would you say for somebody listening to this or you know, follows your page that's like I'm sure you get these questions all the time, like you know, there's some high school kid that's wanting to like get out and fish on wherever it is in Georgia, wherever it is in the United States, like you know, what would be some of those tips as far as like balling on a budget a little bit when it comes to fishing?

SPEAKER_01

I think I think for balling on a budget, like Walmart is king. I mean, I can you know I can't I can't argue with that. You can still go to Walmart and get a few baits, like get a medium heavy, like you know, get a budget bait caster and learn how to use it because you could just do so much with it. And um, you know, focus on on the basics, you know, focus on those simple things that still catch fish. Um you know, I have a big like tricked out kayak that I take to Lanier, and it's you know, it's a big, big rig and it's part of what I do. But I spend like 80% of my time in uh in my smaller kay with absolutely no electronics, you know, power fishing, throwing the spinnerbait, you know, throwing a chatterbait or fixing or fishing like a Texas rig. So I would say, you know, like don't try to get too complicated when you start. You'll still catch fish like on one of my favorite rods is an $80 rod that I'm always fishing with. I mean, every trip I go, I I beat the mess out of it. Um, I've caught striper with it, I've caught bass with it, and um, you can do a bunch in it. It's really cool to have like all the premium stuff and you know, learn what the people in Japan are doing to catch fish. That's awesome, that's great. But if you're just starting, keep it to the basics, don't overcomplicate it, and just just have a good time, like genuinely have a good time.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah, that's what it's all about.

SPEAKER_04

That's awesome stuff.

Where To Follow North Georgia Fisherman

SPEAKER_04

Well, I uh we don't want to keep it too long. I know you just mentioned you're about to get some dinner with the family, but you know, tell everybody where they could plug into you know the podcast and get some get in depth because I'm sure we could talk for four hours about different tips and tricks and all that, but I'm sure that's oh we will, it'll be in my boat, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

There we go. There we go.

SPEAKER_04

I'm sure I'm sure that's what's great about your podcast is going into depth and just tell everybody where they can get plugged in with your stuff.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. Um, North Georgia Fisherman on Instagram, YouTube, um, or uh Facebook, whatever. You know, I'm putting out full-length videos on YouTube every week. So if people want to see, yeah, if people want to see more of like what an entire day looks like catching those striper, catching those bass, YouTube would be the best. And then just for overall life stuff and fishing stuff, um, Instagram and Facebook. And then the podcast is called Kayak Fishing Weekly, and uh, we do a weekly episode on there as well.

SPEAKER_04

Heck yeah, awesome, man. Well, do well, dude. Thank you so much. It was awesome hearing about your journey, and uh it's cool to find out that we're so close. We'll have to share some fishing time at some point, like my dad was saying.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, no, get oh yeah, get us in a group group text.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm I'm down, I'm down, almost down for a good time. So, yeah, thank you guys so much. It's been a pleasure being on. Thanks, brother. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_04

Absolutely, man. Take care, have a good night. Thank you, thank you.

SPEAKER_00

I've been southered, I've been hell down, riding on a midnight drink.