Meet Noah Raleigh: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine’s New Youth Writer!
Editor’s Note: In keeping with our theme of Take a Kid Fishing, we are introducing the newest member of the TSFMag team, Noah Raleigh. Noah is an incredible young man who is 100% consumed with fishing. Advanced beyond his young age in knowledge and skill, it is our hope that other youthful anglers will follow along as he contributes to our magazine, and their own knowledge. Welcome aboard, Noah! Everett Johnson-Editor
Hi! My name is Noah Raleigh, and I am super excited to be the new youth writer for Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine. I am 11 years old and a sixth grader at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School. I live in Port O’Connor, Texas, which is a great place to live when fishing is pretty much your favorite thing in the whole world. I have been fishing since I was three years old. My family and I fish the bays and jetties around Port
O’Connor, and we also go offshore. We have even traveled to Costa Rica for some awesome fishing adventures.
My personal-best catch is a 110-inch sailfish that I caught near Los Suenos, Costa Rica, when I was nine years old. Catching that sailfish was one of the most exciting things I have ever done. It was huge, fast, and definitely did not want to get near the boat.
Fishing is more than just a hobby for me. I love learning about different fish, trying new baits, tying leaders, and figuring out what works best in different fishing conditions. I also enjoy helping other kids learn how to fish without making everything sound too complicated.
When I graduate, I hope to own my own fleet of fishing boats. That way, I can spend my life working on the water—and hopefully catch plenty of fish too!
In my articles, I will share fishing stories, helpful tips, lessons I have learned and instructions that are easy for kids to understand. Sometimes fishing can seem confusing, especially when you walk into a
tackle shop and see hundreds of hooks, weights, lines and other supplies. My goal is to make it easier—and a lot more fun!
My first series is called “A How-To on How to Fish—But for Kids!” We are starting with the basics of making your own fishing leaders. Buying a premade leader may be easier, but tying your own is more fun, can give you better quality, and lets you impress your friends with your awesome “knot-know-how.”
In my first article, I will teach you how to make a simple knocker rig. A knocker rig is a bottom rig that can help you catch redfish, speckled trout, black drum and flounder. You only need three main things: leader line, a hook, and an egg sinker.
We will also talk about choosing the right fishing line, using circle hooks to help protect fish from injury and picking the correct weight for the current. Then, step by step, we will tie everything together until you have made your very first leader.
Grab your fishing pole, pack some snacks, and get ready to learn. The fish might not always cooperate, but we are going to have fun trying!
See you on the water!
