The Mentor

No one is born knowing how to fish. At some point, someone handed you a fishing rod
and the journey began. It is like a journey down a road with many turns. Some roads
lead to small tid bits of information and other roads lead to an garden oasis where
knowledge hangs in the air like ripe fruit on a tree ready to be picked. Many anglers
have had the benefit of having a parent or relative that was proficient in the sport and
started them out early. They were provided with endless opportunities for fishing
adventures and their skills were improved upon on every trip. Others walk the road
alone and hope they take the right turn, often times discovering things that donʼt work
and occasionally finding things that do.

The old saying goes, 10% of anglers catch 90% of the fish. Iʼm not sure if that is true but
I do know there is a huge range of skill among the anglers on the lake on any given day.
I have seen people fishing from shore on the banks of a rushing deep river with the bait
two feet from the clip on bobber. I have seen a steel leader tied to a small pan fishing
jig and once someone brought a net to go ice fishing.

Its easy to laugh and walk a little taller knowing you hold a few pieces of really nice fruit
that you found along your road when the poor soul you are watching must have been
walking on a pretty baron path. The great divide as I see it. The winners and the losers,
the catchers and the non catchers, the haves and the have nots. Lets talk about the first
group, the winners, the catchers, the haves, the 10 % so to speak.

Ah the ones who get it. The ones whoʼs basket is over flowing with juicy ripe fruit, able
to go to any body of water and find fish even when the wind is from the east and the
cold front moved in. I have seen many people who fit into this category and I have
recently decided they come in three variations. Great anglers, including guides and
professionals fall into one of the three categories below.
The first category is the hoarders. Similar to a 5 year old that does not want to share the
toys. The instinct is to keep all the information to them selves. After all it took a long time
to collect all that information. Walking down those roads picking all that fruit. Maybe they
did get burned once sharing a honey hole only to come back the next day and find 10
boats fishing the area that used to be empty before you told that friend. I have seen
many people like this. They just will not share anything they know. They do not want
their fish to be caught by anyone but them. There knowledge is locked up tight like a
national security secret.

The second category is the little bits. The ones who share a little bit of information here
and there. They will give vague general information, maybe a subtle hint of a detail,
maybe share the hot color of the day. Maybe they will share additional info with a close
friend or fishing partner. Much of the information is given out with a bit of hesitation and
small tid bits are given here and there.

The third category I call the Mother Theresaʼs. The ones that go out of their way to help
out a fellow angler. The ones that take the neighbors fishing just to share the passion.
The ones that will shout to the non catching boat next to them to drift a half a crawler
with two split shots. Sure enough it works and now both boats are catching fish. The
ones who will actually talk to a stranger in the bait store and point out a hot bait or a
area or method to try. The ones who stand above the others by doing clinics for kids or
working with groups to really help others be successful. There are people like this. I
have seen one saintly angler toss the other fish-less angler a special crank bait to try
and five minute later they were catching fish too. I have seen proʼs give clinics for free
when they surely could have charge a fee. I have seen GPs coordinates shared and
very specialized techniques taught.

I have had times in my life where I have crossed paths with all three of these types of
anglers that I will always remember them. In addition to sharing fishing techniques,
modeling conservation practices also have a big impact on others. I remember in my
early ice fishing days, I was standing around a tip up along with 8 or 9 young men, while
a seasoned angler carefully fought and landed a 29 inch walleye and immediately
released it. That left a big impression on me and I know the young men who witnessed
it were shocked that the fish was released so quickly. It was obvious that seasoned
angler had done that before and I wanted to be to the level where catching a trophy fish
would not have to entail 10 minutes of photos or a trip to the taxidermist.
Now we go to the other group. The losers, the non catchers, the have nots, the 90% as
they say. These I place in three modeling also. Of course this is just from my personal
experience over the course of time and I will admit that I have been in all three
categories so I do not let myself off the hook here.

The first group is in the land of denial. These are the ones that will not admit they do not
know something and go thru the motions of being an avid angler but donʼt have a fish in
the freezer. Even with an upgrade to a St. Croix rod, the new Lund boat, the stickers on
the truck yet there is not a lot of catching going on. They do however have the verbiage
down and have the plethora of excuses ready to roll off the tongue. Its slow today, yeah
that cold front really shut things down, oh we got a couple of shorts. The problem is they
wonʼt drive down some other roads because they continue to pretend they know a lot
more than they actually do. Many of these end up going golfing instead.

The second group is the give me the answer crowd. They just want you to tell them
where to go, what to use, how to use it, and what time to try. They donʼt general
information they want the GPS coordinates. They want to go right to where the fish are
and tomorrow they want you to tell them where they are again. It may change from day
to day and they keep asking for the answer. They donʼt want the equations, or a map
they want you to bring them to the tree full of fruit so they can pick it.

The third group in this category are the sponges. They ask questions. They ask the bait
store workers, the people at the launches, the fishing forums, the person at the store
wearing a fishing shirt. They watch videos and read articles and get several magazines
in the mail each month. This is the group that feels that there is always more to learn
and the more they know the more they want to learn. In additions to doing all the home
work, they are putting time in on the water. They watched the drop shotting video and
now there are going to go give it a try. They even go fishing alone, it a passion and its a
focus and once they get into this category they donʼt last long before they convert into
being one of the 10 %.

Over the course of my fishing career, I can remember those who have really had an
impact on my fishing techniques. The man who I saw caught the big walleye and let it
go, Pro Walleye Angler Marianne Husky and successful guide Harry from
Harry's Hot Spots Guide service have all gone out of there way to help me improve
my skills. I feel like I am a funnel, and what I learn gets funneled to all the other women
in our fishing club, who then take their kids and their grand kids, and then the neighbors.
We even have women whoʼs husbands wait for them to come back from a clinic so she
can share the latest info with him.

Fishing brings such excitement and joy for me I want to share it with as many people as
I can. I hope my basket of fruit stays full so I can continue to walk down the road keep
handing it out. I hope that you will join me and there will be less pour souls walking
down baron roads. I hope to also be handing out examples of environmental
stewardship, caring for the resource and environment as we go. Modeling catch and
release and shoreline clean up, staying within possession limits and being a resource
for others. I believe the more you give the more that comes back to you. Kind of
reminds me the story of the loaves and fishes. There will be plenty for everyone so keep
sharing.

Salmon fishing in Wisconsin

Not that long ago, I lived in a sub division near Madison, WI. There was a guy that lived down the street that would go fishing frequently and come home with a cooler full of salmon. When I first saw that I was shocked. I had been to Alaska salmon fishing and I had no idea there was such a salmon factory in my own back yard.  I hinted around for an invite to go with him some time, but never got the call. I quit waiting, and started to learn more about salmon fishing in WI. Before long, I was making regular trips to Milwaukee to fish from shore. One of the first times out, I was 0 for 7.  I had the wrong kind of hooks. They were to big and to weak.  When I finally did hook up with a big King, after 20 minutes of fighting it, I ended up losing it while trying to get it into a net too small. It was heart breaking but made my desire to catch one even greater.

For the next several years I took many trips to Milwaukee to fish, and anytime I had an airport run or an errand in the city, I would go to McKinley Pier and take a few casts. One time, I had just dropped my daughter off at the airport and took my St Croix salmon rod and stopped to cast a PK spoon. Sure enough I hooked up with a King Salmon. I got it to the pier where a kind fellow angler netted it for me. I was unprepared because it was not a fishing trip but shuttle to the airport.  I failed to bring a cooler, knife or any other such fishing equipment. I was just planning on taking a few casts. A quick trip to the store and I was driving back to Madison with fresh salmon on ice. I felt as proud as a peacock.

My “airport run” salmon.

Fast forward 10 years, and I am now in a Lund 1875 pro v with a 200 Mercury 4 stroke. My boat is equipped with down riggers, and I have 6 rods for trolling for salmon. I often think of the neighbor down the street from where I used to live. Instead of keeping the secret like he did, I try to teach as many people as I can about the joys of Great Lakes salmon fishing.

My friend Kim and a nice coho she landed on ladies trip.

Now my favorite bodies of water, are The Bay of Green Bay, Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. I love the peaceful feeling that comes over me when I am on big water. The clean blue water, the beautiful landscapes and huge fish  keep me coming back. Don’t let big water scare you.  Knowledge, respect and several good weather apps will help you make good decisions about going out.

On one of my early trips to Sheboygan, I saw two guys, fishing the harbor in kayaks. They would rest next to a rock break wall, and then paddle fast pulling a crank bait thru a pod of fish. Sure enough they hooked up and they fought the fish while it was pulling them around the harbor. The guy and his buddy both got their limit. I am not sure how they hauled all those fish to the cleaning station. They out fished me that day by far.

Many times the fish are within the top 25 feet of the water. Rainbow Trout and Coho Salmon are both caught on shallow lines. I typically use Off Shore Tackle Snap weights and Tad Poles to get my lines down to cover the top 25 feet of the water. For deeper fish I will use Dipsy Divers or my down riggers.  Trolling spoons, dodgers and flies or J - plugs are usually what I use, The down riggers are a new addition for me, and you don’t need them to catch fish. Spring and fall are both great times to shore fish for them and many days I see small 14 or 16 foot boats trolling the shore lines. The harbor in Sheboygan, WI is a great place to fish but there are many good access points all across the Great Lakes.

My Lund 1875 Pro V. I LOVE MY BOAT!

There are a ton of charter boats that take people out all over the Great Lakes Region. Spring and fall brings shore anglers from around the area to grab a spot on the pier and cast spoons or soak live bait. If you are bored with your current fishing, or if you always wanted to go Salmon fishing, give the Great Lakes a try. From shore, kayak, fishing boat, or charter boat, there are many options available.  My fishing has become cyclical, late ice crappies, early spring river walleyes, early summer gills and bass, and the summer chasing salmon and Lake Trout. After fighting some of those giant King Salmon, I may just have to add Musky Fishing to the list.

If you would like to listen to a Wild Barb Radio segment that was taped on a salmon fishing trip, you can listen here. This is the trip Kim ( picture above) caught her Coho.

Gals in a boat chasing salmon

The Lady and the Bear

Bear Season is right around the corner. I have never hunted for bear, and I don’t really have a desire to, but a friend of mine told me a bear-hunting story I will never forget. I wrote this story based on what she told me. I hope you enjoy it. 

Chris grew up hunting and fishing. Her Parents and Grandparents taught her at a very early age and it has always been a huge part of her life. As each season passed, she looked forward to the possibilities that would follow, whether it is the opening day of fishing season, or the start of the next hunting session. Bear season was no exception.

It was fall of 1970 and opening day of bear season. Her usual hunting partner was her husband Darrell, and they both looked forward to the possibility of tagging a bear.  They planned to hunt the land near Chris’s Grandfathers camp near Conover, WI. Back in those days, there was not a limited number of bear tags sold, so the opportunity to hunt bear was there if you wanted it. 

They left at sunrise and decided to go to a nearby old railroad grade.  It was rumored that bears had been sighted in that area. The morning was cool, and just like every other day of hunting, Chris was excited. The feeling that the possibility of something exciting could happen at any moment hung in the air like the morning dew. They didn’t speak as they started on their way, but Chris knew Darrell was as excited as she was. 

The railroad grade was somewhat elevated over the land around it and they could see a good distance ahead. The colors had started to change, and bits of yellow and red were overtaking the green landscape.  As they walked, they were able to scan both sides of the tracks, looking for the black fur of a bear.  They hoped the scent of fall would turn into smell of bear. Often times, the first clue a bear is present is the awful pungent sour smell that precedes them. 

As the morning continued, the sun came out and it started getting warm. As they carried their jackets, it seemed the longer they walked, the more the excitement drained away. The possibility of success waned as the sun rose high in the sky.  Disappointed, they turned around and started walking back to the truck.

While walking back, Chris started to hear running water. She came upon a stream that crossed under the tracks and meandered around a corner. They were both surprised they didn’t notice it when they walked by the first time. They decided to explore and followed the stream for a short ways.  From above, Chris looked down into the water and sure enough, she saw a few nice trout. The disappointment of not seeing a bear was quickly replaced with the possibility of catching a fish. Fishing gear was always in the truck and Darrell offered to walk back to the car to get the rods. He left, and Chris found a place along the bank to wait for him to return.

Chris sat there in the quiet with only the noise of bubbling stream gently rolling over the rocks.  She put her gun down next to her and took her boots off, rolled up her pants and put her feet in the cool water.  She looked up stream to the hole she saw the trout in. The rocks made the water pool, and she sat there assessing where she would make her first cast. She laid back and relaxed feeling the warm sun on her face and the cool water on her feet. The thought of fresh trout came to mind while wondering what the dinner plans would be. It felt good to rest, and soon she started dozing off. 

KaBOOM. A single shot rang out. Startled, Chris sat straight up and looked around. It sounded close and it did not come from the direction Darrell had walked. She froze there for a moment not wanting to make any noise.  She quietly picked up her gun not knowing what was going on. Suddenly the sound of branches snapping and something crashing was coming through the woods right towards her. The sounds came closer and a second later, a large black bear came charging out of the woods right into the river. The huge animal was directly in front her where she was sitting with her bare feet in the water. She raised her gun and fired off three quick shots with her .30 - 06, bang bang bang. The large black mass dropped in a heap right in the river, directly in front of her. 

Chris sat there in a daze.  “ What just happened” Chris thought. She felt like she was in a state of shock, in total disbelief of what just happened. Her heart was pounding as she stared at the bear. Still not wanting to put the gun down, she slowly stood up.  She watched the bear looking for any signs of movement. She didn’t want to be caught without her gun ready to go if the bear was not dead.  As it lay there in the water, it was less that 10 feet from her. 

Within minutes, Chris heard more crashing thru the woods, but this time she heard voices. Again she knew it wasn’t Darrell, as it was coming from the same direction of the bear. She stepped back out of the water, still holding the gun, just as two men came out of the woods right behind the where the bear laid dead. 

One of the men was younger, and bounded through the trees first.  The second man was older and both looked out of breath. The younger guy yelled, “That’s our bear, we just shot it! Chris replied, “the hell it is, I just killed it! ” The moment was tense. Chris wondered how long before Darrell would return and was thankful she still had the gun in her hands. Both men were holding guns, and neither looked too happy. The younger man seemed more angry and shouted, “we shot it first Lady!” Chris paused for a minute and then said, ”Well, its not my fault you winged it, I shot it dead.” 

There was a pause and for a minute Chris didn’t know how this was going to turn out. As she stood there barefoot, she felt even more vulnerable; being out numbered two to one. She didn’t want to back down, she knew it was rightfully hers, but she did not want it to get ugly. She was on one side of the river and the two men stood on the other side, the bear was right in the middle. Time just seemed to stand still and nobody spoke.

Soon she heard Darrell come running towards the river from up on the tracks. He tore through the woods and when she looked at him, she saw a look of terror in his face. He heard the shot when he was walking back with the fishing rods, and couldn’t imagine what had happened. He thought Chris may have shot a bear but when he heard the man’s louder voice, he didn’t know what to think.

Once Darrell was present, things seemed to calm down. Chris told Darrell what happened and before long the two hunters agreed that the bear belonged to Chris. They even helped drag the bear up the hill to the railroad grade so Chris and Darrell could drag it back to the truck. Dragging the bear back to the truck was a chore. By the time they got it loaded and got back to camp, it was nearly dark.

When they got back to camp, Chris told the story again and again. The Parents and Grandparents couldn’t believe that had happened.  They laughed and celebrated the successful hunt that came with a bonus of a good story. The other two men must have went back to their camp, and I can only imagine what story they had to tell.

40 years later, Chris is still an avid hunter and angler. She mentors younger women and loves the great outdoors. Unfortunately, there were not photos of the bear she shot.

Chris and her hunting dog Sofie

Chris and her big Tom Turkey