It’s simple really, I have my head down; have had for a while and I guess it’s a case of having to do what’s necessary for the moment but I’m nearly there, I can see light at the end of the tunnel! This is the last semester of my degree programme, thank god, but with it comes a greater effort needed to clear this last hurdle before completion at the end of April, it occupies a lot of my time. After four years it’s in sight at last.
On top of that I’m lucky to be working in a very flexible situation for a company here in Wexford. What started as a planned short winter ‘system implementation’ consultancy has now extended into or morphed into a much more demanding and yet satisfying role in project management at the company. We have managed to agree a ‘flexible’ work schedule that allows me to fish and work to a large extent when the season is running through 2014 and beyond.
Thing is, the third item, the fishing and the fishing business needs its own momentum maintained. I have had to relax off this for a while and I guess it’s evident from the lack of posts of any content on Probassfisher. This is a risky business as any slip or lack of focus in the fishing business and it goes backwards very quickly. But I have no intention of letting that happen. In fact I will have a lot to celebrate in 2014.
As I have completed ten years of international guiding and enter year eleven a few things are coming to an end and are being completed, some are changing. I am fifty this year and intend to do a LOT of personal fishing, something that I have missed really badly working as a fishing guide, I’m not complaining mind. Normally my guiding season runs to about 70 days of guiding plus maybe 20 SWFF workshops depending on the nature of spring and late autumn, this year I’m cutting some summer time for my family and myself, a personal birthday present, I’m catching up!
On top of that I started working with Glenda Powell in mid last December with the intention of completing the APGAI instructor’s programme. This is the last piece of a long and difficult jigsaw that hopefully I can complete before the end of 2014. And that’s it, no more. With a completed BSc degree in Tourism enterprise management, advanced trainer leave no trace, trained to train and hopefully the last hurdle, the APGAI completion, I will bring these along with the Season 2014 plan to move and develop the fishing into 2015 and beyond.
The 50 days and nights of 2014 that I’m keeping for ‘me’ is of course an opportunity to fish in places and with people all along the coasts of Ireland.
I recently met and chatted to a young creative Wexford film maker. We have a schedule of sorts laid in for 2014 for a short film on Irish saltwater fly fishing that I hope we can make together and with other people too. It starts later this month with some of the tying sequences being shot, but not in the usual manner!
I’m seriously considering moving to www.jimhendrick.com on a semi-permanent basis, this is a small project that has evolved over two years and I think the 50 days (and nights) of personal fishing, my thoughts and techniques will feature on THIRTYARDS rather than probassfisher, perhaps only for 2014, who knows?
With European magazine editorials lined up, customers too, working with the Marine Institute, Glenda, 50 days of fishing freedom, developing THIRTYARDS, coastal destinations and making the film plus lots more I have a happy and busy year to look forward to.
Who knows I might see you out there!
