Captain Jerid and His Expansive Fishing History

I’m Captain Jerid, newly licensed but nowhere near a new fisherman. This business has been a long time coming, life is certainly about timing. My younger years were filled with plying the Pacific Northwest rivers for Steelhead and Salmon. I was born a fish bum. My mom, believe it or not, got me hooked on fishing at the age of 5. I wasn’t allowed to fish for salmon until I outweighed the fish I was going after by at least half. She said, “I know you; you won’t let the rod go and I don’t feel like swimming when you get jerked into the river.” Fair enough. From then on I was out nearly every single day.

I picked up bartending at 21, work at night and fish all day, I couldn’t think of a better deal. I caught a metric LOAD of fish over the years. Friends would always say “Man how do you do it??? You are always fishing”, I would always say “If your job doesn’t allow you to fish…quit your job…you can always find another”. I sacrificed a lot looking back, but I wouldn’t change much about it. I was one of the few sponsored fisherman in Washington that was not actually a guide, if that gives any insight to the frequency I went.

Before the internet, we would get all excited for the monthly issues to come out and thought how cool it would be to be featured in a magazine. I began trying my hand at writing. I whipped up some articles and sent them off “You got pictures?” they would ask. “Yep!” I sent off my best cell phone pics. I received a curt response “yeah... I can’t do anything with cell phone pics” and so my photography skills were born. Turns out I love taking fish pictures ALMOST as much as I love catching them. I had a friend at the time who loaned me his very expensive back up camera “go nuts man” leaving me saying “WOW”. A whole new world had opened. I was writing articles and taking pics left and right. Got published in all my favorite magazines. Still slinging drinks and catching fish. Life doesn’t get much better.

A while back my good friend who has been guiding his whole life talked me into coming out to Montana where he spends his summers guiding in West Yellowstone. I had fly fished a little for steelhead and salmon. Caught some fish, but it didn’t resonate heavily with me at the time. I grabbed two friends and we made the trek out to Montana. When that first 6” trout hit my dry fly, I screamed like it was a 6’ tarpon “YESSSS! HOLY SMOKES DID YOU SEE THAT!” I was firmly, and unequivocally hooked on fly fishing. Years passed. More trips to Montana and Idaho ensued. I finally got a big boy job selling very large boats. I worked a block from the dock where my boat was moored, lived a block from work. Could it get any better? My cardiologist said if I continued to eat that much crab I would die by 35. What do doctors know? A stick of butter a day keeps the …. salad away? Then COVID happened. We got out of dodge. My only requirement for moving was that home had to be by the water, so we picked Coastal Texas. Fate, it seems is a fine card player to partner with.

I gear/bait fished with some friends upon arrival…it was…eh, lackluster. I’ve never been into staring at a rod waiting for a fish to bite in my life. I took up my dusty fly rod and headed out on an inflatable kayak during huge flood tide determined to figure this redfish thing out. First red I saw, I casted to and caught. 6’ TARPON fist pumping again. It was over. Slap your grandma, I found it. I bought a skiff and proceeded to fish every second I could. I have caught a lot of fish in my life a myriad of different ways. Sight fishing for reds is on another PLANET of fun. You can’t help but just lose your mind when you see one and get them to bite. It never gets old.

Now I’m hearkening back to my drink slinging roots as I love me a good sip of ripple after a hard-earned fish. The camaraderie it takes to get one makes it pleasant and challenging work. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate then a toast at the end of the day and recanting the tales of how the fish was caught and landed. I kept hearing the same thing when I take people out to enjoy this fishery; We would toast “cheers!” (clink) “Hell of an eat man, great fish” takes a sip, just pure happiness all the way around. When thinking of a business name I wanted to blend the two together regardless of if you are a drinker or not it is that moment in the boat, being able to take a second to enjoy the accomplishment of landing a sight caught red, looking around at the scenery, just thankful you are out here doing what you love and have the health to be able to do so. Maybe taking a pull on a good cigar or sipping a great whiskey and enjoying the sunset at the end of the day. Welcome to HOOKS & HOOCH! Great moments in life can have a huge impact on your well-being. I want to focus on that. I don’t rush fishing days, we have nowhere to be but there on the water. Of course, I am out to catch fish - it’s my addiction and I just can’t help it. However, an experience isn’t just about catching fish. It’s about spending time with your son/daughter/buddy you brought or maybe just by yourself AWAY from life. Last thing you need is some overeager or burnt-out guide yelling in your ear; to them it’s a job. For me, it’s another experience on the water. If I wasn’t out on the water with you, I’d still be out there by myself or taking friends. Whether you like silence or need me to spin a good fishing story, I am here to make this experience one that is truly tailored for you. I want to take great photos of you enjoying yourself so you can look back fondly on the experience. Some days we wont catch fish, it is fishing after all, but I can promise you that you will enjoy your time out on the water with me.