As a kid growing up in East Texas, my idea of sleeping in was getting up at 7:00 AM. At my house, there was no lying in bed till noon like some of my friends were able to do. There was a yard to be mowed, a garden to rake, trash to take out and other chores that were required to live under the roof my mom and dad provided. Many a morning my bedroom light came on at 5:00 AM, especially when there was work to be done on our ranch. One thing about growing up on a ranch is there's always something to be done.
Whether we were fixing fence, building a barn, bailing hay or doctoring cattle, there was never a shortage of work. But most of the time, before my work began, my dad would let me take advantage of the early morning bite as I fished one of our many stocked ponds loaded with bass. There’s nothing quite like getting up before daylight and getting on a body of water and throwing a topwater bait, anticipating that explosive bite. But no one wakes up like Mother Nature does as the birds start to chirp, the deer ease out of the woods for an early morning feed and the squirrels scurry through the trees looking for acorns.
As anglers, there are a lot of special moments that make you realize just how blessed we are. One of those is the daily sunrise which is a huge blessing for those of us who get to see and experience God’s awesome work firsthand. Making it even more special is hearing the national anthem before take-off on all our ABA Tournaments. It’s hard to describe the beauty and splendor of a rising sun as you head out onto a body of water anticipating a good early morning bite.
Even after all my many years of tournament take-offs, I still get chills as I sit in my boat and wonder, “How lucky am I?” It is truly a privilege that we, as anglers, get to do what we do. God has blessed me in so many ways with my health, my family and giving me the ability to enjoy His great outdoors.
If you want to experience what I get to so often, you must get up and get out of the bed. Whether you sit on your porch, in a bass boat or on a deer stand, watching a sunrise will have you feeling a calm like you’ve never felt before. It’s that quiet time that we all crave from time to time. It’s that period of time where we plan our day and set our priorities. Some people like to read scripture, while others enjoy a good cup of coffee and a newspaper. But one thing is for certain, it just might be the most peaceful and gratifying time of the day. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and take the time to enjoy a sunrise.
Steve Graf Angler’s Perspective
