Jim Dolan is a Kayak Angler.
He has been part of the rapidly growing sport and has used kayak fishing
to help individuals that are close to his heart. Jim is one of the founders of Heroes on theWater; an organization that does great things with our nations wounded,
injured, and disabled military personnel.
Here is Part 1 of my interview with Mr. Dolan (Part 2):
Pat Kellner: Jim, thanks for taking your time to
answer a few questions for the blog. I,
and the readers, appreciate it. We will
start from the beginning with the all important question: How long have you been fishing?
Jim Dolan: Since I was two. We lived in Beaumont
and used to hit the beach at High Island regularly. My Dad, a WWII Marine Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt)
and a Texas A&M Aggie, loved to fish but was terrible at it. We used to kid
him about not smelling right. I would be catching trash fish in the surf left
and right and he couldn’t get a bite. I don’t remember that at two, but is one
of my earliest childhood memories. My
Mom loved to tell the stories.
PK: You joke about not smelling right
leading to less fish, but really I think that is true! How and why did you start fishing? Was there one person or reason that introduced
you or really got you hooked on the sport?
JD: My dad was obviously the initial
influence. We fished as much as
possible. Even in the concrete “bayous” of
Beaumont. We moved to San Marcos, TX
when I was 10 and I fell in love with the spring fed waters of the Texas Hill
Country. Easy access. San Marcos, Blanco, Comal, and Guadalupe
Rivers. When not in school, working, or at football practice I lived on the
water with friends. Seeing large and
small fish and other critters in a 1 million gallon a minute “aquarium” would
hook anyone!
PK: It hooked me too. There is something special about the San
Marcos River. It is a magical
place. So, you and I grew up in the same
area, and both started fishing the same rivers.
As both you and I just mentioned, the San Marcos River in particular
holds a special place in our hearts, but is there any one specific fishing
place or memory that you have that stands out from your youth, and what is
special about this?
JD: It was all magical and a massive
playground. Fishing, swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving the clear waters
was a lifetime learning experience. Looking into every nook and cranny made me
aware of Mother Nature. Matching the hatch, the life cycles of plants, animals,
water aquifers, and water itself, watching bedding bass while hiding behind or
climbing in massive cypress trees, and noodling on the Blanco River for catfish
(if ya ain’t bleeding, ya ain’t fishin’ !!) Understanding the convoluted limestone bottoms
of Hill Country Rivers and the incredible rapid growth of water grasses. Jacque Cousteau was my hero growing up. My best memories are fishing with my High school
buddies, Barry and Gordon, floats on the San Marcos, running trotlines on the
Blanco River and on Canyon Lake at night after a few beers. BIG catfish!!
Also, fishing for SNITS (Standard nine inch trout) that Texas Parks and
Wildlife would stock in the Guadalupe. We
would gut them, thread them on a stick
like a hot dog, roast them over a fire and eat ‘em like corn on the cob. Twenty Five minutes from water to
stomach! Redneck gourmet dining!!
PK: You have mentioned so many already, but
which single species is your favorite to fish for and why?
JD: I grew up on Black Bass. And find I hunt for fish more than I
fish. My family and I spent years going
to the coast but never seriously fished. We would fish off docks and in the
surf. My Brother in Law is also a big
bass fisherman and my sister would drag him to the coast. We decided to learn
how to fish the salt about 8 years ago, and concentrated on the flats which
cover 100’s of miles of the Coast between the mainland and Padre Island.
Learned to hunt for and catch 20” tailing redfish in 8” of water on topwaters,
which are now my favorite fish. But
anything that bites my line is good! As
one wounded veteran, Jason Austin, says – “The tug is the drug, the scream is
the dream!!”
PK: Ha, I like that saying. How did your fishing evolution lead to you
Kayak Fishing? What got you involved in
the sport?
JD: As we learned to fish the flats, we
grew rapidly tired of slogging through the mud and oysters to get to the
fishing spots. And generally we had to
get across a deep cuts like the Intercoastal Waterway to get to the fishing
spots. But we didn’t spend enough time
down there to justify a boat. We saw
these guys easily gliding across the deep canals and shallow flats on little
plastic boats. Got online with www.texaskayakfisherman.com,
and asked a lot of stupid questions and some folks felt sorry for me so pointed
us to Dean Thomas and his www.texaskayakfishingschool.com.
Dean and Scott Null taught us the basics and a lot more. Also, I learned how to turtle a kayak… twice…
in five minutes!
PK: Outside of kayak fishing, what other
hobbies do you have?
JD: Family and friends. Now my wife is
into fishing, both of those usually involve kayak fishing.
PK: If you could only pick one place to
fish the rest of your life, where would it be and why?
JD: Costa Rica. Because of my job, I have the ability to jump
on a plane and see the world. This would
be the base. Multiple saltwater species that are on my bucket list like Tarpon
and Rooster fish, offshore pelagic, close access to Peacock Bass in Panama and
Brazil, Largemouth in Cuba, Golden Dorado and Trout in Argentina and Chile, Bonefish
and Permit in Mexico and Central America, and big bass lakes in Mexico. Plus access to the rest of the world. Although, as guys like Jim Sammons will tell
you, flying somewhere to fish is another huge set of logistics.
PK: What do you consider to be some of your
greatest achievements in fishing?
JD: My greatest was helping put my wife,
of now 32 years, on a 38 ½” Snook in Chokoloskee, in the Everglades after she
had only been fishing for 3 months. She
caught it, fought it, and landed it herself. A huge achievement in the oyster beds and
mangroves of the Everglades. I’m an
awesome teacher!! (Those who can’t
–teach!) No great “me” achievements
other than Hero’s On The Water (HOW.) Spent 8 years overseas in the Air Force in the
Philippines and Germany. I have fished
from and for almost anything imaginable. Tire tubes past the third sand bar on the
coast, Banca boats in the Philippines, boogie boards in Hawaii, and fishing in
some very different spots.
To Continue to Part 2: Interview with Jim Dolan - Part 2
Enjoy these other posts:
Interview with Drew Gregory - Part 1
Interview With Tray Collins
Case for a "Big-Time Kayak Fishing Tournament Trail
Fishing Artwork
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