So, okay, we'll just have
to wing it to this one.
It's a challenging day for it,
now to ride off with somebody.
Yep.
They said they got here and there
were already people setting up in
their spot.
I know I kind of overheard him like,
I guess someone's got to get out
there so that some people stop
taking our stuff.
I'm going to fix that.
It's like this crossover between the
hunting and the fishing world.
Beautiful though
There we go.
Yeah, we should, if we can get that.
Bring that over here, let's see what
we can do.
The bed in the bottom,
next to the other cropping tank.
Now, I'm just trying to get it
bungee down here.
That doesn't work.
That's just all of this.
Give me a few hours!
That's right, I guess I needed
bungee cords, and I don't have any,
so we're going to do the next step
soon.
We got it.
I keep feeling it back in my
fingers.
Yeah. Yeah, that's
scary.
Too warm, isn't it?
Uh-huh.
Yeah, same. That's what happened
with the not so good.
Yellow
I couldn't get my food done.
I had one heel that just wouldn't
go down, and
then I tried to
lace up my boots in the end, but
they were frozen, I couldn't tie
them.
And I couldn't zip my coat and my
arms. He has to probably put an arm
on the hotel room.
Um, I just, I know, one
thing as a kid, we had to drive.
It's so beautiful.
Let's make sure...
I can't, so when I come back,
I can do it right now.
I'm going to take this slow.
I just got to get a face mask and
a coat or I'll die.
Yeah, I got that on tape too,
if you know what I mean.
Court.
We'll both find it.
I've never seen a camera that would
be able to do this.
I wonder if I should, like,
hang around the gate.
I think that was a good start on
that one.
Ah, yeah!
All part of the process.
Hell of a way to travel.
Silly me, I didn't do anything
better!
You have to go to the ranger.
Alright, see you in a bit right
here.
Do you want to go through in the
car?
No, that's fine.
No, I'm fine, sure enough.
Well, that's all for the other
thing.
Hey, not cool.
This is Grendos right here.
Let's go ruckus down there for a...
Different one.
The other one has like a red flash
on it when it turns on, I've never
seen that before.
I think that's about it, OK?
Yeah, but.
Yeah, but this one says 91 now.
Oh, save yourselves!
Thank you!
Yay!
That's too long to have my hands on.
No bear skin in this
weather.
It's already freezing up in there.
Alright, we'll use these.
There.
Okay, so there's my little marker.
Now I know my minnow's down.
In the depth I want him.
So now I'm going to get my charcoal
going.
What the fuck?
Apparently even though I had this in
a pocket with a hand warmer
Come on, buddy.
You used these batteries when you
shot Wisconsin winter,
right? Yep.
And they never had any problems?
It wasn't as cold.
It's all different,
like this.
Zach refuses to believe it.
No, I get it.
It'll be alright.
Okay, so I'm using this torch and
I'm hoping it's going to, I've got a
hand warmer wrapped around it,
so hopefully it'll keep working.
I'm trying to get this
charcoal to light,
and then I'm going to put it in that
little can with some other pieces
and it should last all day.
Metal is not good
Come on.
And all this requires so much
patience.
I think they're doing this clinic at
the beginning of February where the
guys from Bite Box are taking our
girls out again.
I went last year.
And then I bought one of their boxes
for this kind of conditions.
Alright, I'm clearing, we're
good to go.
Throughout one fish and
if you blow it you're really mad.
So you have to have everything set
up right.
This thing.
It goes like this and then when
the fish takes it,
that little ball,
that little ball should
stand up.
You're cold too, I know.
We're all cold.
Yeah. Thanks.
I think Courtney...
But I can just haul all my
stuff in and then you just
lift it up and fold it over and
go inside with your heater and
you're nice and toasty.
So, you know, you want to bring a
little bit of everything, so that's
kind of how it looks.
You got your heater, of course,
and your bait, and
snacks, and
all your warm
packs, hand warmers.
Thank you.
Another one
I had a bad idea.
Stuck to a tip-up.
Well, I'm ready for that bite me
off to blow off.
That's gonna be cool.
Do we have any wind?
Brenda, is that your bite me box?
It is. Cool.
I had a flag barb, so maybe,
uh...
Except it didn't take it
on that big sucker.
The line was out about a foot.
I mean, it could have tripped it,
but...
Cut!
Maybe someone's chasing it.
I did now.
I heard the same thing.
So I'm going to
just like feel.
I'm a newbie at this too, I only
learned this last year.
I don't feel anything.
All right.
But look.
Same thing, it took about a
foot of line out.
So sometimes when they're just
fooling around, they'll take
it a little ways and drop it right
away.
Just make sure it's still on there.
Still on there, any teeth
marks?
No, no.
All right,
go get them.
You get to live another hour,
friend.
We're less. I actually want to pull
it. I'm going to take the
opportunity to pull a little higher
because I might have set mine a
little low.
I went down with that one just
because trying to catch a fish
off the bottom, and I thought I'm
going to put it down a little bit
just to see.
Oh shit.
Yeah, it's being a little bitch.
Sorry, camera.
He says he can beep it out.
OK.
There's probably a lot of that.
Not a lot us watch our language very
well.
She really might sell it to you.
What?
Your white fox.
I said, you give me such fox, Andy.
Really? My poor little gray fox.
I'm so full.
This is so big and I have such a
tiny head, I feel like an idiot in
it, but it keeps me really warm.
I told her she looks like a cute
chick. It looks beautiful.
Beautiful and keeping you warm,
which is really why you're being it,
right?
There you go, you got it?
You got it?!
Do we have time for a flight trip?
Now I'll get a shot of yourself.
It's so warm, I'm sweating my
ass off.
Oh my god, you look amazing.
What is it? It's Arctic Fox.
I literally looked at the foxes
twice. Have you heard us talking?
I forgot. Come check out our setup.
Do you want a
different middle?
Over there,
yeah.
How does this work?
It's like there's nothing and then
the screen will be full and then
they'll be gone.
I've never caught a white bass
through the ice till the other day.
There's some big ones in here.
I'm going to drink it.
At one of our events,
a gal caught a
huge white bass,
and she said, does anyone want it?
I don't want it.
Someone said, yeah, I'll take it,
and they ended up cleaning it.
Here it would have been the state
record.
Are you kidding?
It was on Big Green Lake,
actually.
It was funny.
There's some big ones in there, too.
I never fished on a big green.
Is that where Pat?
Yeah. Grand�?
We used to do a lake
trout trip out there in the winter,
but the ice hasn't been as
good out there as it has been in the
past because it takes quite a bit of
this kind of weather to get that to
go.
Yeah!
No, I talked to her on the phone!
Yeah, I just slapped it
and woke up.
My beaver mitt.
The hand warmer should start
working.
What's that?
I'm just saying I remember a rig,
and I never do.
So we got out here this morning and
we had our pins of where we
go, you know, and we were
here at early, earlier
than everyone else, to go out and
save the spots.
About four people are already on
that spot.
People on another spot, we're like
trying to, you now,
hurry and get to...
Thank you.
I think when they have those big
marks, because I'm getting a big
wide mark coming in,
I think it's multiple small fish
together in a big group.
Just the way they're acting,
they're like those white bass.
Yeah.
What it looked like was it looked
like something came in
on my...
We can wrap, but that'd
be good.
Oftentimes we'll have somebody
working a jig like this is
sort of an attractant bait that's
flashy and it's moving around down
there and then other people are
fishing nearby and
hopefully then they get something on
the other rods that we're just
trying to bring the fish in.
At least that's the theory, I
learned that from Barb.
The learning curve for fishing like
this is pretty tough,
you know, I mean you have
to have someone be
showing you, it's just hard to go
out and do yourself.
So it's so fun to watch every
event, the gals show up to
you know each event, then they're
more skilled and more skilled, and
you can just see how, and
if you got someone showing you you
can improve really quickly,
whereas if you're on your own,
You know, it takes forever.
Nowadays YouTube and all that stuff
is really helpful but you
can study all you want but you need
to see it and feel it
right on the ice there so
you know exactly what's happening.
So it's fun to see the growth of
people that started with their very
first time on the ice and to
see them now, you know, with all
their own gear and all
the equipment they need and out
here, you know going on their
own and going with the group and
taking other new people out.
That's, is kind of
the key to the whole organization.
You like it?
This will be fine.
This should work.
So, Barb, walk me through a little
bit of this morning.
How much different is it when it's
this cold versus just
regular cold?
Well you know it's
it started actually last
night because you know
anyone who has a a
unit like a snowmobile or atv on
the trailer you know before you go
to bed you want to start get them
started so they're kind of
run a little bit it's not as long
of a time period where they weren't
running and half of them wouldn't
start so now we're towing
them off the trailers to
kind of bring them all in the heated
garage to get them
going so that
is just a lot more work and then
it's a more to do in the morning
so but when
you get out here even the best-case
scenario no still some people's
didn't start we came
out early and she went to go back to
get other people and it hurts at
least a snowmobile wouldn't start to
go back so then we're out here with
nothing and you have to
be sure that you have all your
ducks in a row and all
the you know jump packs
and the phone charger
and uh You know, I did
a seminar yesterday and I told them
how important it is
to stay ahead of the cold,
just on your body.
You can't put your gloves down
in the snow and let them get all
wet or you can't have your
hands wet from the minnows and put
them outside because everything just
flash freezes instantly.
So you have to be kind
of have a totally different mindset.
You know everything should be
covered. Um, so
between the equipment...
Like we couldn't get any of the
heaters going.
We couldn't get the auger.
The batteries were frozen and
so everything is harder.
Everything takes longer but
you slowly you know you get
one going and you get that warm
and you warm everything else up and
it's a process and you
you get through it.
So it's you
can't pick the weather.
That's for sure and
The thing about it is, you know,
it's like hardly anybody canceled.
You know, it's 23 below
zero and
they're in it.
They're in for the adventure.
You know the other day when I was
out here, I thought, doesn't it feel
like we're in Antarctica or
something? It was like we were on
some type of frozen
tundra expedition.
And you know I think that's part
of the draw for ice fishing.
You know it's you're on a...
Frozen lake it almost feels like
the moon and the
noises that you're hearing and
that it's just something that
feels special and
not everyone can
do it you know and
to be one of the few that are
lucky enough to get to experience it
is just
kind of a cool feeling you know it
makes you feel like you're
rugged and accomplished and brave
and up for a challenge
and The things you get to see,
people don't realize.
You know, like yesterday, there was
a fox running across the lake, and
that was so cool.
And, you know, a lot of times we
say, you know it's about the
fishing, but it's so much more than
that.
Just the experience of feeling
ice being formed under your feet
as you're walking across it and you
hear it, and it sounds like
whales, and it's just like
a different escape
that you're in.
It's a different world.
It is.
And nowadays, the clothing
and the technology has improved
so much that if
all through your suit floats you,
I have not really been
cold.
When you know how to layer and you
know how you buy the right
stuff, then it's
not like people think
that you're freezing, but you're
really not.
I mean, there's ways to stay warm.
And of course, Brenda, we love
our fur.
Those animals know what they're
doing.
Yep, that makes
a huge difference.
So what's, what is it about
ice fishing that's
ice fishing for walleye?
I mean, I know you, you told me
years ago about your, one
of your first times catching a
walleye through the ice was kind of
sparked your journey, but.
Well, you know it's like,
it seems like it's
high value,
high effort.
So to be
able to accomplish that,
it's seems like there's a certain
sense of satisfaction that you get.
You know, especially in Wisconsin,
people love walleye fishing,
and people go to
destinations specifically to catch
walleye. I mean, it's just kind of
the premier species.
To target and part of
it is you know because it's such
good table fair but
you know I remember as
a kid or as a new
novice angler you know anyone
can catch bass or bluegills
you know that seems to be you
know you can get hundreds and
hundreds of those but to go
out and target and be successful
catching walleyes that kind
of ups it up a notch and
so when you achieve that
I think there's a greater sense of
accomplishment.
Especially through the ice, you
know, it's like,
it is a little bit more of
a challenge,
but it's also can
be really, really
exciting.
It's kind of magical to see that
fish come up through the hole.
Yeah, especially a big one.
So you know it's,
when we're in situation...
Oh, sorry
guys.
I'm sorry.
That's fine.
Hey sweetheart, I'm only answering
this because the guys are in here
filming right now, and I want,
I thought I'd better just answer you
so you can say hi.
Hi, John!
Uh, not very many.
There's some that are here
and there. Got some walleyes,
crappies, white bass.
Um, a lot of white bass are kind of
Messing with us?
Flooding in and flooding out.
You can you can blame Zack
because when he went with us all we
did was catch smallmouth.
Oh Just blame
him
We got here at early
morning before light and
our first two spots had
groups of people on them.
I guess we weren't early enough.
We're not the only idiots out here
at the crack of dawn in this
weather.
Wow, well, all right, I'll let
you guys go.
I was just going to see how
you're doing.
And yes, it was 35 below
at the camp this morning, so.
Do you still have water?
I got water, a few furnace issues
that I'm working through, so.
Alright, well, you go.
We'll talk later.
I love you. Bye, honey.
Love you too, bye!
Bye, guys!
35 below that's that's
cold enough.
Okay, I'm gonna I have my ringer
off. I'm very sorry about that guys
I mean the last time we talked to
you was probably about a decade ago
or something?
Yeah, I think it was at our 10 year
anniversary, you know, and
now we're, this is our
20th year and it's
kind of a anniversary here
because 20 years ago, the very
first event was on the same
body of water.
So it's kinda full circle
back,
but the, you know,
23 people at the first event, I
think, and now, you
know, we'll have an ice fishing
event this winter that there'll be
85 women at.
We have close to 700 members
from 23 states in Canada.
So it's not just a
Wisconsin thing, but
what it is, it's like a
networking support group for
women anglers.
I mean, there's people that are
members that have never been to
an event, but they find so much
value in our
members only forum that
we have that it's,
they're learning all the time
and they're growing their own
skills. In.
It's just nice to have
people to reach
out to if you have questions and
not have to worry about you know
someone saying something dumb
because right now trying
to get information off that online
or on internet that these different
things you know it's a vulnerable
place for a woman to go because
someone will ultimately say
something dumb or hurtful
or judgy and and
we've created an
atmosphere within.
Our culture, we have our
own culture.
And that culture is to be super
supportive, super welcoming,
and really, you
know, kind of help that
first barrier women have to step
through the door.
That's the hardest part, getting to
the first event
and staying.
But if they just can get their foot
through the door, they feel it.
And they want to be a part of it
too.
And and that
is something that
is really important to us because
there's nothing like you
know wanting to be a cool kid but
then not being one of the cool kids
so we've kind of eliminated that
in our organization
and everybody has value everybody
is welcome and um...
It just creates a space
that people want to be in
these women want to in it
and it's so important to them When
someone new comes in They're
gonna make sure to pass that
forward.
And that same message resonates
with everybody in
the group.
And that's kind of the key and
the most important thing because
in this world
today, that is
a rarity.
And we have really
excelled at that.
And that the one piece
of the whole thing
that I'm the most proud of.
Well, and the evidences of people
coming back.
Oh yeah, yeah,
can't get rid of them, even if it's
20 below, you're here,
we're in, we are all in.
Right?
Always, always all in.
And what is it like for you,
because you talked about for
yourself in your own journey of like
going from Bass or Bluegill,
but when it's like for some of the
other new members, when they make
that transition, the excitement
for them has got to be just the
same.
Yeah, you know, and one of the
things that we have in place is our
master angler program.
So there's different benchmarks for
species.
So if everyone's used to fishing for
the same thing all the time,
now they have reason
to kind of start learning about
new species and how to target them
and where to go to
that really is
going to help accomplish that
goal.
So walleye, I think walleye has
to be 27 inches long to
get the master angler
pin.
And whoever in the group gets the
most pins in one year for
like your small mouth
and large mouth and
walleye and whatever.
Whoever gets the species at
the end of the year is crowned
angler of the ear.
And that's kind of
a coveted
goal.
That is the only competitive thing
that we do because competition
just you know makes people not
want to share and teach each other
when you're competing each other and
that's one of the things I see in
some of the other groups you know
if everything is a competition
you don't get that mentoring you
know because people are competing
so this year almost competing
against yourself you know so
And what it does is you learn
new techniques, you learn new
destinations to go.
You're not going to catch a walleye
if you're fishing the With no
walleyes.
So you know just learning about
different places to go and I
think the water that we're on today,
Castle Rock and Pete and well this
system the whole Wisconsin River
system is known throughout
the state for being a
good walleye fishery and
some of the you know most of it's
the season's open year-round so
you that early spring walleye we
bring a ton of gals to
the Dells every spring and every
fall because of that.
Walleye fishing.
So, you know, this
is, it's kind of
feels like the heart and soul of
Wisconsin, you, know, like if the
Wisconsin had a
state fish, maybe they do.
I don't know, it might be a muskie,
but it wasn't be a walleye.
I mean, that's really,
you you know.
And then to be able to branch out
even further in in like
Target Salmon in Wisconsin
or Whitefish or
Inland Trout or just variety
of different species that ordinarily
you may not even consider,
but since it may be
help you on your path to gain
angler of the year, then you might
think about it.
And it's
fun to watch, in fact last
year this
was so fun to because
we have a woman who's here today,
actually, who's in her
mid-70s.
And she was tied with one of the
youngest gals in the
club who's also here today in
her early 20s, and they were
tied, kind of.
It was so fun to watch, you know?
And Rita, the older gal,
she used to fish with her husband
all the time, but then her husband
passed away, and then she
just sold all the stuff because she
thought her fishing days were over.
And then she found out about us,
and she's all back all in 100%.
And that is
kind of a cool story.
And it repeats itself
over and over again.
You know, not only widows,
but someone dated a guy
and they fished
and now he's gone, but they still
want to fish.
So we're kind of, we
feel a need, I believe.
And it's just
fun to see how it's progressed.
Our story that we're looking at is
relationships in fishing,
and kind of what you talked about is
sometimes there are spouses that get
involved because the other one cares
and then they become interested or,
you know, it's the whole thing.
You can bring a book, too.
You can just be out on the water or
out somewhere.
But how important is it that there
are, I mean, I guess how closely
intertwined are relationships with
fishing?
I think it's...
It's your way
in.
You have to have, there's
very few people that
just decide to take up fishing
and don't have a relationship with
someone who already
fishes because it's
harder, harder than it seems.
And she might be letting that
run because of it.
Hey Lindsay!
Nah, that's right.
Go here.
Are you just letting it run?
Just wanted to make sure she was
going to go for a little bit.
Okay we're recording in here
so just so it
doesn't I mean no big deal but
if you're gonna leave it run we're
gonna ask you to drive somewhere
else.
Cash.
What were, what were, where were,
oh, relationships.
Flag?
Flag!
I'm gonna be famous.
Okay, let me, okay.
You ready?
It's a little long!
Hmm
Yay!
Thank you.
Go, baby!
Oh, hey, it don't
matter.
Good job, girl!
It's not a wall hanger,
but it's the first one of the day.
You're awesome.
I don't have my little ones with me,
so...
Hi, buddy!
Oh, girl!
Hi!
He didn't take it all far.
Huh?
He didn't t take it out far.
Oh, that was it?
Yeah. That was it?!
That was good.
That's all we took.
All right.
Let me get some more.
This is going to
be a freeze-off, okay?
Thank you, thank you!
And then, uh, yeah, let's
get the thing going with...
You're so funny.
We started laughing,
uh, didn't we?
Yeah.
Come on!
As much as possible.
Wow, that's good.
This is actually our first day
of ice skating. Oh yeah, you're so
right. OK. We'll be out tomorrow
and we'll be doing a tomato
and bagel.
OK. Bye.
Oh yeah, okay.
We'll be back after a few more
minutes.
That's over where I live, where the
Green Bay is.
Okay, but from the bottom is where
the wall air.
Hello, Alexa,
when, um, like, last year, I stuck
in clinic the first time you weren't
happy to give up.
No.
Okay, so you would...
I mean, typically when I was a
teenager, it's not very often,
and always the men were doing
everything. That's why I joined the
club, was so that...
Like I'm responsible for my own
fishing. Yeah
Yeah, that's similar for me.
I've never done it. I would just sit
there and be like, yeah, here's the
mirror, you know.
I'm trying to get to do it from the
top left here.
But I bought my tip-ups last
year, and I joined the club in
December last year.
So it's like, that was all,
a lot of that was new for me, you
know, to learn everything myself.
But I think tip-up are really fun.
I love them, like running for a tip-
up. It's like the best, you know,
and then you can catch it a big fish
realize that's the best.
That's what I want to do.
Fishing wise,
women's peer groups are,
for fishing, are small, you
know, and they're close.
Like, you don't necessarily
cast a web out to
find people to fish with,
and then if you do, you find us.
And
help young administrators,
some leaders, with
vision that...
So we can go fishing.
I know, right?
Cause we're running out of time.
You know, there's no shortage
of ideas and
plans and programs,
but I just can't say how
good it is for the solo man.
Yes, indeed.
That is a fact.
Brenda almost didn't walk through
the door for her first event.
No, it's backed out.
I actually turned around and started
driving away.
I had so much anxiety, I didn't
know any of these women, I didn't
know what I was doing,
but I met Barb at Deerfoot and
that kind of started it all and
so pretty soon I was gonna go to
Canada and fish
at this resort with all these women
I didn't know and yeah,
it produced a great amount of
anxiety and I got over the
border, I went through customs and
was driving up and I was just like.
I don't want to do this.
I want to go home. I turned around
started driving and then of course I
was like Oh, you're being an idiot.
So then I turned her out again
Showed up there and it was it
was great It
was great. I roomed with Audrey.
I think she was 75 at the time
She was just a kick
Yeah, that was a long
time ago.
That was a long time ago, I've been
around for a while.
What can happen?
I'm eligible again this year.
Oh good, I'll get going.
I haven't caught anything yet this
year.
Oh no, I would never want, I hope
Rita gets it this year.
Fishing, you know, and then when I
came to do a seminar for the
ladies this yesterday
because we had to cancel because it
was so bad out, but
you look around at the group
and everyone you look at
it brings back a memory of
some kind of event or prior
fishing excursion because
what fishing adventures do
is they create these stories.
You know, and you can have an
adventure story of something that
you experienced and some of them
are wild.
I mean, and it's
so fun to be able to have
that and to share it with people.
And you talk about the sporting
heritage of fishing in
Wisconsin or whatever culture
it is.
It's by telling these stories and
passing on the information about,
you know, because It's exciting.
You know, it's very exciting to
participate in.
That's what I think of when I see
these people.
And then you develop these
friendships that want more of
that.
Hey, I know.
Let's go here.
And prime example is I'm going
to Lake Erie this spring
walleye fishing with Betsy
and a couple other gals.
And I've never done that before.
We're taking the big boats.
And we do a class
every year on the Bay of Green
Bay Wale fishing for
big walleye.
That's a perfect walleye
destination and we teach them
trolling or jigging or different
techniques.
So you get like 12
boatloads of women up there and
some of those boat captains or boat
owners are really nervous
and inexperienced.
But nobody you know we
take them out onto the water
and we say okay these waves
are too bad so we're not going to
launch here we're going the launch
over here where the wind isn't
much of an issue.
And you come up with this whole
strategic plan.
And then maybe on the way somebody
gets a flat tire so everyone
stops, you know, and you're fixing
this flat tire and it'll be
a future story down the road.
Yeah, remember that time we were
fishing in Green Bay and you got
that flat tire and we had to change
it on the road?
This is what part
of the experience and part
of what they're learning instead
of feeling powerless
and helpless and having to call
someone to help you.
So.
They're walking away from these
events with confidence
for fishing
and outdoor adventure,
but it sticks with them throughout
their being a
spouse or a parent or
an employee or a boss or
whatever. It just changes you,
and that is why
this type of stuff is
so important.
Unique in that a lot of those other
relationships are parent
to child or spouse or family.
This creates a different kind of
relationship.
Absolutely,
but you know and it's like you can
be vulnerable you can try
new things you can fall down
and start crying and
no one's gonna judge you and
no, one's going to you know
think any less of you.
They're just going to help you up,
pat the dust off you, patch
on the back a few times and help
you get going again and
that is
a big void.
The lack of judgment is really
a huge part of it because I think
especially as women you just
feel like if you don't do the right
thing you're just doing something
wrong and then you have the anxiety
and the judgment.
Then you apologize.
Oh, sorry, sorry.
Women apologize all the time for
things they shouldn't be apologizing
for. Don't apologize for that.
Yeah, exactly.
So, you know,
it has a life of its
own. I mean, I didn't start out, oh,
I'm going to do this and this and
this.
I'm just hanging on for the ride.
It just has its own spirit,
and we're trying to steer it
to make the most impact
we can. We're not- making
any decisions on
to how do we make more money because
that's actually the part that we're
really bad at is
being financially because
you know this I mean I've been
working for two weeks on this
prep for this and everyone it
only cost $25 to come
and part of it goes back to the big
fish contest so
it's it's
a challenge but it's
it's not going to change under
my leadership anyway because
then only the people with
financial resources have the
opportunity to have the experience
and i don't think that's fair
because i think sometimes people
don't have anything will
get the most out of it
so we have loaner gear we
brought shacks and tip-ups and
everything so they didn't have to
have anything And
we, you know, gave him a ride out
here.
Or gave them the opportunity.
And they're going to have a story
to tell. They're probably going to
go tell their kids and grandkids,
yeah, I got to film
on a TV show.
I mean, that's a big deal.
So I'm just so proud of
the gals. They do really
a good job today.
And the whole philosophy of looking
out for one another is
super important
to all of them.
And there's a, everyone's
a little bit different, that's for
sure. There's no two that are
the same and all
different political affiliations
and religions and
sexual orientations and nobody cares
about any of it.
And there is not too many places in
the world that have that
total neutral zone
feel.
And this, we do well.
So when you think
about walleye
as a species to target,
obviously there's decline in
walleye populations in some areas,
in some places where they're doing
really well.
But one of the things that we're
looking at is the
amount of money being spent on
research to make sure
that walleye do
stay where they are thriving and
hopefully come back in populations
in other places.
In your opinion, what would be lost
if walleye were
just kind of let to be fended for
themselves and where they do well
they do and where don't they don't,
they just disappear and there's
other fish.
Well, I don't think that
that's the answer, you know.
I mean, you could obviously get
totally taken over by
invasive species or species
that have no value.
And part of the
value or the allure is they're
not real easy
to catch.
And everyone has to
take a certain amount of personal
responsibility when
they're participating.
The walleye culture in
this state and
you can't you know complain about
not catching any walleye when
you're there over harvesting or
harvesting ones that you should be
throwing back and having a little
self-control and really
take proper care of the fish.
I mean that's something that
we dwell on is
you know mindful harvest you
can harvest a fish nobody has a
problem with that but You're not
going to go up to Green Bay and
keep...
20, in your group,
20, 28 inch walleyes.
That's just not the right thing to
do. That is not how
we are going to participate
in the walleye culture.
And we do a really good job of
teaching that and letting
people know, you know, what's
the right size to harvest,
when do you target, blah
blah blah.
And it makes a difference.
So today's lecture...
Out here you talked about what are
the impacts of this fishing in this
cold weather in its fish
mortality because you take a
fish out of the hole and all
of a sudden they're flash freezing
just like everything else and their
eyes will freeze right over
and you can't have that
fish out of the water and so today
their instructions were
TV show or no TV
show if you catch an undersized
walleye you know,
you got to put it right back in the
water and not like be standing
around waiting for someone to take
your picture with it because it's
going to die.
And so
that's the kind of education part
of the education thing.
And we all know from social media
the whole opinions from
catching to put into
grease or catch and release.
I mean that's like people fighting
about that all the time.
But I think there has been
a pendulum shift
and I think people are becoming more
educated and more aware of the
importance of letting these fish go
and also you
know they're being more vocal about
where they want their tax dollars
spent on you know
what what do I want the DNR
in the government here that's
running this program what
do i want them to invest
you know, the money,
the taxes that I'm paying into.
And you have to be proactive about
that. You can't just bitch
about what happens and not take any
action or not do anything to
help change it.
And between personal
responsibility and education,
people are complaining about it, but
they don't even know what the
reality is.
They think, oh, they stock too
much, or they don't stock enough, or
no one's spending any money on
stocking.
Everyone's got an opinion, but
hardly anyone is based
on facts.
So I think it's a responsibility
for the individual angler to
be more invested in the
culture and pay attention on
what's going on with the laws
and the stocking and the reports
and participate in
that process positively.
And not as a negative
naysayer to whatever's doing.
You know, you have to be engaged.
You have to show up to the meetings.
You have kind of talk to the people
that are in charge and not just
complain about things.
And you have teach your
fishing buddies, you know,
when to let a fish go.
And it reminded me, when I
was a young ice angler,
it was night.
I was fishing on Lake Wabisa.
Everyone had some, a bunch of people
had tip-ups out, and I was there and
a big group of guys.
So someone's flag went up.
And of course everyone goes over
there to see what happens.
There was a bunch of young 20 year
old guys around for some reason.
So the older guy that had
the flag went over there,
got the tip up and it was a nice
like 25, 26 inch walleye.
And that guy unhooked that
fish and let it go.
And every one of those 20 year olds
kids sat there with their mouth,
their mouth that dropped right open.
Like they were
so shocked.
That that older guy let that
fish go just like that
and you're like what
are you doing you know
and uh i think
that that lesson in that
example of what that angler did
made a huge impact on those
young people and
uh that's the kind
of thing that we have to share with
our fellow anglers you
know just you
know be an example sometimes
to other people That's important.
So, I always remember
that story.
And it's interesting you talk
about speaking up and access
to people that make decisions and
you you get the governor in your
boat every year or have and
Yeah.
Well in that, you know,
I mean that was just kind of a
weird coincidence how it all
started.
But when I had the
opportunity,
I took advantage of it and I
took it very seriously because I
knew what an honor it was.
And so that's
the kind of thing that challenged me
as an angler.
All of a I'm going to a lake I've
never even heard of and
it's I have to take the
governor and a whole bunch
of photographers and filming crew
out on opening morning
and have the
governor catch fish.
Well you can't pre-fish because
the season isn't open and
everyone's after the walleye because
the wall eye is the main coveted
So the pressure's on,
you know, like, okay, how am I going
to pull this off?
So I do a ton of homework.
I talk to a bunch of people and
then I go out scanning and scoping.
And we just fish for some pan fish
to get a feel for the, for the bite
and uh, how active the
fish are, where they're at.
And I've been able to successfully
get him a fish every
single time.
And one of them is.
The biggest walleye that a Wisconsin
governor has ever caught in
the opener.
So that was a huge
sense of accomplishment.
And there's a great photo of
this, you know, me and
Jane and Ricky and the governor
netting while they're fishing.
Everyone's so excited and the rod is
bent.
And I mean, that's why
we do that.
And so.
But when I do have an opportunity to
hang out with him, just a fish,
and now I seem to get an invite
back every year, so I must be doing
something right.
But I talked to him about
this stuff, and last May
I was talking to him how
crazy it is that
you have to
ride on the back of the sled, you
know, you
can't sit behind me on
my ATV and I don't have a 2-Up
and I can't afford a UTV.
So I have this ATV that
I've had and I can safely
give people rides out behind but
they changed the law.
They made it against the law unless
it's factory made for
a two person.
So I talked to them about that.
How hard it was for me
to get these older ladies out
with that not being
able to give them a ride.
So anyway I said hey if you ever
want to go ice fishing you know I'd
be happy to Take care.
So sure enough, I get an email a
couple weeks ago that says,
hey, Governor would like to
go ice fishing.
Are you available?
I'm like, oh, heck yeah.
So that was an opportunity.
But whenever you get to
fish with a dignitary like that,
you don't get a fishing day with
him. You get like 35
minutes between this time
and this time, and it's followed by
a horde of people.
And so it's,
I know it's.
Probably just symbolic.
But the fact that, you know,
it was 10 below zero and
these conditions, he came out kind
of around here, we were in a spot
close to here.
But yeah, it was an
honor.
And I told him,
you know, what Angler's opinions
were about some of these laws that
they have.
And he listened, you It's like
And he's like, yeah, well, that
doesn't make sense or whatever, you
know, or sometimes like, well
okay, what if, you know.
So, but we talk about it,
you know, and he was telling me
stories of when he
ice fished as a kid.
So he has, you know
and he does not claim to be a good
angler, because actually he's not
very good at all, but he doesn't
ever claim to be good.
He just enjoys it and that's the
beautiful thing about the sport.
You don't have to be good at it.
You just have to enjoy it.
You know?
My daughter came with us up on Lake
Superior and all she really liked
doing was riding on the dog sled.
And she comes to be nice to her mom
and spend time with her.
Everybody's got their reasons.
Yeah, not everyone is going to
have cut hands and calloused
fingers and fishhooks,
you know.
They're not crazy like us, Brenda.
No, they're not.
Last night I was tying rods and all
of a sudden I got blood dripping all
over the table.
I don't know what's happening. Well,
my thumb just split wide open from
the first thing and went, oh,
whatever.
Someone give me a Band-Aid and you
keep going, right?
Brenda, if you would,
can you tell me a little more of
what you were saying before about
how you getting a no-barb
kind of influenced you
feeling comfortable
guiding?
Because that's the story you told us
when we were talking to you before.
Okay, sure.
Well, you know, a lot of it, I
fished as a kid and I loved fishing
and I lived with my grandparents on
the Bay of Green Bay where perch
fishing back in the day was amazing.
And so I loved fish but as
I got older and I was a
teacher and I had three kids of my
own, there wasn't a lot time for
that. You know, we fish sometimes in
the summer or on canoe trips up in
Canada.
But as they got older, you
now, if you do your job
as a mom, you basically are
teaching your kids to not need you.
And so I got to that point where
they were not needing me and that's
a weird place to be as a woman.
So I was starting to get more
involved in hunting and fishing and
stuff because we got this cabin up
north in Hayward and my husband was
always a big outdoorsman and I had
this in my background from
childhood.
But sometimes just fate steps in
and does something.
I happened to be in this area close
to the Deerfoot where Amanda Wilson
was starting this lady's muskie
school and my husband was taking
people muskie fishing and
so I got involved in her
muskie and helping out and
at the bar at
the Dearfoot I met
Barb at this event and
we're talking and pretty soon she's
talking to my husband because he
talks fishing way more than I do and
they are chatting back and forth and
then they started talking more ice
fishing up on Red Lake!
Stay in sleeper shacks.
My eyes just lit up.
I was like that sounds like the
coolest thing ever to be in a
sleeper shack and be fishing
while you're sleeping and I
said something like well I've never
done anything like that she said
you're coming put
her arm around me well you're coming
with us so a
couple weeks later there I am in
a car with Bonnie as a matter of
fact who I didn't know and
I'm driving up to
Red Lake in Minnesota with her
and Staying in
a sleeper shack, I think it was 29
below. It was like one of these
crazy, crazy cold fronts
where heaters weren't working and
things were going to hell.
But I caught a walleye in
the shack, like, at
night, staying out there.
And I just, I thought it was the
coolest thing ever. And I met these
people, these women, that didn't
want to talk about a lot
of stupid stuff that I don't care
about. They were talking about
fishing and what kind of
minnow they were putting on.
And I'm like, I can relate to this.
This is my jam.
So anyway, it was a great
experience, but I
had a lot of trepidation because I
was a weird girl.
I liked to hunt and fish, and
I didn't have a lot of girlfriends
because I didn't have a lot of
tolerance for, you know, let's go
shopping and what kind of purse
we're going to buy. Nothing against
that, it just wasn't my thing.
And so I always felt a little bit on
the fringe with that and I was
kind of like being alone a lot.
But what I found when I met Barb and
these women is they just
make me a better person.
They make me learn to
not doubt myself, and to
be helpful, and to encouraging.
And as a teacher, I did that a lot.
And as mom, I do that a a lot,
and now I kind of feel like
there's a place for some of that
again in my life.
And it makes me feel valued and
important, even when I screw up like
I did this morning,
and had the wrong hitch pins,
and things went to hell.
But I got lots of hugs,
and come on, it's OK.
We'll get back on track here.
It's just been so empowering
for me.
And without that kind of confidence
that I've gotten here in this
non-threatening group, I
wouldn't have been able to pick up
the oars and take a client
out fishing. I still get really
nervous about it because I want them
to catch fish and I feel really bad
if they don't.
But I can spend a
day in a boat with people and take
them down that cool river and we
have a lot of fun.
And I know I never would have done
it had I not met Barb in this group.
There's no way.
They've been a gift.
And so for you, does this compare
to that? Or is that two separate
things like going down the river in
the canoes? Obviously that was an
amazing trip that you guys get to
take people on.
Oh, I think they're
hollering.
Do you want to go?
Oh, no, that's
good.
All right,
so comparing this to...
Just ice fishing for you is like is
this you know something to do in the
winter like there are some people
that are Like ice fishing is like
well. That's something so I don't I
still want to fish, but I can't wait
till the water comes open
No, I can't wait for the water to
freeze. I'm one of those people that
loves winter again I like
peace and silence and so
even up north where our cabin is
when winter comes all the people go
away and It's quiet
and still with all the snow and to
me It's just a magical world and
obviously I like my fur
and my down and my
my wools And I keep warm and
I'm comfortable and I love being
outside in the winter so ice fishing
is a perfect fit for me
And I love the challenge.
I'm kind of a competitive person
down deep, mostly with myself,
not with other people, but it's like
trying to get that thing to bite.
Like this right now is so stressful
for me because why are you not
eating what I'm giving you?
And I've given you like lots of
things.
But I like trying figure it out.
It's like a puzzle.
It's a game, you know, and trying to
figure it.
And I just love being on the ice.
I'm the one at night that everyone's
ready to go. And I'm like, but
there's a fish right here.
Just wait. There's one more, you
know. And I get in a lot of trouble
for that.
But being outside is good
medicine for me.
I love it. Makes me happy.
Even when it's 15, 20 below?
Yeah. I don't like the wind.
Wednesday was a challenge.
That 20 mile an hour wind.
I'm not that strong.
So hanging out all that stuff when
it blowing around, you know,
that's another thing about our
group. I think we really do a good
job of You know, everyone's
got their wheelhouse and their
strengths and weaknesses, and
we all find a place where we can
be of value.
You know nobody asks me to lift
anything or try and pull something
apart that's difficult because they
know I have weak hands, but it's
okay. I can play the game with
everybody and someone with stronger
hands does that job.
I can't kneel down.
She can't knee down, so if things
fall I always try and bend down and
get down on my knees and pick them
up.
So it's just, it's a cool thing.
It sounds like a train's coming
through here.
I feel a crack under your feet.
Yeah, I'm wondering what that...
I think a vehicle's driving on the
ice.
Oh sure, that's what it is.
We were fishing one time with this
group up in Bayfield and
I was with a girlfriend in one of
those flip-over shacks and
all of a sudden, and it's
ice about this thick and it's
crystal clear so you can see down,
all of the sudden water comes
shooting up out of the holes about
this high.
Well that was new to us.
I jumped out the door as fast
as I could, I didn't know what was
happening, but I think it was
someone was moving with some kind of
machine.
No, there was a freighter going...
Is that what it was?
A freighter. Okay.
I can see the water level.
You see that?
Yeah. Video of those rusting
cookers. Yeah, we'll get the...
They're at the trailer, the Toyota
truck in the trailer.
Okay.
I had to burn funds, burn things.
Let me in or out of there.
Here's your gloves.
I can't have orders though.
I keep taking my gloves off.
Thank you.
Boy, that's some sticky business.
Well, do you do like action or are
you just filming?
Just filming.
Okay.
Can I go ahead?
Oh, sure. What are you doing?
I'm going to belt some more.
See you on your-
Can I have your ball in the sand?
I'm gonna come out of here.
I don't know.
It was.
It's really great that Brad
Carey donated
for the cause,
not cooler there, for the Brats,
which she doesn't know about yet.
I'm like, oh, I forgot a pen!
Thank you!
You're welcome.
Do you need any help cleaning up or
anything? We need to clean it up for
hours.
Ok, well let me know.
Alright.
I'm going to have to get some of
these out of here.
I wonder if no one is going to make
it here. Should I go tell everyone?
I yelled real loud.
These guys are...
Yeah, it's hard to
keep
things.
Water about these terms
I'll find your way.
No, I just can't see nothing.
I don't like to burn them,
little burnties good.
Fire, fire, fire.
Can be done!
Minus, what is it now, minus 10?
Cool. Oh no.
No, no, no.
Man, I gotta shut this down.
Minus six.
Okay, warming up.
Yeah!
Thank goodness!
How long have you been a member of
the group?
The whole entire time.
Oh wow, cool.
Yeah, from day one.
I don't know if that's going in the
pocket or not.
I'll end up down by my leg if
I'm not careful.
Whoo, yeah!
Playing that.
I think there's like, I
don't know, 30 of us here,
but they got like 120 brats.
I don't think we need to cook all
those!
Keep it going.
She gonna be mad her cooler's
getting trashed.
Workin' out great though!
There's a zippered end here,
so I lined a bunch of paper towels
in the bottom and then put tin foil,
a little cradle, I forgot a pan.
So, I'm just so glad for being here,
it's awesome.
There's the full stag, somebody
contributed.
I wish I could tell you where the
rocks came from.
Perfect.
I'm going to say Johnsonville, but I
think that's
somewhere.
So.
How many rats are
done?
Kill me.
I just know what
Say what?
Yeah, it's just really foggy
there.
I wish dogs were really in there.
Right down
All right, you get it.
Appreciate y'all
So, others.
And I got some in my hands.
Two, five.
I accidentally...
There it is.
Did this go in there?
What's the bomb?
I don't know. Oh, yeah.
It's got good flavor.
Oh, yes.
Where's the home for Dark Boy?
More than both of them?
Do we have more months?
Be careful.
Oh my goodness.
Back down.
That's what you need, right?
Look at the bun
Oh
Bitch.
Oh yeah, that's why it's a good
time.
We're down there.
Don't throw it away!
Give it to your neighbor!
I'm gonna go get the plague.
Flag
And a slick-out.
I haven't caught anything yet.
I had a nibble.
Too many eyes here.
Do you like my hair?
Do you have a lovely picture of
mine?
That's how you do it.
You guys sit down and keep quiet.
And calm down. We're not going to
ask you anything.
So Bonnie is the one that's fishing
with us?
Uh, Emmy!
That's what I'm going to do!
Good morning, that's Alicia.
I accidentally hit the trigger of
my school when I sent the hug, and
I'm like, fuck!
And then I kind of throw the phone,
and then I'm really going, oh my
god, so much!
Yeah, you know, this was in the
cool back, and then this
is the cool, and it's long.
This is the end of the video.
I was like, Mark, believe it.
We made it.
The white grass, like last time,
was funny. I actually hit the
trigger when I said to look.
And then I threw my phone, and then
I was, like, wow.
Party is party going on
out here I
was
in the middle of all the
I got another rod down and I should
stand on top of that pole by
the time I'm ramping.
Yeah, be kidding me,
he stood up for a ride,
too, I'd walk, and I'm like,
well, maybe it'll come back,
I wish it
was like a leash, so you could be
like, alright, come back in the
house, I got you.
Okay, from the building and the
whole ground away.
Yeah, from my other side, I think
you're over it.
I'll put my coffee behind you.
Are you sure you're not in?
At least there's a hole in the door.
On the edge!
On the Edge! I can't see in the
back, I'm gonna call them.
Here, you can all just stand.
On the edge.
On the end.
Who's back here?
You gotta scoot in.
Come in real tight.
Uh oh.
We're looking right here!
Sue, you're not in the picture.
Tony, you are not in picture.
Barbie, you aren't in the
photo. You're not it either.
Come on, me!
Come on!
It's called a fish!
You're going to have to bend the
camera.
And then turn it
there.
Jamie, will you come
up here and kneel
in front of Alexa?
Alexa!
Turn the lights on!
There you go again!
Okay, if everybody can see the
camera, the camera can see you.
This camera.
This one.
Oh, this one.
Hey, your cell phone!
Look at the cell phone.
I think I'm playing. Say, are you
serious? I'm serious!
Alright,
now are we looking at you?
What's the picture?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24,
25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 33
We're going to have a little air
before we leave.
We're done with the photos.
We're gonna have a fishing recap.
I'll tell you what's happening.
Bonnie's over there by
herself with 42 feet of water.
11 feet of fish.
11 feet water.
She's by
herself. She's a little quiet.
What are you using, Bonnie?
It's just a small jig and two
axes, and I just
need to go down to the line and
drop just a little bit at each
set.
It's so cool.
And make them like this, just grab
them out and then lift up and
just small jigs.
And if they want it, they'll come
up.
So, what color jig?
Green. Green.
Please, please, please!
I hope you're able to see where
you're going.
Log in to your phone with
her Apple ID though, so hopefully it
doesn't...
Oh, on my phone?
Yeah. Okay.
We did that with Barb's once.
Searched her whole property and it
was on the tailgate of her truck.
Remember that?
I forget those.
Bye!
This was my first bite of the
day, and I missed it.
Yeah, I think yeah.
Oh, it pulled my waxy off.
Yeah, mine may have too.
Have you had better luck with waxies
vs.
Spikes?
I didn't I don't have
spikes
You have a vertical or horizontal
presentation.
Uh, I've
caught some on both.
Huh?
No, I mean right now I'm vertical.
Can I help buggers?
There we go, come on.
There we go.
See that was, that was caramel for
kneeling.
Oh,
nice one!
That's a nice one with its
color. I thought it was a bluebill
at first.
That's fun.
Yeah, it's like they look and
look and then just hammer
it.
That's fun. That's going to be
dinner.
I think someone got one that was
over 13 today.
Here, Ricky.
Right here. See, right here with
this.
Come on. I know you hate that.
I do hate that, I know, you do hate
it.
Okay, I'll go first here,
just push right there, right there.
It's a big ball of ice on the
bottom. There you go.
Been in that shack all day,
don't realize how cold it is
outside, feel bad for you guys.
And you setting up that heater for
it? Is it just between us
coming out here and just watching?
Yeah, is it?
Yeah, is it keeping your batteries
alive?
We're over here.
So Bonnie had said she was barely
moving her jig,
so I've been in there like
trying not to move it and
then like the MegaLive set up in the
shack and watching these big
sturgeon come by.
Like on some kind of superhighway
because they're all just roaming
through they don't care one
bit
I have a...
So are you holding it still like
Bonnie said or are you jigging it
like usual?
I'm moving it.
I'm trying to come up a
little bit if they
seem interested.
After a while there was some...
There's somebody down there.
Yeah, the not huge one,
there's way too much line on here.
Oh, they're lively.
These lively ones, they want
those.
I kind of want to just fish right
now for a little while.
We got a heated garage in
this joint?
You got a heated garage in
this joint.
Everything should be okay unless you
hear an explosion.
The heater was a little too cold.
That's the way to do it.
So far, I'd be okay with it.
Huh?
This is the way today is going, I
would be okay with that one.
There you go. She's got the...
Okay, hey, hey.
I want it so bad, Al.
Hey, what do you think? Yeah.
Woo.
Are you guys alright?
I saw a thing, like a medical aid
bracelet, and it said
just throw me in the trash.
We're going to
hook up that other sled.
A lot of our stuff is just thrown
out because we had to
turn this stuff out.
Let's step up and put this back.
Woo! Let me need help.
That's very nice.
What's going on?
I must be scared now,
must have taken me down.
Oh, damn it.
Way more information.
Can I engage better
the behavior of the fish and let
them do what they want.
Oh, it's fine, it was a deal.
So, now,
you see how much room there is?
And now the fish have just kind of
gone away right now for this moment,
so I'm going to cover a little bit
more of the water common.
Look, it drew one in here, or that
could have interfered.
But these crappies, that happens
quite a bit with the brush.
Just gently pull up and start
reeling.
I think I just saw it again.
Yeah. Like, raise your tip and
stuff, and you don't have to...
So when you're digging that,
try to feel the jig, the
weight of the jig.
That's a real, real little jig.
And then if you...
I almost can't feel that jig, it's
a little... Yeah, and if you feel
nothing, like right now you know you
have a little bit of time, but now
one's coming up to you, one's
looking at you right now.
Oh yeah, that's right, I thought I
saw it go down.
Stop watching the Vexly Watcher.
Okay, good.
It's kind of caught, your leg is
kind of...
There's something underneath, yeah,
just raise it up just a titch.
I haven't caught a crappie before,
so I really don't know how...
Oh, you haven't ever caught a Crappie? No,
so, I don't how this feels, or,
yeah. Well, it was better for
Swallow, I was a couple weeks ago.
Maybe we should get you that...
The opposite, huh? I'm going to give
you a different rod.
I'm just gonna do this so I can see
on the camera.
No, I'm on a mission.
Yeah!
I don't care if someone beat the
crap out of me.
When you put these waxes
on, you put them
on a variety of ways,
it loads that like that.
So if you see this in the rod tip,
that's a bite, that is a crappie
bite.
Is it because they are biting up?
Yep, they are just taking the weight
of the jig. So now,
and there is a fish on it right now,
so if you watch that
rod tip.
See like lift it up a tear
so you see where your jig is you
see it.
Yeah, get a little bit more
Okay, now you see a little more
and now you can see that separation.
Yep. So jig there a little Now
you
can lower it down a little and you
wait for that to come up to
you So the
blue gills will pull it down
But the crappies will do this
So when it's on
you close, watch
that. And if you get that, you
feel nothing. But when you lift up
your rod tip, there's going to be
weight. And then just start reeling.
If nothing's happening for a while,
drop that down and let it hit on the
bottom. Kind of stir up that
muck.
But there's fish close to
you right now. So don't do that now.
Well, you can, because there might
be a neighbor. There's not muck
under you, though.
If you ever see you're doing this
and you see a mark come above you,
reel above it because that's
probably a more active fish that
has just come in.
Because it'll only ever hit from
underneath.
Yeah, generally.
There you go.
And remember what you did last time,
you kind of went a little bit more
aggressive and then you came back
down and came up and then bit,
so then you want to repeat that same
scenario.
Thank you.
It's like a series, you're going
through a series of
specific cadences,
and when they hit, then you got to
remember what that series was and
repeat it.
That's the hardest part.
Down and hit that bottom, let it
even, there you go, like that.
There, even more, a couple times.
And now come up about two feet,
up a little higher, up little
higher.
There you go.
Now come back down.
Now they're kind of getting more and
more fired up.
See how that fired them up?
Hooksets are free,
and then one time it's going
to be loaded.
You saw that too though didn't you?
I did see it.
Unless you have them on,
and you lose them, they don't know
what happened.
Start out with a little bit more
separation so you can see exactly
where the fish is and what it's
doing, get your bearings there,
and then go down,
because then you can see what their
reaction is.
Barb, did you talk to Betsy and
Lindsay?
I hope they catch us.
Oh!
So, and if you,
one rule of thumb is to fish
with confidence.
I mean, you know,
like sometimes you make the fish do
what you want it to do instead of
like being hesitant and waiting
to see what it's going to do.
So this one's like fucking around
with you. Go down to the bottom
again and count, then come up,
and then go down, and that's
how you got that big bite.
Thank you.
This is what we're doing.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay.
It's not going to scare them away.
Well, the same thing has
been happening over and over.
Yeah, I know, right?
So, you know,
it's a matter of the clock's
ticking. Get it going.
How I would jig that fish is
at this point I would
try to be a little more aggressive.
Okay. So I'd be down more at the
bottom. Okay.
Beat that up.
Four here and I...
Stay down there, get your rod down.
Is this one the original wall that I
drew?