I’m a life long resident of Northeast Iowa and my earliest two memories of fishing came with my dad and granddad.  I can distinctly remember fishing the Turkey River East of Eldorado, Iowa on a warm April Sunday afternoon for Suckers with Grandpa Carl.  The second memory is Northern Pike fishing with my dad on the Wapsipinicon River.  The power of a big Pike was intimidating and addictive to a young boy.  These two trips kindled a passion for fishing that came full circle in college.

The Upper Iowa River was the fuel for my fishing passion.  I attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa my first two years of undergraduate work.  I found myself majoring in Bassology (a big Upper Iowa Smallie will definitely interest you in the study of Bassology) my sophomore year.  My roommate and I fished every evening of the fall our sophomore year.  That fall we practiced catch and release on over 700 Smallmouth Bass.  All of the fish were caught on crankbaits and spinners while we waded.  We quit fishing when we couldn’t handle wading anymore because of the cold water.  I was literally hooked on fishing and learning how to fish.  As a biology major in college I tried to apply science to fishing so I could better understand the biological systems that were in play and how these systems affected my success rate.   

Fishing is now something I do that provides me with great enjoyment that I can share with my own family and with other outdoor enthusiasts through my website www.fishdecorah.com.  I feel very fortunate to live in a place that you have to struggle some days to decide on what you can do.  Do I fish the inland rivers today by canoe, kayak, wade, or some combination of the three?  Do I hit the trout streams and look for a big carry over trout in some hidden hole that most people skip.  Do I hook up the boat and drive 30 minutes to the Mississippi to fish for its plentiful offerings?  Some days it’s tough living in Northeast Iowa.  Too many places to recreate and so little time to fish them all.

Brad Johansen