Jimmy Houston - Catch of the Day

2005, 2012 by Jimmy Houston

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New Century Version. 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

J. Countryman is an imprint of Thomas Nelson

ISBN: 978-1-4003-1964-0

ISBN 978-1-4003-2041-7 (eBook)

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GENESIS 1:1

In the beginning God created the sky and the earth.

I TS ALWAYS EXCITING to begin something new like a new job, new house, new marriage, or a new family. New projects excite and energize me. Im always excited about beginning a new tournament season where all the fishermen start out again at zero. I cant wait for the start of Major League Baseball or the first game of Oklahoma University football or basketball.

TIP

Use the cold winter months to clean and organize all your tackle to get ready for that great spring fishin.

One tradition I started more than thirty-five years ago was to begin each January 1 and read the Bible through in a year. Now, Ive completely read the Bible through more than thirty times, in addition to my other Bible reading and study. Start your very own tradition today. Five, ten, twenty years from now, youll be amazed at what God wants to tell you on a daily basis.

GENESIS 1:27

So God created human beings in his image.

G OD COULD have made us look like anything He wanted. We could have looked like the space aliens we see on Star Trek or Men in Black. We could have looked like frogs, or fish, or anything else God chose. But He chose to pattern us after Himself. We are patterned after Godphysically, emotionally, and spiritually. We are not God, we are not perfect, but we are patterned to be that way.

TIP

Spool on new line at the start of every year and every four to six weeks during fishin season.

The next time you have a pity party about how you look or feel, think about what God could have made you look like and how He could have made you feel. Then look in that mirror and smile. Look inside yourself and laugh; God patterned you and me after Himself!

PROVERBS 10:2

Riches gotten by doing wrong have no value, but right living will save you from death.

F ISHING TOURNAMENTS have brought out the very best and very worst in fishermen. While tournaments are incredibly fair and honest, cheating does creep in sometimes. Blatant cheating is usually discovered quickly, and cheaters are disqualified, generally banned for life. Unintentional rule breaking is punished by penalties, such as a weight penalty or loss of your catch for that day.

TIP

Bass are not very aggressive in cold water. Use slow-moving baits and be patient.

The most damaging cheaters are the ones who bend the rules for their own benefit and ill-gotten gain. These anglers are bending or breaking the rules with almost no chance of ever being caught. But those gains will never last. Opportunities for ill-gotten gain come into our lives all the time. While we may never be caught, our very life may depend on how we handle these temptations to cheat.

LUKE 12:34

Your heart will be where your treasure is.

E VERY FISHERMAN has a favorite bait. For me, its a Booyah spinnerbait for bass and a Road Runner for crappie. Single baits, but within each bait category is a wide variety of colors, sizes, and even different types of materials. I treasure these baits because I can have success in just about every situation.

TIP

Slow rolling a white spinnerbait with a large Oklahoma blade works great for lethargic wintertime bass.

If our treasure is Jesus, we have a God we can rely on in all of lifes situations. If our thoughts are on Jesus, we become a better friend, coworker, husband, or wife. We also become more a likable, friendlier person even to strangers!

PSALM 31:24

All you who put your hope in the L ORD be strong and brave.

B ETTER FISHERMEN do not hope for success or rely on luck in order to catch fish. They pin their hopes on facts, skills, knowledge, and experience. The more of these we have, the more fish we catch and the more consistent we become.

TIP

Pork trailers on jigs and spinnerbaits work better than soft plastics in cold water.

Similarly, the more we know and experience about Jesus, the better we will be at becoming the kind of person we want to be and God wants us to be. This doesnt happen overnight. It takes time to become a great fisherman. So be strong; it also takes time for God to mold us into the person we will become. The great part is that God allows us the opportunity to become better every day we stay close to Him.

MATTHEW 28:20

I will be with you always, even until the end of this age.

F ISHING IS A SPORT most enjoyed with someone else. Sure, we can fish alone and have fun, but it is always more enjoyable with a friend or another member of your family. My closest fishin partner is my wife, Chris. My most memorable days fishin are not great tournament victories, but days spent with her or fishin with my kids or grandkids.

TIP

Vertical jig your Road Runners during the winter months to catch more crappie.

God never intended for us to be alone. Thats why He sent Jesus. That is why when we are saved, God places His Holy Spirit in us. No matter how isolated or alone we may feel at times, Jesus is always there. All we need to do is call on Him.