The basics………..Hello. My name is Shawn Morales. Owner/operator of Crosswinds Striper Guide Service. I am a licensed full-time fishing guide. I specialize in  Striped Bass (stripers), White Bass (sand bass), and catfish.  I am 35 years old and have been guiding full time for 6 years now. I am happily married to my beautiful wife Lindsey and we have 2 children together. My son Peyton is 11 yrs old. My daughter Ashlin is 7. Lindsey and I have been married 12 years.

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How i got started……. As cliche as this sounds. I have been fishing since I was a young child. I have ALWAYS had an obsession with the sport of fishing. I would ride my bicycle a half mile down the dirt road as a child to set lines out. Catch the school bus at the pond. And have the school bus drop me off at the pond to run my lines. This passion grew as I did. The local ponds turned into the local lakes. The local lakes turned into Oklahoma’s premier fishing waters. I started guiding part time striper fishing trips at Lake Texoma. Fishing on weekends and days off. It got to a point where I was never home. My family was and always will be the most important thing in my life. I had to find balance between doing what I love and being with the ones I love. So I thought it out and presented my business plan to Lindsey. The plan was to quit my job of 11 years and be a full-time Lake Texoma striper guide for a living. (try presenting that one to momma). I’ll never forget the words she said while laying in bed at 1:30 AM. “Shawn. You’re my husband and I love you. I trust you and I will follow you to the end of the Earth.” The very next day. I put in my 2 weeks notice. They asked me if I would give 3 weeks. I did.

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Now I can not say that it has been a downhill run. Starting a business. Especially a business in the fishing world during a down hill economy was very tough. I started guiding at Lake Konawa to supplement as well. It is close to home and provides a great day of fishing just about any day of the year. Konawa took off like I would have never imagined. It went from fishing mainly Texoma with a few Konawa trips. To the exact opposite. Finally it got to the point where I pulled completely off of Texoma and just guided at Konawa. Konawa was stocked with Hybrid Striped Bass in 2004 and has not had a supplemental stocking since. Most trips we would pull lots of white bass with a few nice hybrids mixed in. Then the hybrids got fewer and farther between. I found myself really missing the pull of the hybrid and so did a lot of my fishing clients. I did my research and pulled the Falcon to Sooner Lake in 2010. I spent  two years chasing Hybrid Stripers and Stripers at Sooner during the spring, fall, and winter. But during the summer months.  I would find myself right back at Lake Texoma.  My summers would be spent on the big water with clients as a Lake Texoma striper guide.  

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As of July 2013. I have set up at Lake Texoma for good. My kids are proud Kingston Redskins and we are happy to be living at the lake full time. In October 2013. I proudly accepted an invitation to join the Catfish Bay Striper Guide Association. Catfish Bay has some of the best fisherman the lake has ever seen and I am thrilled to be part of such an outstanding, hardworking, dedicated group of Lake Texoma Striper guides.

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So that brings me to where I am today. Doing what I love. Catching the fish I love. Sharing my passion with others.

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What sets me apart from other fishing guides….. I realize that there are plenty of quality  fishing guides out there for you to choose from.  I believe that for anyone to run a fishing guide business, the ability to catch fish is there. I have no doubt that most have that ability. What I don’t believe they all have , is all of the other things that make you one of the best. I have hired, fished around, and along side of some of the best Lake Texoma striper guides in the business. But at the same time have seen some of the worst as well. I remember hiring a guide @ Texoma when I was 19 yrs. old. The fishing was very tough. As a fisherman. I understood that. Towards the end of the trip, we started boating a few stripers. If I remember right there were 6 fish in the box when the striper guide said.” Well. Time’s up boys.” Back to the dock we went. I couldn’t believe that he would not stay out a little longer since we finally started catching fish. He was not too friendly and almost acted like we were a burden to him on that day. Needless to say we never booked him again. On another trip with a completely different guide, we left the dock at 6:45 am and were back at the dock at 8:00 am. We had our “limit”. 30  stripers. I couldn’t help but think. Why would we not catch and release, go catfishing, or anything to stay out longer.

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So we’ve covered my bad experiences with the work ethic of some not so great guided trips. Now what about the other part of a guided trip that I believe is just as  important. ATTITUDE!! I fished with a guide in Arkansas who although was able to produce on the fishing end. His attitude was far surpassed by his fishing ability. He was an older gentleman who has been a guide for a long time. His attitude reflected someone who was for lack of a better term “burned out”. Grumpy, not talkative, treated it like another day at the office. This trip. Although the fishing was good. It was not as enjoyable as it should have been.

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Now I hope you don’t take the above as a bash on other striper guides. Lake Texoma has some of the best fishing guides you can find anywhere. 

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As your fishing guide. I have, will, and always will make it a point to treat you the way you deserve to be treated. You are a guest in my boat and have chosen to spend your hard earned money with me. I appreciate that and will always give you 100%. I feel this is the main reason that most of my business is repeat business.  My clients often call me for fishing advice if they are planning a trip to waters I am familiar with. As my client. I want you to know that my knowledge is always available to you. So call me anytime. If we’re out on the water and the fishing is so great that we find ourselves with a limit after only  an hour or two.  If you want to fish. WE FISH!!! We can catch and release or try to catch a few on artificials.   

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Ask anyone who has fished with me. My passion for fishing is evident. It shows each and every day. From the time I put my boat on the water to catch bait. To the time your fish are cleaned and bagged.  I am giving YOU 110%. A memorable day for you, your friends, and family is my goal. I will do everything possible to be sure that  you leave KNOWING that you have found your Texoma striper guide of choice.