ABOUT TGIF OUTFITTERS ---


Like many start-up businesses, TGIF
Outfitters began as a way to augment our
owner's income.  As a policeman, Bob Bott,
realized that his needs to support his growing
family were not being met by the income
earned through law enforcement.  A casual
friend asked why he had not considered
being a guide.  Lights went on, bells and
whistles sounded in Bob's head and a guide
service under the name - RJB Outfitters - was
born in 1985.

With a 14 foot flatbottom boat, a 25
horsepower motor and a transom mount
trolling motor, Bob started taking people out
fishing.  He soon discovered that he had to
become a teacher as well as an angler to
insure that his guests could catch fish under
often terrible conditions.

The early years were a struggle but rather
than dwell on negatives, Bob pressed on and
began upgrading equipment and boats.  He
soon added waterfowl hunts in 1986.

With work at the police department and
guiding in his off time, the strains of being
gone affected his family life and he began to
withdraw from guiding.  A massive flood
virtually wiped out one season and the
income that went with it.  In the early '90s,
Bob was about to give up ...
TESTIMONY ---


At an Amway convention in the spring of
1993, that he and his wife, Shawn, attended,
friends encouraged Bob to be at the Sunday
worship service.  A man named Ed Cole was
preaching that morning.  The message hit
home, Bob and Shawn Bott were born-again
and welcomed in to the Christian family of
faith.

Being a Christian and believing in the eternal
salvation granted us by our Lord Jesus
Christ was not a guarantee of the easy-life on
earth!  Life is life for everyone.  But, through
the grace of God, the Botts found a solid
church (Living Word Christian Church in La
Crosse, WI) and a pastor (Mark Clements)
who was able to speak in to their lives.

In 2001, Bob consulted with Pastor Clements
and went whole-hog into guiding.  But rather
than keep the name of RJB Outfitters, which
stood for Robert J. Bott, Bob renamed the
service TGIF Outfitters - Thank GOD I'm
Fishing ... as his way of always keeping God
in his business and his focus on Him not just
on Bob and his family.

Bob retired from the police department in
2006.  God has blessed Bob's hands and his
mercy and grace are ever present.  To God be
all the glory!
Matthew 7:24

If you work these
words into your
life, you are like a
smart carpenter
who built his
house on solid
rock.
Rain poured
down, the river
flooded, a tornado
hit—but nothing
moved that
house. It was
fixed to the rock.

- The Message
T.G.I.F.
Thank GOD I'm Forgiven