Mentors
kudos to you
Fishing with mentors is a lovely experience. It becomes surreal when the mentee becomes a mentor. And, at the risk of inflating my ego, I’ll claim that I’m actively living through that transition.
Recently, my work travels took me to the lovely corner of America called New England. The impetus of this trip was to host a weekend gathering of college fly fishing clubs, a core element of my 9-5. After the work was done, I had the pleasure of fishing with two mentors. First, an Uncle who was one of the first people to put a fishing rod in my hands. The other, a fly fishing industry wizard who has led me through the beginning of my career.
The story of my Uncle Ron deserves an entire book, and one day, maybe he’ll let me write it. He’s been a stalwart figure in my life as a Maine builder, an incredible storyteller, and a fishy human. Since my youngest days, Ron has pushed me to not just pursue fishing as a hobby, but to dedicate time to it and become a skilled angler.
Captain Joe Gugino of Fish Boston has supported me throughout my budding path through the fly fishing industry. A man with a wealth of industry experience and a rolodex of contacts I’ve yet to find the bottom of, Joe is a legend in the best sense of the word. With his help, I’ve gone from a terrified intern to the manager of a suite of programs that impact thousands of young people every year.
Both Joe and Uncle Ron have mentored me as an angler, a conservationist, and most importantly, a human. Now, I get to return the favor through my work, and I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity. At the same time, the experience is full of insecurity. Imposter syndrome is a real SOB, and it’s a constant battle to keep it at bay. Simultaneously, the ego is just as persistent. Thankfully, I am constantly humbled by the work I do and the people I meet.
While fishing with both Uncle Ron and Joe, we had great success on the water. In Maine, the fall colors had set in, and the bass and pike were eager to attack our topwater lures and Mepps spinners. In the Boston Harbor, I caught my first striped bass from the bow of Joe’s boat. It was a whirlwind of a morning that began at 5:15, culminated with a fish caught at 7:05, and ended with an airport drop off (from the boat) at 7:45 for a 9:00 flight.
As I sat in Logan Airport, with fish slime on my pants, I was struck by the emotional weight of fishing with these two mentors after I myself had started to become a mentor. In an instant, my mind travelled back to my college apartment in 2021. There was a microphone in front of me, and I was recording my first-ever podcast as a nerve-stricken Trout Unlimited intern with Joe Gugino as my guest. The red light started flashing, and the recording began. My heart raced, and the nerves shook inside me. I opened my mouth and the words landed like a steaming pile of shit.
As a great mentor, Joe was well aware of my emotional state. He kindly suggested we start over. “Take your time,” he said, “you’ll do great.”
It was exactly what I needed to hear in that moment.
Kudos to Uncle Ron, Joe, and all the mentors out there. The world would be a very different place without you.
Bookmarking for later due to the nice smallmouth.
Another great fish story. Cultivating those relationships pays dividends for a lifetime in multiple directions. Just like taking care of a river.