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Frank Gibson had a "Tom Sawyer boyhood on the May River." The young boy was from Allendale, but his grandmother had a house in Bluffton. He'd hunt for shrimp and crabs, catch croaker under the bridges to Hilton Head Island.
That Tom Sawyer never really grew up. Gibson still fishes, it's just not as quaint as during his boyhood. He's out almost every weekend on one of his two boats -- the 47-foot Cabo sportfisherman My Time Out and 28-foot Miss Fripp. He participates in dozens of fishing tournaments, including the South Carolina Governor's Cup, and serves as an international billfish observer, a kind of referee for tournaments. He's traveled to Cabo San Lucas, St. Thomas, Miami and West Palm Beach, Fla., and this summer plans a trip to Marlin University in Panama to further perfect his expertise.
TRAINING ROUTINE
With Gibson, when you do something, you do it right. And to do something right, especially when struggling to reel in a huge marlin, physical fitness is key.
He runs three miles two days a week and lifts weights three days a week. Weekends are reserved for fishing.
"I stay in shape to reel them in," he said.
STARTING POINT
He learned the importance of physical fitness early. In high school, he played football, basketball and ran track. He graduated from The Citadel and spent 20 years in the National Guard. Professionally, he's worked in the banking, building and insurance industries, starting several of his own businesses and serving on various boards and committees in the Lowcountry. He helped found the Beaufort YMCA and served as president for its first year in existence.
HEALTHY MOTIVATION
But he always found time to remain fit. He'd challenge himself physically on the football field -- but in a different context than in his playing days.
Gibson was a college football referee for 25 years with the Southern Conference. Typically, fans only get to see officials on game day, but a ref's job is nearly year round. There are spring practices in March or April, scrimmages on weekdays and clinics in July, where a week of time is spent running agility drills and studying up on the game. Eventually, drills and games in the summer heat caught up to him. He retired about four years ago.
"They were getting bigger and faster, and I was getting larger and slower," he said.
NEW CHALLENGES
Since, he's let fishing take up more of his time, as well as a new hobby in hydroplane racing, where he takes his sleek, small boat onto lakes in the Southeast and speeds along at 60 mph. Whether it's reeling in the biggest fish or driving the fastest boat, it's always about challenging himself.
"Whatever I do, I like to do well," he said. "I've got this competitive nature. Doesn't matter what it is."
