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I get asked this question more often than you can imagine. “Do you think it will rain”?

I always answer that I can predict dinner, but not the weather. Then they say something enthusiastically “so your sure were going to catch fish”? I say, “I hope so, but I brought steaks just in case”. Some things I can control, and some things I can’t.

Just so I get my weight correct, I step on the scale after I shave and brush my teeth. It’s probably not a significant difference to anyone but me, but every little bit helps. “How big is that fish”, they all ask, “it’s a big fish”, I politely answer. I never guarantee fish, fish size or weight, just the fishing. That’s not cowardice, that’s years of experience.

Some mornings I leave and it’s a bright blue sky. But I still bring my rain gear and I always wear my life jacket I never know when I will get wet. The day Ronny the rock suddenly stood up in the canoe to stretch his sore back with no warning or coordination was something I could not imagine. Now I give warnings about quick jerky movements. That was an aerobic experience.

One day a young lady offered to get the fly rods, I was so thrilled to have some help. I was thinking to myself, boy is she nice. Then I heard the truck door slam and the unmistakable sound of rods snapping. I load and unload my own gear now. That was an expensive experience.

Were coming over a portage trail and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a park ranger in a green uniform. Very efficient and very formal came her official request. “Everyone rest there gear please; I need to see your camping permits”. What my young client heard was, “you’re under arrest” and he dropped the glass lantern. After cleaning up the fuel spill and gleaning the forest floor of any minutia of glass we were allowed to proceed and sent on our merry way. That was a funny experience.

My boat is cruising across the lake at almost full throttle when it suddenly goes submarine. The guy in the bow wondered what that funny aluminum thing was. When he flipped it open he and I didn’t notice that the anchor went to the lake bottom. Everything in the boat went flying forward and we came to swirling halt. I anchor from the stern now. That was a scary experience.

My client brings his first born from Maryland. His son wants to catch “old Joe”. This is a phantom fish his father has conjured up in his sons mind all winter. After countless four inch sunnies, one energetic son full of candy bars my bobber disappears. I ask young son to hold my fishing pole while I check the minnow bucket. The fishing pole takes charge of a little boy and after top of lung pleading for “dad come help me” we net and land “old Joe”. That fish that week at the local bait shop won a hundred dollar gift certificate.
Driving home he told his father and I how he handled that monster growing ever bigger by the minute. It was a humbling experience.

So if you ask me if its gonna rain, how big the fish was, is a canoe tipsy? Will we get our limit, or how hard should you set the hook? My answer might be to bring rain gear, wear your life jacket, no, please let me get that for you, because I have had plenty of experience.

The trout whisperer

Karl "Trout Whisperer" Seckinger is a respected JustNorth author and outdoor adventurer. His guide service, DuNord Guide Service, and the trout waters that he fishes in the Superior National Forest, are some of the most tightly guarded secrets among Trout enthusiasts in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Contact Karl at 218 - 525 - 0442 or write to him at:

DuNord Guide Service - 6999 Culbertson Road, Two Harbors, Minnesota 55616

Learn more about DuNord Guide Service in the JustNorth MarketPlace.