Fishing Roots

Raised on the River. Built by Tradition.

Long before the uniform, there was a river.

Ryan grew up in Columbus, Texas, fishing the banks of the Colorado River with his grandfather and father. They ran drop lines from a small jon boat and fished straight off the bank. No shortcuts. No wasted time. Just patience, awareness, and lessons earned on the water.

He developed his rod-and-reel skills alongside them but never left the drop lines behind. Even today, he still runs them with his father. After his grandfather passed in 2016, that tradition means even more.

When first stationed in Corpus Christi, Ryan returned to the water — wade fishing right off base and learning the Laguna Madre one tide at a time. He later bought a small 18-foot Blue Wave and committed himself to mastering the flats through repetition, persistence, and respect for the fishery.

Just as he was finding his stride, military orders pulled him away.

Now that he’s back, he guides with purpose — not just to catch fish, but to pass on the discipline, patience, and responsibility that shaped him.

Fishing, to him, isn’t just recreation.

It’s legacy.
It’s responsibility.
It’s something worth carrying forward.