Columbia native Braylen Prejean, a 12-year old student at Jefferson Middle School, has just about as much experience hunting and fishing as he has walking. What began as a way to bond with family when he was a toddler has since grown into a deep love for the outdoors that keeps him coming back for more with each and every chance he gets.
Prejean, the son of Martin and Kam Prejean, says that as far as photos can prove, he's been fishing ever since the age of two or three. He started out catching bream and catfish off banks and piers on fishing trips with his dad, and he's been hooked ever since.
"His daddy would take him fishing when he was really little, and he really, really loved it," his mother said. "As he got older, he started going a lot more often, mostly at private lakes in Foxworth and Collins. He's caught lots of big bass at the one in Collins."
To any other youth who may be interested in trying their hand at fishing, Prejean said he'd recommend starting small and taking the time to learn about what they'd like to catch before casting their lines.
"I'd probably say to start out with live bait, like crickets, worms or other tiny fish, that way they'd be a little more likely to catch something and be more excited about coming back again," Prejean said. "I'd also probably research the fish you're trying to catch because each fish is different. Some tricks will work for some fish but not for others, so it's important to know those things."
Prejean is quite the hunter as well. He has racked up several impressive kills, including a nine-point, 198-pound buck and a hog that weighed in at 100 pounds. His harnessed skills are even paying as a member of the newly-formed JMS skeet shooting team.
That said, his adventures in the great outdoors are only beginning, and he looks forward to making many more prize catches, kills and memories for years and years to come.
"I just really like being outdoors and spending time with family," Prejean said. "The more I learn and practice, the better I get, so I'll just keep getting better."
