Teacher/Fisher Lands the Ideal Job

Rod Houston is a veteran fisherman who is also hooked on education.

“The nice thing about education is that it provides me with the time to fish,” said the world-class angler and Fullerton College physical education counselor.

Last year, he traveled 26,000 miles to fishing holes around the world, mostly for marlin and tuna.

But at Fullerton College, he has developed what may be the only college-credit course on blue-water and big-game fishing.

“About 12 years ago, a young lady asked me why I didn’t teach a class on fishing,” said the Orange resident, who has 36 years of fishing experience. “I thought it was a good idea.”

So for 11 years he taught a recreational class on fishing, but this is the first year that the class counts for college credit. His most recent class concluded earlier this month.

“It was changed from just a fun-and-games class to a one-unit, serious fun-and-games course,” said Houston. “Now we deal with the total angling system and its dynamics. It’s an academic course.”

While he enjoys teaching, Houston remains steadfast in his enthusiasm for fishing, especially in his favorite waters off southwestern Mexico.

“The migration pattern for large tuna and marlin hits in that area,” he said.

For Houston, fishing is a major event.

“When I’m out there and hook a fish, my heart rate soars and my adrenalin is in gear,” he said. “It’s the most exhilarating experience in the world.” Besides actually fishing, he pointed out, “the sport gives me a chance to travel and envelop the adventure that goes with it. I’m interested in geography and the cultures of the people I meet all over the world.”

While it offers adventure and relaxation, Houston contends that “fishing is a philosophical thing. You approach angling from a philosophical point of reference by dealing with different dimensions of yourself.”

Houston, a writer, lecturer and seminar leader on blue-water angling, is about to publish his first book, aptly titled “Houston’s Handbook for Blue Water Anglers.”

In his seminars and lectures, Houston urges prospective anglers to beware. “Fishing is addictive, and when a person gets caught up in it, they end up committing to it,” he warned.

What that means, he said, is treat a fish as a worthy opponent--and that includes returning it to the water from which it is caught.

“I’ve never kept a fish I caught,” Houston said. “It is a sport where it is you against the strength of the fish and you return it to the ocean in as good a condition as possible.”

He said that when he wants to eat fish, “I go to the store and buy it.”

Deep-sea fishing is tough and physically demanding, so Houston tells his students to get involved in aerobics programs to prepare for the clash between them and the fish.

“I keep myself in shape by running 4 miles every day,” he said.

As a veteran and well-known fisherman, Houston is often hired as a consultant by foreign countries hoping to develop tourism through sport fishing.

Houston is confident that, when his life is over, there will be fishing in the Great Beyond.

“I’ll take my rod and reel with me,” he said. “There’s just got to be a fishing hole there. I’m sure it was planned that way.”

Acknowledgements--Grant Nikato, 19, of Huntington Beach, a Golden West College freshman, is leading his age division in the Universal Studios Nintendo Powerfest national tournament with 952,105 points on Nintendo video games. If his score holds up in the tournament that ends later this month, he will be flown to Florida in December to compete in the finals for his age group.