Meet Tyler Thimsen | Youtuber: Team CO.F.F

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tyler Thimsen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tyler, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
As far as work life balance goes, that has changed quite a bit since starting my youtube channel. I used to fish constantly but didn’t really care about where I went, typically fishing the same areas over and over again; week in and week out. I would get ready to fish, grab my fishing gear and tackle, head out the door to fish, and when I was done, I would just leave and that would be the end of it. Typical fishing experience for most. With the Youtube Channel, it turned into more of a planned process…Charging camera batteries, making sure I had the right filming equipment, and having an objective for the day. Sometimes that objective would be “just fishing”, other times it would be a “How-to” video, or just planning out different bodies of water to fish so I wouldn’t be repetitive. This also would put pressure on me to actually have a good day catching fish out on the water, or the video would be viewed as boring. No one wants to watch someone just stand there with a rod and some line in the water for 15 minutes. Then after fishing, I now have to spend time video editing. Days before the channel, I fished A LOT more. Now with filming time allocation, I don’t fish as much as I would like to. I can’t complain though, as I am still out on the water roughly 120-150 times a year. Before though, it was closer to 200-225. I feel I do a good job of balancing the other aspects of my life with my youtube channel/business, as I work full time as an IT Technician, and train girls and boys varsity basketball during Spring, Summer, and Fall; while coaching Girls Varsity Basketball in the Winter. Everything keeps me busy but I allow myself the time to pursue all my passions by scheduling properly and allocating time accordingly.

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Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As far as what sets us apart from others…We just love to fish and don’t care what it is we’re fishing for, the technique used, or the size of the fish. A LOT of other youtube channels are about catching “BIG FISH”, although that is the goal when you fish some of the time, for us, it’s about the experience. It’s about enjoying the moment and having fun outdoors. It’s about sharing this passion with others and hopefully inspiring others to join in on the fun! What I am most proud of, is when I see what I’m doing is working. There have been a lot of times where I’m out fishing or just doing normal errands, and I run into people who are fans of the channel. Every encounter I’ve ever had has been positive, and people explain to me that they are enjoying the outdoors more then they have before, and are also doing much better at catching fish. As someone who gets great joy in helping others, this puts a big smile on my face and makes it all worth it! As far as it being easy, that’s a tricky question…When the fish are biting, it’s easy to get filming done and have a good time. IF you’re experiencing slow days out on the water, the pressure really can get to you for getting a video done…This make a very enjoyable activity, less enjoyable. For the most part though, when this was happening, it’s just important to remind yourself that it’s about the passion and the experience, not the trophy fish or quantity of what you’re catching. That has been probably the most important lesson for me in regards to the youtube channel, that I have learned over time.
If there was one thing I would like the world to know about our channel and what we do, is that we are just about sharing fun experiences outdoors and want to inspire others to have the same fun, if not more then us.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
That’s a funny question…I live in a very rural part of Colorado. 1,312 people as of the last census… If I had someone coming out to visit, I would really hope they would like to spend time outdoors. Most of my friends do, so I would take them up on Grand Mesa for a week long camping trip. Grand Mesa is the largest Mesa in the World and is home to over 300+ lakes/streams. Amazing views, great fishing, and the chance to spot some amazing wildlife! This would be a trip to get away from the rest of the world and just enjoy yourself.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The biggest shoutout I would give toward my success and passion toward my youtube channel would be my family. My mother, father, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. We’re a very active family that loves being outdoors! Whether it be camping, hunting, fishing, or just hiking and exploring. They instilled in me the passion of being outdoors, and more importantly fishing; long ago when I was a kid. Some of my fondest memories of my childhood are catching panfish off the docks in Minnesota (where I spent the first part of my childhood), and cooking them up with the family for a fish fry!

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