“Me Time” With Justin Vasquez
After a good week of good work, sometimes you just want to enjoy a little Me time. And if you’re Justin Vasquez, one of the Leasing Consultant stars on the Lewis Apartment Communities team, that “Me” time involves skill, patience, fantastic views—and a float tube.
Like you maybe, my first reaction was, “a ‘float’ what?” Luckily, Justin was happy to enlighten me. He’s one of the thousands of fishing enthusiasts who enjoy Float Tube fishing. Essentially, a float tube is a one-person inflatable seat with pockets for tackle equipment, reel, net and other equipment–everything one needs for a relaxing day of freshwater fishing. In fact, there’s a few varieties of float tubes, but they all share some advantages: ease of transport, the freedom from having to row, and the lower price-tag when compared to buying or consistently renting a boat.
“Most people fish from shores or from a boat,” explains Justin, “But float tubes are like a small pontoon, almost a small one-person raft.” He describes the float tube as, “basically a little seat with air pockets, almost like a wetsuit. And once you get on the water it’s just you and the lake.”
When float tube fishing, Justin said, “It’s a completely different feel than fishing from shore. It’s serene. Just you and the lake. You can get away from crowds and even have an advantage. You can maneuver and get to places boats can’t. And of course, the views are incredible.”
When it comes to destinations, one of Justin’s favorites is the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains, near Mammoth, CA., particularly the June Lake loop. He also enjoys local Inland Empire-area lakes like Arrowhead and Big Bear.
As a Lewis employee, Justin enjoys living onsite at the Del Mar community in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. On fishing days, he leaves bright and early at 3am and arrives in the Sierras at approximately 8am. For more local areas, he leaves about 5am, and is on the lake before the sun comes up.
As for his catch, Justin reels in a variety of trout: Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Brook trout. But what’s funny is that Justin doesn’t like to eat fish. “I’m not a fan,” He says. “I mainly fish for the sport, the fun, the relaxation and the adrenaline when you have the fish on the line.” Once he catches the trout, he cleans them, freezes them, and then they’re ready to go in a smoker, a BBQ, whatever you like. He often shares his catch with family, friends and co-workers. In fact, he once brought Shauntia, a friend and co-worker in Lewis’s Northern California region, a nice haul of twelve fish!
Justin’s Tips And Experiences
For those of you interested in getting started, Justin shared some tips: “Be prepared that it will be a bit expensive at first with the float tube, the waders, fins, poles and tackle,” adding “It’s a bit pricey, but once you have everything it’s a completely different experience.” As for skills, Justin suggests you should at least have some basic knowledge of fishing.
And as for “completely different experiences” Justin shared a few. He told me about the time he caught such a huge trout (five pounds) that to keep it from slipping his grasp, he had to literally bear-hug the fish until he was back to shore. Then there was the time he and his small group made the website of a local resort for catching large fish in two different resorts—seven fish equaling 31 pounds! Or there was the time he and a buddy “rescued” a stalled boat, towing to safety just by the energy of their kicking feet.
Skills. Friendship. Fish. And the beautiful northern California mountains. I’d call that a well-deserved and worthy definition of Me time. Keep reeling them in, Justin.
David Draper is the Director of Talent Acquisition for the Lewis Group of Companies. David is proud to be a part of a successful, stable, and winning team dedicated to its projects, its people and its community. Follow David on Twitter @LewisRecruits.