My old friend Paul Tejera joins the podcast this week to talk about his guiding career, and to catch up.
Paul is a legendary Florida Keys Guide and someone who I paid very close attention to as I started my tournament career. With not only a remarkable tournament resume including Guide to the grand champion in the Golden Fly Tarpon Tournament and Poor Boys Tarpon Tournament on four occasions. He has also been guide to the grand champion angler in the Gold Cup and Don Hawley Tarpon Tournaments, the Spring Fly Bonefish Tournament, Redbone Celebrity Tournament, Spring All-Tackle Bonefish Tournament and a Best of the West Fly Casting Champion. We share the title of the Best of the West Fly Casting and discussed how saltwater techniques can work well with a 5 weight rod.
Paul did all of this with a big smile on his face throughout his tournament and guiding career. This is what I paid attention to. Tournaments for me were full of anxiety, nerves, strategy and I could never get away from having my game face on months before and throughout a tournament. Paul managed to not only win but to do it with a smile, a laugh and all while having a good time. I wanted to emulate that.
We talk about having to fire clients, transitioning into a second career, picking up Tennis after a long layoff and becoming one of the best players in his age group in the very competitive State of Florida. Being active and being a good tennis player in your 50s does not come easy so we talk fitness, stretching and longevity in the fishing game as well.
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