Local Column 3-26-07
gengberg March 26th, 2007
River CurrentsThis past weekend, Wilderness Fish and Game in Sauk Prairie held their 24th Annual Fishing Clinic with two free seminars, manufacture representatives to talk to about new fishing products, and many store specials for the angler. I’ve helped and worked at about 15 of these clinics and things have changed over the years. The show used to be held Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday. Now, the event is just one day, but that is a sign of the times. Many of the in-store seminars and smaller shows are long gone with large venue shows now being the norm. The fishing business is not a large growth industry these days and grade school children must be recruited into the outdoors, if hunting, fishing, and outdoor activities are to continue and be a part of our ever-changing society. Children now seem more interested in computer games than learning how to catch a walleye or use a turkey call. If you’re an outdoors person, it’s up to you to get your children and others involved in the outdoors at an early age or their generation will be lost and miss out on one of life’s great pleasures.
Greg Bohn of Hazelhurst, Wisconsin is one of the country’s top anglers and teachers. He’s guided for over 30 years, developed some of fishing’s great products, and taught thousands of people how to fish with some of his innovative techniques and inventions. Bohn, is known as Mr. Slip-Bobber, for his use of slip-floats in catching all species of fish and particularly walleyes. I could go on and on with Greg’s accomplishments, but to put it simply he’s a great angler, teacher, and inventor. Or to put it simply, Greg Bohn is a professional. He’s taken a simple way of fishing (using a float or bobber) to the next level and beyond. All those who attended Greg’s seminar will have learned some new fishing techniques, no matter what their level of fishing proficiency is.
I, also gave an informative seminar and Power Point Presentation on “Spring River Fishing for Walleyes” that had all the chairs filled and people standing in any open-space that they could find. My presentation was geared to river fishing and particularly fishing the Wisconsin River for walleyes during the spring. By the comments that I received and the people that I talked to after my talk, the attendees learned valuable info that can do nothing but help improve their fishing techniques. Though, the seminar was centered on the Wisconsin River, the information and presentations can be applied to rivers anywhere in the Midwest. All bodies of water have their own local tactics, but a river is a river whether you’re in Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Michigan. Continue Reading »
