I guess you could say I’ve already received my best gift. Because as most every pro angler will tell you, the 15 to 20 weeks we spend away from our families each year is the toughest part of the job, so being home for the entire Christmas season is something I absolutely treasure.
To make the season even more fun, my girls are sort of at the perfect ages, because they both believe in Santa Claus. Leann is hoping Santa will bring her some Pokémon trading cards, whereas our youngest, Shiloh, who is age 3, is totally into being a princess. So, I imagine she’ll be opening a few new princess dresses for Christmas.
Now don’t get me wrong, they both know Christmas is not all about gifts. We spend a lot of time talking about the story of Jesus’ birth – so I’ll promise you their little hearts are very clear on the real reason for the season.
And as for me, along with making memories here in Kim and I’s hometown of Fayetteville, Tenn., over the holidays, I’m also excited for a new project I’m really ramping-up my efforts on – and that’s my multispecies YouTube channel Brandon Lester Fishing.
Nope, I don’t want it to be just another pro bass fishing channel, but instead a platform where I teach all levels of anglers how to catch all kinds of species throughout 2022. In fact, a recent episode I did about crappie fishing actually got more traction than any bass fishing video I’ve done to date.
So, in the new year, expect me to teach you how to catch good-eating bluegill using side-imaging sonar, as well big blue catfish using skipjack herring for bait. And of course, plenty of crappie and bass fishing episodes too.
I’ve always believed the more I know about every species in the ecosystem, the better I’ll be at understanding, locating and catching bass. So I want my YouTube channel to reflect that too.
Bottom line … I want this channel to be educational and relatable to all anglers, not just bass fishermen. That said, I’d be grateful if you’ll follow along.
And I truly hope you find something just as exciting as Pokémon cards or a princess dress under the tree as you make memories with your loved ones while reflecting on the real reason for the season.