THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM

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How many of you have what seems an impossible fishing dream or goal? I do. I would love for you to tell your story in this thread. I am especially looking forward to reading how Ed Moes had the vision for Crappie.com and got it started. I love this song "To Dream The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha says it all. I may not accomplish it, but I can dream of it. Proverbs 29:18 states " Where there is no vision, the people perish." Well, this is one of my goals. I may not get there but I can surely dream of it. -Shipahoy41

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star

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I wonder where all the dreamers are. Was it Bobby Darin who sang "I don't want to dream alone." I sincerely want to read about other's dreams just to know I am not alone.

Im not rich or famous, and i dont really have the best of anything! But I DO have a three great children, a beautiful wife, a little boat to fish out of on any of my three days off per week! AND I have a relationship with the Lord, who delivered me from addiction and gave me a new lease on life! Ten years ago I would have told a VERY different story. So, I would say that I am living my dream!

Absolutely right Cmj......what you have is what counts the most. May God continue to bless you.

Sorry, no great big story here Ship. The site is all about fishermen and not about me or any big vision. It started in a grass roots fashion, me and two other fishermen, having a few cold ones in my basement back in 1996, right around when the Internet first started to take off. Me being a computer geek (I was a Mainframe Systems Programmer at the time) I suggested buying a few fishing domain names. We came up with some names and a couple days later when I remembered what we had talked about, I bought crappie.com. Those other fishermen were my brother and Tomtom.

I put up a message board (Matt Wright's simple WWWBoard) on crappie.com, and no-one came! Except CrappiePappy, and Richard Williams (and a few others). It really did not take off till Richard Williams started posting regular fishing reports. Then there were a couple other guides that wanted their own WWWBoard forum, and in a truly grass roots fashion, it slowly took off. A state would want their own forum, and I would simply ask for someone to moderate it. done deal - by fishermen for fishermen, as it is today. I just work here! lol

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Well, I have seen others dream fulfilled. Idaho and Oregon have no limit on crappie, they are considered trash fish in these trout, steelhead, salmon states. Several folks from the west coast come over to Brownlee lake on the border of the two states, and catch their winter's supply of crappie each year. My wife and I were over on the Oregon side last weekend and met a couple of these fishermen. They had filled their live wells and had 4 five gallon buckets overflowing with crappie....hundreds of fish. That was their dream fishing trip......it would be my nightmare to have to clean them.

My dream would be to be the guy other people would like to go fishing with...the guy who could interpret most any condition and catch a few fish...not 100's of fish....any day any local water....using techniques that would work.

Having come through my teens with the idea to " Live fast, Love hard, and Die young", I really didn't plan on ever reaching 30. While I'm writing this I am approaching twice that. Not being well educated and certainly no silver spoon in this mouth, I didn't expect to ever have much beyond a job and list of payments. Fishing has always been something to completely consume me and surround me with an aura of happiness. I have already surpassed my expectations in many things. Determination and hard work has gotten me to where I am today and allowed me to spend the time to fish more than most of the folks I know. Along the way I have been fortunate enough to be befriended by some folks that knew their stuff and taught me some of what they know. As time has progressed I now look to turn the intensity down some and enjoy what I do to support my family and that would be to guide for a living. I enter this with much apprehension, having worked hard most every day of my life. Being able to pay my way and be home every day and maybe not work for a few days at a stretch and not have to worry about taking care of business will take some getting used to. God willing this will come to pass and these changes will happen, I'm just along for the ride trying to do what I know to be right. I guess you could say I have a dream also.......Skeet

I have reached and even exceeded my dream. My dream was to some day make the cover of a fishing magazine. Thru hard work and meeting the right people, I've accomplished that goal. What exceeded my wildest imagination was to be chosen as one of the 2014 members of the year here on what I consider the best darn fishing site on the planet. Humbled and very honored to be a member here. It's a blessing getting to know and fish with the people I've met here. Even have a brother from another mother here. Thanks Slab and all the members here for giving me something I'll be proud of as long as I live. The JMMA award is more than I've ever dreamed of having.

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Originally Posted by chaunc

I have reached and even exceeded my dream. My dream was to some day make the cover of a fishing magazine. Thru hard work and meeting the right people, I've accomplished that goal. What exceeded my wildest imagination was to be chosen as one of the 2014 members of the year here on what I consider the best darn fishing site on the planet. Humbled and very honored to be a member here. It's a blessing getting to know and fish with the people I've met here. Even have a brother from another mother here. Thanks Slab and all the members here for giving me something I'll be proud of as long as I live. The JMMA award is more than I've ever dreamed of having.

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I agree with you Chaunc, my brother from another mother, you have achieved your dream. I am very proud of you. Keep on dreaming my friend and setting new goals. It is your attitude that will determine your altitude. This is my favorite photo of you my brother. Now we have to get you to wear Brown and Orange instead of Steeler Black and Gold. LOL Go Browns!

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Originally Posted by Slab

Sorry, no great big story here Ship. The site is all about fishermen and not about me or any big vision. It started in a grass roots fashion, me and two other fishermen, having a few cold ones in my basement back in 1996, right around when the Internet first started to take off. Me being a computer geek (I was a Mainframe Systems Programmer at the time) I suggested buying a few fishing domain names. We came up with some names and a couple days later when I remembered what we had talked about, I bought crappie.com. Those other fishermen were my brother and Tomtom.

I put up a message board (Matt Wright's simple WWWBoard) on crappie.com, and no-one came! Except CrappiePappy, and Richard Williams (and a few others). It really did not take off till Richard Williams started posting regular fishing reports. Then there were a couple other guides that wanted their own WWWBoard forum, and in a truly grass roots fashion, it slowly took off. A state would want their own forum, and I would simply ask for someone to moderate it. done deal - by fishermen for fishermen, as it is today. I just work here! lol

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Ed, that is a big encouragement to all of us. It reminds us of the fact that if we can dream it, we can achieve it through dedication and hard work. What started as an idea over a few cold ones has taken root and taken off. People, you should never take "no" when someone says that you can't achieve your dreams in fishing or in life. The difference between I Can and I Can't is just the apostrophe "T" There is no such word in the dictionary. Hold on to your dreams and make them realities in fishing and in life. Just look at the story CMJ was willing to share with all of us. That took courage to do that and I am proud of him for overcoming the addiction and achieving his dream. You are never a failure when you just get up after a fall.

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Never forget your dream is only possible through God and the blood of years upon years of our Fallen and Wounded. Even as we speak they are fighting today... too make sure your dream is possible.