< Previous20 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2023 COVER CONFIDENTIAL MEET NATHAN STEVENS AND FAMILY N athan Stevens, on the cover, makes it his business to enjoy the outdoors. He and his wife, Abby, who also is his business partner, own Texas Camp Company, which they operate out of the newly ren- ovated Galveston Island State Park. Texas Camp Company offers chair and umbrella rentals, cabanas, kayaks, paddleboards, electric bikes and more. The company also sells frozen bait and fishing tackle. The couple — they have two boys: 3-year-old Fletcher and 1-year-old Jaxon — live on Galveston’s West End. Nathan moved to Austin after graduating high school and spent two years trying to figure out what he wanted to do, he said. “I felt that I wasn’t going to figure that out in Austin and decided to move to the island in 2010,” he said. “Galveston immediately felt like home.” Abby and Nathan met in Galveston in 2015 and spent a few years in Austin for work before returning to the island in 2019. Nathan originally is from Conroe and Abby is from Dallas. They moved to Galveston for Abby to attend gradu- ate school at the University of Texas Medical Branch. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2023 21 Nathan Stevens paddles his kayak across the water at Galveston Island State Park. The secrets to kayak fishing are move slow and stay quiet, said Stevens, who owns Texas Camp Company. Operating out of the state park, the company offers chair and umbrella rentals, cabanas, kayaks, paddle boards, electric bikes and more. (Opposite) Abby and Nathan Stevens relax on the beach with their sons Jaxon, 1, and Fletcher, 3.22 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2023 COVER CONFIDENTIAL What are your Galveston roots? Originally, my grandparents had a house in Jamaica Beach in the ’60s, followed by a house at San Luis Pass years later. My dad and his siblings spent a good portion of their lives on the island. What inspired you to open Texas Camp Company? I’ve worked in the recreation, leisure and tourism indus- try for over 10 years and truly enjoy creating memorable experiences for all kinds of different people from all over the world. I’ve also had a long-standing goal to own my own business. We were keeping tabs on the progress of the park renovations and thought the state park may be looking for a vendor to provide services as the project neared completion. As soon as we recognized there was an opportu- nity, we immediately began forming the company and develop- ing a business plan with the hopes of getting a contract awarded. Fortunately, everything worked out as we hoped it would and we opened in late summer of 2022. The park renovations are absolutely stunning, and we are tremendously excited for the future. Are there things to do all year long at the state park? Absolutely! While beach chair and umbrella rentals are only available March through October, we offer kayak, paddleboard and eBike rentals year-round, weather per- mitting. In the day-use area, there are covered picnic areas that include tables and a charcoal grill. There are also larger pavilion spaces available for rent through the park. The park has plenty of tent and RV campsites on both the beach and bay side. The beach is expansive and offers plenty of space for setting up for a classic summer beach day or taking a long winter beachcombing stroll. For hikers, there are numerous trails that meander through coastal prairie and wetlands — complete with educational signage. The park has some fantastic interpretive programs that occur regularly. The birding is phenomenal year-round, and the fishing can be productive on any given day. The list goes on and on. What do you like most about coastal living? The island’s natural resources and character. Galveston Island and the Gulf of Mexico have an incredibly prolific ecosystem, and we feel extremely fortunate to be able to witness its magic each day. From surfing the Gulf’s gen- tle — and sometimes not-so-gentle — waves, to getting a front-row seat to a feeding frenzy of jacks or redfish crashing the water’s surface, to bluebird days that give major tropical paradise vibes, to the fall and spring bird migra- tions that come through each year — we love how the island changes with the seasons and different weather condi- tions. Galveston also has this incredible culture, community and history that is found all over the island that make it a fulfilling place to live and raise a family. Describe your per- fect day on the coast. This plays out so many ways on the coast, but if I had to choose one perfect day: A September early morning teal hunt and redfish excursion in the coastal marsh, followed by coffee and breakfast with the family. We hook up the Texas Camp Company trailer and set up for the day at Galveston Island State Park, connecting with visitors and sharing our love for all things Galveston. A clean groundswell sends perfect head-high waves into our beaches and an offshore breeze blows, hinting at fall. The kids are playing on the beach with friends, and we finish the day by watching the sunset while eating steak fajitas with shrimp. Are there any secrets to kayak fishing? Move slow and stay quiet. Create a fishing “game plan” that covers a few different scenarios and fishing techniques to give the greatest chance of success. With kayak fishing, factoring in wind and weather is extremely important as well. (Above) Nathan Stevens helps his son Fletcher, 3, pop a wheelie on the beach at Galveston Island State Park. Galveston’s culture, community and history make it a fulfilling place to live and raise a family, Stevens said.4:00 P.M. 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Join us Every Week for Stir-Fry Wednesday!!26 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2023 The rod-bending opportunities during the next 12 months are endless. Make plans to experience them with friends and family. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2023 27 HOOKED NEW YEAR, NEW ATTITUDE Make 2023 a joyous, bountiful 12 months of fishing story and photos by CAPT. NATE SKINNER I think what I like most about the outdoors, specifically fishing, is the opportunity to leave your problems on the shore, both literally and figuratively. Though it might be only for a few hours, getting out on the water and away from the chaos of the mainland creates a sense of peacefulness and contentment like nothing else. In my opinion, it puts you closer to God, closer to nature and soothes your soul. Sometimes, these things can get lost or overshadowed by our de- sire to achieve success. What that success looks like varies with each angler. For me, it’s getting the right bites while tournament fishing. I love fishing tournaments for the competition. Not only am I com- peting against a field of highly skilled professional anglers, I’m also competing against Mother Nature. And as much as I hate to admit it, I’ve got zero control over what happens in regard to fish behav- ior, weather conditions, etc. And that’s what makes the tournament fishing game so addicting to me. When it all comes together and you’re able to make the right bites count, the rewards make you appreciate the grind that got you there. All that to say, all of us have reasons why we love to pur- sue fish with a rod and reel. Some do it simply to relax and get away. Others do it to achieve certain goals, such as landing a personal best catch. And let’s face it, we all do it because it’s a heck of a lot of fun. I have explored why we fish in the pages of Coast Monthly before. It’s worth revisiting from time to time, because the “why” tends to change as time passes. For example, whenever people first get into sport angling, they usually focus on trying to catch as many fish as possible. That also could mean boxing limits of fish and leaving the cleaning table with bags of fresh fillets as often as they can. As anglers mature and gain more experience, their “why” typically changes. The focus of their efforts evolves into other facets, such as learning new areas, mastering new techniques or sharing their knowl- edge with others. Time on the water then becomes more about the As we begin a new year, let’s make an effort to exhibit a new attitude toward the sport of fishing along our beloved upper Texas coast.experience, rather than about how many fish end up on ice in the cooler. Different reasons for fishing also produce different actions by anglers. Some folks fish with artificial lures, while others prefer live or natural baits. Some anglers like to wade fish, while others would rather fish from a boat, pier or the bank. These actions and strategies also vary depending on the time of year, conditions and each angler’s goals. The important thing to remember is there are no rights or wrongs when it comes to an angler’s “why” and the actions that correspond with it. We can have our own opinions about what we think is best, but at the end of the day, we all are finding joy from the same resource. And above all, the future of our resource, our upper coast estuaries, is of the utmost importance. As we begin a new year, let’s make an effort to exhibit a new attitude toward the sport of fishing along our beloved upper Texas coast. The world is full of negativity, and that’s 28 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2023 HOOKED Capt. Nate Skinner with his oldest son, Waylon Gene. Share your knowledge and experiences with those who are new to the sport. Some anglers go fishing with a goal of landing their next personal best catch. not something we need any more of within our angling community. Keep an open mind when chatting with fellow anglers at a boat ramp, popular fishing area or tournament weigh-in this year. Make an effort to share your knowledge and experi- ences with those who are new to the sport, and be courteous to others on the water, even if they don’t neces- sarily approach things the way you would. After all, we all cling to a rod and reel as much as we possibly can for some of the same reasons. The common bond of loving to pursue creatures that live below the surface is a strong one. The rod-bending opportunities over the next 12 months are endless. Make plans to experience them with friends and family. Here’s to a new year of safe and exciting angling. Start your next chapter with our weight loss surgery team. If you’re considering weight loss surgery, our team at St. Luke’s Health is ready to help you on your path to success. You will have the support of our doctors, nurses, and nutritionists every step of the way. 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