Steve Gordon:

Meet Professional Fisherman - Steve Gordon

     Steve Gordon may not be your typical Professional Fisherman but I certainly do play one on the radio.   

     I am the morning host for the Swap Shop program heard Monday-Saturday on WWGP-1050AM radio in Sanford, North Carolina.  Local listeners can call in items they have to Buy-Sell-Trade-Giveaway each day and for some strange reason, we talk a little "fishing" some times as well.

     Most Professional Fisherman use boats and travel a circuit trying to make a living by fishing.  I, on the other hand, have adamantly proclaimed that I will only set foot on a large pontoon boat to do my fishing.  Of course I don't have one, so most all of my fishing is done on a pier at Harris Lake County Park.

     No boat pretty much keeps me from fishing one of those bass tournaments so I decided to just start my own group and do my own thing.  Guess you could just say I'm a self proclaimed Professional Fisherman...without any sponsors thus far.

     Once listeners to the program started to recognize my new status as a professional, I needed to - take things up a notch. 

     "Steve Gordon's All American Fishing Team" was the next logical step it seemed.  The "Team" presently consists of several of my fishing buddies.  Some of them aren't even aware they are members yet.  It just happened.

     While most of our fish are released immediately, some do make it into Crisco Lake.  During the Spring and Summer, the pier seems to always have someone that would like to keep a few of the fish we catch so we are happy to oblige.

     "Feeding Families Fish" soon became the Humanitarian Project of the team.  See how one thing just follows another. 

     It's always great to see those big smiles when you hand someone a fish.  We even suspect that there are people that come to the pier claiming they are fishing but just waiting on us to supply them with a bucket full.  That's OK though.   

     It was about mid-summer of 2009 when I actually started keeping count of the fish that I was "donating" to others.  Since that time, I've kept a running total, first on the stations website, now on this one.  You'll find that info on the homepage.

     It all started on the radio. 

     After a long hard Christmas season of work around 2008, I found myself in need of a getaway.  It was New Years Day, 2009 and I had just finished working the morning shift.  The sun was shining and I just didn't want to go home so for some reason, I headed up towards the Jordan Lake area.

     While sitting on one of the picnic benches at the Ebenezer Recreation Area, I just closed my eyes and began to thank God for His blessings. It didn't take long to start "crying like a baby."  The stress of the holidays needed a release. 

     It was sunny and about 42 degrees that day but I stayed out there about 2 hours.  I had recently started a "40 Day Fast" and I promised myself I would return one day and cook out on the grill at the picnic shelter. 

     I talked about how peaceful the day at the park had been on the Swap Shop program.  That's when I just up and said that it was time for a new hobby and that I should take up fishing.  I said that "a man just needed a Zebco 33 rod and reel," like my dad use to have.

     I had fished a little with my Dad and brother as a kid, then again for a few days in high school.  Yes, I will actually admit that I skipped school a couple of days and went fishing...Tom Sawyer style.

     After a few days of talking about fishing, a couple of  Swap Shop listeners came to the studio and brought me a used, but still good...Zebco 33 rod and reel.  The rest is history as they say.

     I purchased my first ever "Fishing License" in February of 2009 and must say that I put it to good use.  I've even renewed again for 2010. 

     The same guy that gave me the Zebco 33 rod and reel came by the station weeks later with a fish that he had caught and asked me to go outside to see it.  Turned out it was a 65lb catfish. That was the biggest catfish I had ever seen! 

     The photo taken that day was placed on the Swap Shop website and kind of started the next step in this story.  By the end of summer, most of the home page of the website was filled with pictures of me and the listeners with our fish.

     Big Fish News, is yet another step in this fish tale saga.  I took all the fish pictures off the Swap Shop website and created Big Fish News to better showcase the pictures and stories of our fishing friends. 

     While it's called Big Fish News, the site doesn't intend to be about just the big fish.  Even little fish will show up here because "Every Fish Is A Big Fish To Somebody."  That's the theme of this website.  Show a kid a fish and they will get all excited about it no matter what the size.  That's cool. 

     We want to encourage our radio listeners and fishing friends to send us photos of your fishing adventures.  You may not catch a 65lb catfish but that's OK...just send us your photo of YOU fishing and having fun.  It's a great way to relax and a great way for you, your family, your friends...to have a good time.

     Let's Go Fishing!
     Steve