Being born in the Philippines, I've always been surrounded by water and have been intrigued by the creatures that inhabit the liquid world. At an early age, having moved to the United States, I discovered fishing and, but more amazingly, the One who created all the wonders in my life, Jesus Christ. Although I have not always considered His presence and grateful for His plan in my life, I can now look back and I am brilliantly amazed to experience His touch in each process of my journey. My whole life, He has been there being the "Author and Completer" of my faith. I've enjoyed the joys and challenges that He has allowed me to experience in life and in angling. I share my life's experiences with my bride, Amy, and my 2 girls, Emma and Lauren. More than anything, I love hanging out with the 3 women that God has given me. As a profession, I am employed by Kaiser Permanente as a critical care nurse and have been an RN since 1999.
Since this is somewhat about fishing, I must say that I have fished for all sorts of fish and angled for them in many different ways. Living near the ocean as a child, I fished handlines with bait and naturally gravitated toward the rod and reel. From saltwater to freshwater, I was consumed by how I could get the fish to bite. It didn't matter if it was pan-size with fins, weighed in the kilos, or prized for sashimi, I wanted to cast to it, get it to take my lure, and land it. I didn't discover the challenge of flyfishing until 2002, when Amy and I went on an anniversary trip to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. It was there that I realized that trout were picky in their natural element and required a more refined presentation. With trout ignoring my spinners, I bee-lined it to the nearest K-Mart to purchase their fly "pole" special with the gaudy flies that came along with it. My first fly rod caught fish was a rainbow trout fingerling that was literally the size of my finger. I still remember setting the hook only to watch the baby trout go airborne up into the bushes behind me! Since then, I have learned a little more about flyfishing and have truly enjoyed its beauty. This journey of angling is a gracious gift to me from God. Sometimes, and honestly for most of my journey, it has taken precedence in my life; but, I am gradually seeing that to truly enjoy fishing and life itself I must see and feel the presence of Jesus in all that I experience. For everything we experience and behold is for His glory!