So... Sitting in front of the fire here in Borderland looking over Rainy Lake I'm sipping a little more Baileys and a little less coffee as the weather cools. I can't help but ponder what gets anglers to the point that they live,breathe, talk and write about fishing. For many it was a father that took them out on the water when they were young, or maybe their grandfather. I was fortunate enough to have a grandfather whom loved fishing as much as I do now. It didn't really matter what we caught as long as we were on the water. We spent many of days on river banks in Ohio when I could visit catching bullheads, carp, Gils... He and my grandma would come to Northern Minnesota each summer for an Up North trip in which we would fish walleyes. We weren't exceptional walleye fisherman by any means, and many of days we'd have a basket full of rock bass, perch, northerns and then an occassional dumb walleye. We didn't know it wasn't cool to keep rockies?? I learned that later!! It wasn't until I was about 11 that I became completey addicted to walleye fishing. I suppose the Lindner boys threw me over the edge as I still can picture myelf glued to the TV watching all there highly technical approaches to landing walleyes. As I grew up in Southern Minnesota my mom would take me down to the good old Lake City Pier in which in all honesty I probably cut my teeth on jig fishing for walleyes. A couple unnamed older gentleman took me under jig slinging wings as many of many days my mom would take the time to bring me all the way down to Lake City and let me fish. Back in those days we weren't worried about abductions and crap like that. Although I do remember being very uncool fishing with my lifejacket on!! I could remember watching these guys work handmade jigs and bucktails in amazement as they didn't even have bait!!! I can remember telling my dad that these guys don't even use bait. "Wow they must be wizards or something!!" It was those two unsung heroes without sponsorship or flashy boats that I credit for teaching me the fine art of walleye fishing with jigs. I remember explaining to my mom that my line was too heavy and my pole wasn't what I needed "I needed to UPGRADE!! I was fortunate enough to be able to upgrade my $15.00 set up for a $35.00 fine Walleye slaying machine through a self pioneered used golf ball business. We would sit shoulder to shoulder down in the rocks working our jigs. Wasn't much small talk as there was really only one thing we were there for, and that was being ready for walleyes to come through!! I was plenty excited when they would hook a fish, and usually hustled over to try help them with the net or at least string it up, and they graciously let me even though surely they didn't really need any help. As the summers went on I started catching a few of the dumb ones out of the school, and started earning my keep as the "Kid" I was part of the TEAM!! I was coached and watched very intently as they were masters at finessing a jig through hazards. Each spring I would return towards the middle of April and each year we were reunited. As I became a bit older the "Kid" was able to drive new ride down there, and had gained a ton of confidence in my jigging game. The older gentleman would now SOMETIMES see what I was using or fish over in my hole I had found. Together we would Lay the Wood to the walleyes with bucktails, big twisters, fuzzy grubs... I too didn't need any bait anymore. LOL!! They were no doubt MY biggest influence in walleye fishing. Today as I ponder being a full time Licensed Captain here on one of the greatest Walleye fisheries in the world I can't help but think back on how the simple joys of fishing have got me here. I also know that those two gentleman aren't fishing anymore, but wonder if they knew the influence they had on my career!! KUDOS to the old guys with no bait!! You were the best fisherman nobody used to know!!
-------------------- Chris Granrud - RainyDaze Guide Service World-Class Walleye, Crappie, Pike & Smallmouth Bass Fishing! Visit RainyDaze Guide Service to book your next adventure!
Thanks for the great read Chris! It really got me thinking about where and when it all started for me.
Two things really stick out in my mind, both of them had my dad not far from my side.
Starting at a young age you can't beat cutting your teeth on slip bobbers. I don't think I've ever bobber fished with anything but a slip bob and always wondered why all the other kids I fished with at out local pond would look strange at my set up. My oh so strange set up worked oh so well and it's because that's how dad taught me to do it. I've caught more fish in my life slip bobber fishing and to this day is it still one of my favorites!
The second would be the day my dad taught me to vertical jig, just so happens it was really close to were you got started eye fishing. It was a nice day on Lake Pepin and we were fishing below Maiden Rock when dad taught me the fine art of vertical jigging and everything just clicked. I will remember that day for the rest of my life. We caught a lot of fish that day even though a lot of them were sheepies and bass it sure was a blast!
I thank my dad for all that he has taught me in the outdoors and can't wait to pass my knowledge down to my kids!
You're tuggin on alot of heart strings there Chris!
Fishing with Dad on the Mississippi, trolling cisco kids, watching with awe that mysterious fish in the net with glassy- marble eyes. Any pole was good, mostly zebcos with old shakespear rods.8 to 25lb.test, hell, line was line to a little kid. Pops would order the ciscoe kids by the 12 gross, pick out the blue ones and watch his sons fight for the rest Blue crankbaits? Who in their right mind would fish with a blue crank? Yep, Pops was way ahead of the game and just plain took the time to get his boys out there. Dad is 78 now and still teaches the pups a thing or two. Sometimes watching old schoolers slowing down and simplifying techniques while handing you your [censored] is a pretty darn good influence. Thanks for the great topic
Dick Grub from Chicago. He would come visit a week or 2 every summer in Aitkin to fish mille lacs. He made it a point to come get me out of bed every morning to go catch the launch out of Fishers resort. Those where some good old days. I was happy to see a picture of him hanging on the cooler at Fishers last week. Brings back memories. Uncle Jim was also a great influence to. Thanks guys.
Stop being so humble RD you are my biggest fishing influence. Just kidding. My grandfather who was vice president of UMCO tackle boxes used to take me fishing when I was a wee scrapper. I guess my current influence that has made me such a rabid Rainy Lake freak is the unknown gentlemen in a bar who said "you are going fishing where!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, do you have any idea what that lake is?????????????????????????? Son you best get a handle on your pants now because Rainy Lake makes all others that you can get to without flying to look silly" and he finished his drink and left.
I started writing about this not too long ago and here is what I wrote.
Quote: The inspiration and passion of my fishing comes from many sources over the years being a mix of all the people I have had the fortune to fish with. The largest influence of my fishing like many is my Grandfather. I spent many summers fishing with him for most of the summer fishing lakes, rivers and streams. We would enjoy all kinds of fishing adventures together teaching me the ethics and morals I have today for fishing, hunting and life in general. Teaching was much of my Grandfathers life being a minister and later being a Chaplin for the Brainerd Area Civil Air Patrol. I spent a few weeks every summer with my Grandparents who lived across the street from White Sand Lake in Baxter Minnesota. There was a family I only knew as the Erickson’s who had a dock that we were allowed to fish from. If my Grandfather did not fish with me that is where I would be most of the day casting lures or live bait fishing for nothing but fun. My favorite trips were bullhead fishing for my Great Grandma who was from Iowa and loved them to eat. This meant that we would go catch frogs and get to the Boat launch where we fished from the dock for sunfish until dark when the bullheads came in shallow to feed. We would fish until the bugs were too much, then we would head home to clean fish before bed to ensure that there were no wasted fish. With my Grandfather there was no wanton waste and all fish were released unharmed back into the water. Even now that I am a grown man I look back to fishing with my Grandfather and long for the satisfaction of the fishing with him. I often wear a hat that I received of his after very short battle with cancer. During this short time he fished through me and I would come back and tell him how the fishing was and what they were biting on. That is I coped with knowing I would lose him soon. He was and is an inspiration to me in more than just fishing but in life. Rarely a day goes by without me thinking of him and never a trip out fishing. Most of my success in fishing is due to my Grandfather but there are other large influences such as my Father, close family friends and a few guys I have met through fishing.
Man I get friggin tears in my eyes every time I think of this.
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“Knowing is not enough. We must apply,” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Actually there were 2. First my dad loved to fish. But as an early teen looking for friends my age, I met a guy my age fishing crappies with his older brother on our local lake at a time when nobody else even knew there were crappies in there. I started hanging out with these 2 only to learn that they serious 2nd generation outdoorsman who not only liked fishing but hunted waterfowl, small game and deer and were into trapping too, not always within the parameters of the law. Dad capitalized on my newfound passion and took me fishing a lot and taught me how to trap too. Dad loved to fish for anything that was biting and provided table fare but northern pike were his favorite.
As a young-un my Dad got me out on the river soaking worms as often as he was able too. Then as I got big enough to handle a spinning reel the baits became spinners cranks and what have you…..thought I was the big kid on the block at this point I loved the time on the water which was spent in a 12 foot alumacraft with a 9hp Merc which was turned over to me in the summer when I was old enough to start it myself. It took a leap from the seat but I got er done
I thought open water fishing was cool but then Dad built us an ice shanty He would dump me off on his way to work so I could spend the day on the hard water with shelter to retreat to on the extreme cold days. I’m sure there were some PO’d old timers trying to fish while an hour was spent with a spud getting a hole through the ice. Every now and then a hole was drilled for me from a couple of the old farts (which is me now) that I did my best to make friends with.
Just when I thought I was becoming a fishing machine my Grandfather died and Dad built a house so Grandma could move in……OMG…..she was a fanatic about fishing We spent countless hours on the ice and in the boat together. In my mid teens grandma made sure to have a couple beers along to help me keep up my energy There were many ice fishing trips which started an hour before dark and if the crappies were around lasted hours after dark. You could say this is when my addiction for ice fishing took hold with a death grip Grandma Flossie taught me a ton about ice fishing and there are tricks I still use to this day
I still think of the good times and funny stories about Grandma when I’m out fishing for therapy, I also at times feel like she still has an eye looking out for me I am fortunate enough yet to be able to get Dad out on outings when he comes back to Wisconsin for a visit. We sure have shared some great times. I cannot thank these 2 enough for getting me in the outdoors.
-------------------- Bret Clark - IDO Ice Pro Staff "Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway."
Drowning worms w bobbers on Christmas lake near Excelsior, and then things really ramped up when my Dad took my little brother and myself to Bill Zupps resort on lovely Lac La Croix, (expliains the attraction to the borderlands)lots of smallies and pike w the a handfull of walleye. Still the biggest smallie I ever caught, what I remeber through a very cloudy memory was right @ 5.5 lbs. MacIntosh's toffee Turkish Delight Labatts Cuban cigars The crazy portage on the lil bus from Crane to Lac La Croix..those were the days
Being a Beverage professional RD I have to say that you can enjoy the flavor of coffee in the new Bailey's Coffee Liqueur... that way you can get the taste you are looking for and nevermind the time you have to waste while the coffee is brewing... 3 to 4 ice cubes and you're set.. it would leave you more time to finish the rest of the book you just started!
-------------------- Take a Kid Fishing, Cuz you get to go Too!!
Your Biggest Fishing Influence????
Thanks for the great topic 
I loved the time on the water which was spent in a 12 foot alumacraft with a 9hp Merc which was turned over to me in the summer when I was old enough to start it myself. It took a leap from the seat but I got er done 
He would dump me off on his way to work so I could spend the day on the hard water with shelter to retreat to on the extreme cold days. I’m sure there were some PO’d old timers trying to fish while an hour was spent with a spud getting a hole through the ice. Every now and then a hole was drilled for me from a couple of the old farts (which is me now) that I did my best to make friends with.
There were many ice fishing trips which started an hour before dark and if the crappies were around lasted hours after dark. You could say this is when my addiction for ice fishing took hold with a death grip 
