Where it all began

This is the boat where it all began. I was a first mate on "The Badman" before I had my own charter captain's license. Obviously my walleye fishing career began with my dad on The Hotfire, but The Badman was my first paid job on the lake. Lou Badman was my boss (the captain), and I learned a lot from him. I made $20 a day and that felt like a lot of money to me.

Time is a funny thing. When I worked on The Badman I was a skinny, somewhat handsome young man with dark hair. In this picture I am a fat, aging, balding man with gray hair. I miss the days on the lake, but time marches on, and things change. I don't know why The Lord took dad at such a young age. And I often wonder if I'd still be running charters if her were alive today. However, God's plan is perfect. I don't always understand it, but it IS perfect. It's not for me to question why.