Fishing is a wonderful time to think. 

I sat with a rod and reel attempting to catch a keeper, and thought about how I haven’t been able to catch anything worth keeping in some time. I had been sitting here for what seemed like hours without a bite. 

Not only have I not been able to catch a fish, but I haven’t been able to catch a man either. Ever since I was a little girl, Momma always told me that there are plenty of fish in the sea. Of course, I always believed her, but as I grow older, I feel like I am fishing in the shallow end of the pond—a very shallow end. 

But, with fishing you have to stay patient, so that is what I’m trying to do.

It’s not an easy task—fishing or dating. It may seem simple to throw in the fishing pole, and in a few minutes have a fish tugging at the line, but it’s not. Do not fall for this myth that the hunting channel seems to portray. In actuality, you have to sit there patiently and try different spots around the pond. You can’t sit in one spot and wait for the fish of your dreams to magically come to you.

Finding a man is similar. You can’t go to the same places and stay in your routine, hoping the man of your dreams is going to somehow know to go to your quiet spot in the library or walk a certain way to Daniel to accidentally bump into you. 

That’s not how meeting someone works. 

You have to put yourself out there. 

Not every fish you catch is going to be one you’re proud of. Sometimes you may catch a little brim that won’t even fill up the palm of your hand, or you’ll catch a boot and wonder why in the world it was even there. It is the same way with men. 

There will be the off-the-wall men that make you wonder how they were fit to survive in the process of evolution, and then there will be the guys that aren’t worth your time. Throw them back, because you deserve more.. You need a trophy fish. 

As many fishermen will tell you, they don’t look for or want to keep the baby fish. With fishing, you want the fish you can take a picture with and hang it up on your mantel to show all of your buddies.. With women, we want the man who will not only look good in our Instagram pictures, but one that we can take home and be proud that we were able to catch him. He’s your man, and everyone knows it. So don’t settle for the OK fish. 

When you catch a fish you aren’t too happy about, you throw the little fellow back into the pond and hope they stop trying to take your bait. 

News flash: just because the bait is there doesn’t mean it is for you. The bait is for the trophy fish you want to take home and never let go of—not the bottom feeder who just wants the worm at the end of your hook and then will bolt without a second thought. So be aware of those guys who will get what they want and then leave. Not all guys are like that, but the good guys are very rare and hard to find. Of course they are hard to catch since everyone wants one and there are few out there, but stay patient and these blue marlins will certainly come your way. These guys are a breed of their own, but once you find one, and if you’re persistent, soon they will take the bait and ask you out.

Lastly, always remember, don’t settle for anyone less than you deserve. I know it’s easy to simply look over all of their obvious flaws because you want someone to hold you at night, but there are plenty of fish that will come and show interest in you. All kinds of fish are in the sea. You’re not going to have to be content with the first fish that bites on your line. The waters can be rocky and sometimes it’s hard to stay on the boat. Sometimes we want to turn the boat around and say it was an alright day since we at least caught something, but this shouldn’t be the case.

If I would have turned the boat around and gave up on catching my dream fish then I wouldn’t have gotten to take home the blue marlin. He’s not only pretty enough to go on my refrigerator or even Instagram, but he is intelligent, kind and can make some amazing coffee. I think I have found a guy who seems like a keeper, and on the plus side he likes to fish. A couple that fishes together stays together, after all.