Reflections: Family Fishing Fame

Back before I retired, I attended meetings of the American Fisheries Society held across the U.S. and even a couple in Canada. At these meetings, fishery professionals exchanged ideas and shared results of research projects conducted to better understand how fish populations function and to evaluate techniques aimed at producing healthier fish populations and better fishing. In conjunction with these meetings, the hosts often provided fishing opportunities for attendees. I feel fortunate to have caught salmon in Alaska and Washington, white sturgeon in Idaho, spotted seatrout and largemouth bass in Texas, spotted bass in Missouri, smallmouth bass in Wisconsin and New York, yellow perch in Pennsylvania, and blue catfish in Virginia.

I hardly consider myself a “Master Angler,” but certificates from New York for catching and releasing a 21½-inch smallmouth from Lake Erie and one from Virginia for catching and releasing a 42-inch blue cat from the James River suggest I am. I have also caught several Master Angler bluegills (longer than 10 inches) from Pelican Lake in the Sandhills of my home state of Nebraska. There is, however, one recognition of angling prowess that has eluded me for decades but was achieved by my grandson when he was just 10½ years old.

Ben’s Bait in Battle Lake, Minnesota, is an important shopping destination for my entire family. About half of Ben’s Bait consists of fishing bait, tackle, and supplies. The other half has souvenirs, toys, Minnetonka footwear, and lots of clothes. Each year, we eagerly check out the new line of Ben’s Bait ware. Since I retired, a good share of my daily attire amounts to Ben’s Bait tee shirts, sweat shirts, and hoodies. But, there is one item of Ben’s Bait clothing I lack because it cannot be purchased and can only be won—a Ben’s Bait Fishing Contest Winner ball cap.

During the summer, Ben’s Bait holds weekly fishing contests. They award a ball cap, a gift certificate, and a their photo in local newspapers to anglers catching and entering the heaviest bass, walleye, crappie, and sunfish each week.

Tyson William Gabelhouse shares a middle name with his father, grandfather (me), and late great grandfather. He seldom hears his full name said unless someone is scolding him. Like the three generations before him, Tyson has also been raised going to the family cabin on Stalker Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

Tyson is an avid angler. He graduated from a cartoony, short, stiff rod and plastic spincast reel to a spinning rod and reel at an early age. When he’s not fishing from the boat with his family, he can often be found casting from a dock. He usually uses what we call a “Rut Lure.” We call it that because we use it so exclusively when we realize we’re probably in a rut. It consists of a 1/16-ounce black jig, a black and chartreuse twister tail, and a safety-pin spinner.

On May 31, 2021, Tyson was casting a Rut Lure from the neighbors’ dock, while his dad (my son Zach) was readying the boat at our dock for fishing. Tyson made a long cast straight out into Stalker Lake with his ultralight rod and reel. He knew right away he had hooked a big fish, as the largemouth bass went airborne. He screamed at his dad to bring the net and to hurry. As Tyson battled the fish, he became aware and concerned that he was going to have to pull the fish through a bed of lily pads. He got the job done while Zach beat feet to the neighbors’ dock. Zach netted the fish, put it on ice, and drove with Tyson and his mom, Diane, to town.

The 20-inch bass weighed 4 pounds 5 ounces and was the heaviest bass entered in the Ben’s Bait weekly fishing contest. And, Tyson wasn’t the only family member scoring a win. Diane took in two black crappies she had caught from Stalker the previous evening to be weighed for the contest. The heavier one went 1 pound 12 ounces and was the heaviest crappie caught and entered in the contest that same week. Tyson and Diane were photographed together with their fish and pictured in the June 9, 2021 issue of the Battle Lake Review/Ashby-Dalton Post newspapers. They both also received gift certificates and their color choice of Ben’s Bait Fishing Contest Winner ball caps. Tyson’s blue cap and Diane’s red one are simply beautiful!

My inability to win a Ben’s Bait Fishing Contest Winner ball cap is nothing compared to the joy I get from seeing how much the two generations after me enjoy and are proficient at fishing. Tyson and his younger sister, Atley, do enjoy reading books and playing video games, board games, and soccer. But with trips to the cabin and Scouts, their parents have raised them to enjoy the outdoors and to develop outdoor skills. Now 12½ years old, Tyson has suggested that he is “practically an adult.” Maybe it’s about time he develops another outdoor skill and learns how to operate a fillet knife.

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Don Gabelhouse Jr. is retired chief of fisheries with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and an avid angler. He’s a longtime contributor to the Reflections column.

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