Long-time friends reunite with a youthful vigor for some exciting sightcasting to monster gamefish.
Story and Photography by Bill L. Olson

One of the great things about the outdoors is the special times spent with friends as well as shared experiences. Such was the case in mid-December 2017. Longtime friends Buck Payne of The Woodlands, Mike McGregor of Waco and I joined veteran guide Capt. Nathan Beabout of N&M Sportsman’s Adventures to sightcast to skinny water redfish.
The entire trip was a good excuse for three friends to reunite and see if we could “duplicate” some of our former antics with the same youthful vigor. Payne, McGregor and I all went to Baylor University. Payne and I were pledge and fraternity brothers. McGregor was a year ahead of me at Memorial High School in Houston. All three of us share a passion for a variety of outdoor activities. This much anticipated adventure would allow old friendships to be rekindled on the waters of San Antonio Bay out of Seadrift Texas.
I had forwarded Beabout of the reunion with my older friends and of their past exploits in trying to lead me astray during my formative, impressionable younger years. My guide friend belly-laughed and said, “So I should be ready for anything.”
“Absolutely,” was my simple response.
This foray would also allow Beabout to showcase his home water that had been an overlooked destination for me as well as many other anglers. TOJ’s Nate Skinner had told of sightcasting to redfish in skinny back lake areas with our guide buddy. I had introduced FOX Sports Outdoors — Southwest host Barry Stokes to Beabout that resulted in an excellent, action packed television show. I wanted my friends and me to partake in some of the same action.

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