Some time ago a former Mitchell Daily Republic editor asked me if I’d like to see my column syndicated, and I told him that syndication would be ok by me. He failed in his attempt to syndicate the column, and I suspect that the failure related to my column being too local and not regional enough. It lacked relevance to readers as far south as Omaha and as far north as the twin cities. I wasn’t too disappointed as I was more interested in keeping a personal relationship with my local readers.

In spite of my column’s shortcomings, it still finds its way to some far corners of the world. I was once very proud of my column being anticipated by a barracks full of soldiers in Iraq. Today the most distant subscribing newspaper from my Wagner home base is the Grant County Review in Milbank, and it bothers me that my column is not always relevant to these readers. However, some great memories go back to my days in their north country.

While teaching/coaching in Willow Lake, SD, fellow teachers Larry Donovan of Arlington, the late Wayne Bely of Pukwana, and I made an after school fishing trip to Pickerel Lake. When I got home at 2:00 A.M., I laid a 15 pound northern pike on the kitchen table and woke up Betsy to see it. I was very proud. Her reply? “You got me up to see that?” She was upset to say the least.

During my Parkston years in the late 60’s, a group of us made a “school’s out” fishing trip to Lake Traverse where we stayed at Mindt’s Resort. One night Hugo Wudel gave me a hard time about keeping a “slimy, snakey” northern pike. While the men feasted on fresh crappie, Chef Lloyd Mahan filleted the pike, fried it, and put it in front of Hugo who replied, “You just can’t beat these fresh crappies.” Lloyd responded, “You’re eating that slimy, snakey northern pike.” The cabin went up for grabs with hearty laughter.

Back in January 1982 (special reduction season) I took a heavy five-point whitetail buck in a Clark County’s Dry Lake. That area now lies under twelve feet of water. Today Dry Lake is as good as it gets for ice fishing, and there is the very fine Home Town Hotel in nearby Willow Lake. I still make fishing trips to Dry Lake.

Longtime column readers might remember that Betsy and I once made trips to Africa, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand with my late partner, Don Kaberna, and his wife, Carol. I’ve kept track of their twin grandsons, 5th graders Connor and Ethan, and they gave me the complete lowdown on how to fish our northern glacial lakes. For us southern South Dakotans,

The boys couldn’t say enough about the quality of Pickerel Lake State Park, their home base, but they advised having a reservation. The family has a boat and camper, and Waubay is the closest town. June is their favorite month, but the entire summer provides good fishing.

When I asked about favorite techniques, it amounted to one thing – trolling bottom bouncers with a night crawler – spinner combination. They also have good luck with leeches. They prefer chartreuse in color. Their primary target is walleyes, but smallmouth bass and northern pike add to the action. They enjoy the pike, especially the big ones, but almost see the pike as a nuisance – especially when their sharp teeth fray and cut their lines.

If the action on Pickerel is slow, they head to lakes Enemy Swim (for bluegills), Buffalo, or Waubay, and sometimes smaller impoundments. Their biggest fish to date is Ethan’s 17 pound northern pike, a fish that came from slough-like Hazelden, about five mile north of Webster. Brent, their dad, sees the fishing pressure as reasonable as many local anglers go to Bitter Lake or the vast number of other spots.

These young anglers are handy with a fillet knife, and they know their knots. They have also bagged deer and antelope through the mentor program. Grandpa Don would be very proud. See you next week.