I was raised on a small lake in the Brainerd Lakes Area of Central Minnesota.
Before the age of ten, I was entertaining guests out on “our lake” in the family boat. As I got older, my friends and I rode our bikes to try fishing different lakes.
Getting a drivers license opened up the world to me – as there are over 450 lakes in Crow Wing County alone.
After finishing high school, my heart was asking me to be a guide – but I didn’t listen very well. Instead, I went to the University of Minnesota for a wildlife biology degree, which took me in different directions for a couple of decades. All the while, I was hunting and fishing as much as I possibly could. I became more and more adept at catching northern pike, largemouth bass, walleye, sunfish, crappie, and perch. In the fall and winter, I commonly hunted ruffed grouse, ringneck pheasant, ducks, geese, rabbits and squirrels, deer and bear. In addition, I trapped all types of furbearers. Dedicating myself to the pursuit of excellence has always been one of my primary goals.
Around the age of 40, I finally listened to my heart, and took a leap of faith to begin guiding professionally. Some may remember “Big Fish Hunt Guide Service” – where helping clients to catch giant musky was my specialty, but pursuing all forms of fish was my daily routine. My guide business flourished, but some health problems forced me to discontinue for a period of time.
After making a comeback, I opened up a new guide business in Alaska – where I helped clients to catch all species of salmon, halibut, and enjoy all the wildlife and scenery that abounded there. By this time, I have fished all over the United States, Canada, and Alaska. Now I’ve come home again, to the lakes of Minnesota – where I will focus on helping my guests to make their dreams come true. We’ll be catching fish, enjoying the outdoors, gaining knowledge, and making memories.
I enjoy helping everyone– from the youth, to the elderly – from the novice to the hard-core angler. I do have a special place in my heart for children, the handicapped, wounded warriors, and the elderly.
Over the years, I’ve gotten a bit of a reputation of being a wildman. Not that being with me is dangerous, but generally speaking, I am always out for an adventure. When you go all the time, fun things just tend to happen – hence the invitation:
“Come Adventure with the Wildman!”