The Blast‘s very own Heather Edwards, Director of Operations, is making waves on TikTok with a 100-day fishing challenge that she’s nearly to the halfway point of currently.
Every day, she gets her fishing pole ready and walks down the dock from her house in Quantico, Maryland to the Wicomico River right in her backyard. Rain or shine, she’s out there every single day catching multiple fish and videotaping it for all to enjoy. Guess you can say, she’s HOOKED!
Heather Edwards Is Determined To Fish For 100 Days Straight!
Fishing might be in her blood, as you can see from the photo of her above! Heather has been enjoying the sport on and off her entire life, starting from a very early age. She’s used to fishing occasionally year-round, but since she’s began living on the water, she’s really giving it her all and reeling them in on a regular basis.
“My husband and I moved into the house where we are now May 1st of last year. This is my first time living right on the water, and last summer is when my fishing ‘addiction’ truly began,” she said.
Follow Her Journey On TikTok @imsolarpowered
“Although I did fish off and on year-round, in March of this year, I really started missing it and the warmer temps. We had some really warm days pop up and that’s when the idea hit me. I’ve always been down to fish in the cold, the rain, at night, etc., so why not make a ‘100 Days of Fishing’ challenge and document it on TikTok? Thus, the challenge was born!”
The Local News Is Taking Note
Edwards is currently on day 40 and still going strong. She’s already managed to land over 300 fish! She records every day with perfectly chosen music and narrates some of it. Her videos show her fishing in the cold, the rain, and sunny days, and she always has a smile on her face. Many people have taken notice and follow along daily now. Even the local news channel took an interest in the challenge and had Edwards on their 5 o’clock news on Wednesday, May 3rd.
To Watch Heather’s WBOC DelmarvaLife segment CLICK HERE!
The idea of the challenge seemed like a no brainer to Edwards because of her location next to the river and the fact that she loves to fish. And what started out as just a fun challenge, now has a second purpose.
“Just last week, a second reason for the challenge came to light: an opportunity to help control the catfish population. 99.9 percent of the fish I catch are catfish,” she said.
“In my area, there are some invasive species of catfish that are taking over the general fish population and our Department of Resources has been asking for the public’s help. So, moving forward, I’ll be removing and killing all the Blue Catfish I catch, unless of course I’m keeping them to make fried catfish sandwiches!”
Making Time To Be Outdoors No Matter The Weather Is A Priority Now
Since deciding that she will see this challenge through for the entire 100 days no matter what, Edwards has really found it easy to make time to be outside every single day. Working from home can sometimes make you feel stuck indoors, but Edwards now looks forward to a work break to get out to the river to see what the day will bring.
“You also never know what you’re going to see on the river. Being surrounded by nature is exciting,” she said. “From eagles to osprey to river otters and snapping turtles, the wildlife is always putting on a show.”
And because of all the great things that she experiences, creating TikTok videos each day has become an important part of the challenge, and also helps her to stay dedicated to the cause.
“Sharing my journey on TikTok has also been one of the driving factors for staying dedicated. Once I started putting my videos out there, I knew I had to see it through,” she explained. “My following is growing, and it’s been really fun connecting with other fishing enthusiasts. Brands are even starting to send me products to promote on my account!”
The only downside of sticking to the daily challenge so far has been the bugs, but it’s not enough to stop Edwards from enjoying every minute of the experience.
Heather Catches Multiple Fish Every Day!
Every day is a new day out on the river and every catch is something different. Edwards catches multiple catfish a day and a few other varieties of fish. And of course, there’s one particular catch that she’s not fond of, but still embraces it coolness of it.
“My record catch is a 32″, 15 lb. Blue Catfish. That was exhilarating to catch!,” she said. “Eels are basically my nemesis, but they’re really, really neat to see. And, I recently caught a few Yellow Bullhead Catfish. While I’m pretty tired of reeling in catfish, these guys are bright yellow and quite a sight to see.”
For anyone who wants to start a challenge and stick with it, Edwards shares the secret sauce to making it happen. “Pick something you love doing. If you love it, it won’t feel that hard,” she said. “And document it! That will help keep you accountable, and you’ll have a lovely memory to look back on when you’re finished.”
Want to follow along on all the fun fishing adventures and maybe gain some motivation to conquer your own challenge? Follow Edwards, who goes by @imsolarpowered on TikTok!
