Twenty Questions with Walleye Pro Brian Brosdahl

Join us Wednesday night February 2, 2011 for a live chat with guest host Brian Brosdahl. The chat will begin at 7pm central time in the WC Chat Room. No registration is necessary to enter.

Juls: First, tell our readers a little bit about yourself. Who is Brian
Brosdahl?

Brian: That's a good question. Brian Brosdahl is a fishing guide in Northern Minnesota in both winter and summer on Leech,Cass, Winnie, and area lakes.
I like to target Walleye in the summertime and perch in the wintertime. I am a promoter for the fishing industry and I'm best known for my influence in ice fishing. I'm a lure designer for Northland Tackle, rod designer for Frabill, Bro Series Rods,
does retail visits, seminars, guest host for many different fishing TV shows, such as Lindners Angling Edge, In-Fisherman, Midwest Outdoors, Fishing the Midwest and many others.
I write and contribute to several outdoor/fishing magazines such as, In-Fisherman, North American Fisherman, Midwest Outdoors, Krause Ice Guide,Minnesota Sportsman, Wisconsin & New York Sportsman,Outdoors Weekly, and Fishing Facts.

If I am not guiding for Walleye or Perch I like to catch big Bluegills and Crappies.

I compete in Walleye Tournaments: FLW, Leech Lake Chamber Walleye Tournament, Cass Lake Cystic Fibrosis Walleye Tournament,International Falls Bass Championship.

I also help in kid events such as Fishing For Knowledge, which teaches kids fishing in the classroom, then we take them out on the ice to catch the fish.

Juls: How old were you when you first began fishing as a child?

Brian: Fishing charter w/ my dad on Lake of the Woods, and caught a walleye.

Juls: Who took you fishing for the first time?

Brian: see above

Juls: How did you get started tournament fishing, and do you remember how
you got your first sponsor?

Brian: Started out w/ the FLW League around 2005 and one of my first sponsors was Northland Fishing Tackle back in 1999.

Juls: What is your favorite memory from all your years of fishing?
(tournament or fun fishing, it doesn't matter)

Brian: Catching Big Bluegills Through the ice on a small lake.
They averaged 1 1/4 lbs. to 1 lbs. 10 oz. They were everywhere In the mid 1990's!

Juls: Several Pros are involved in helping some of their sponsors develop
new products. Are you doing anything like that too? If so, can you tell us
anything new that is coming out?

Brian: I helped developed tackle for Northland Fishing Tackle; Ex: Bro Bug Collection. Frabill Ice Fishing Rods, ex Bro Rod Series, Humminbird flashers, Outerwear Clothing for Snosuit, GPS Maps for Lakemaster
(New Stuff) High Def photo images for spinner blades casting spoons 2011, & Frabill Stormsuit Rain gear 2011

Juls: Are you a "full time" pro? If so, what did you do before you became
one?

Brian: Yes, I am a full time Pro-Fisherman before this I worked @ a resort doing anything and everything( guided too).

Juls: You fish year round, which do you like better, ice fishing or open
water fishing?

Brian: Ice! Ice fishing is my true love!

Juls: Who are the rest of your sponsors?

Brian: Frabill, Northland Fishing Tackle, Snosuit, Strikemaster Augers, Humminbird, Minn kota, Cannon, Lakemaster, Evinrude, and Ranger.

Juls: We're in the midst of the "off season", so what are you doing now? Are you doing any sport shows or boat shows where people will be able to meet you and talk to you? And, if you know a schedule, can you list it here?

Brian: Guide, Ice fishing, Seminars, Sport Shows, Speak @ private clubs, winter festivals, winter tournaments, tv/radio show/filmings. (The show I am doing w/ you Jules.) I write and contribute to writers. Several photo shoots as well as Co-host Midwest Outdoors,In-fish, & Fishing the Midwest. I do kid events for the organization Fishing For Knowledge. Events that are coming up Wig Wam Resort Lake of the Woods Blizzard Blast Jan 29th 2011, & Eel Pout Fest Walker, Mn Feb 18-20 2011

Juls: Do you do any kid's events?

Brian: Yes, Fishing For Knowledge Organization.

Juls: When did you get your first boat?

Brian: When I was 9 yrs old my dad bought me a Lure 16 ft. w/ an Evinrude15 h.p.

Juls: Do you have a family and if so, do they like to fish as much as you
do?

Brian: My wife Heather loves to fish.

Juls: Do you do any guiding? If so, how can people contact you?

Brian: Yes, www.brosguideservice.com Summer Walleye & Winter Perch

Juls: A lot of tournament anglers are also avid hunters, do you hunt too?

Brian: Yes, I love to hunt grouse, my favorite # 2 favorite Deer Hunting.

Juls: What are your top five favorite lakes or rivers to fish and why?

Brian: 1. Rainy Lake, my favorite its a diverse fishery, scenic beauty
           2. Leech Lake, having 3 lakes in one.
           3. Cass Lake, cleft walls of sand
           4. Winnie, full of fish
           5. Lake of The Woods, it's an outer space sized lake with thousands of islands big walleyes and several different clarities, hosts lake Trout, Crappies, and Some of the largest Pike in North America.

Juls: What are your plans for the coming season? Will you fish only Pro/Ams or will you also fish some team events?

Brian: FLW, MWC, Cass Lake Cystic Fibrosis, I-Falls Bass Champ, Leech Lake Chamber Tournament.

Juls: If you could only catch fish one way...what would that presentation be? What is your favorite?

Brian: Jigging, everything and anything

Juls: How do you approach your prefishing when you go to waters you haven't fished before?

Brian: Check to see if Lakemaster has a map, find out what kind of a lake it is. If it is a reservoir & natural lake, gather up DNR info. I hit the water w/ my Humminbird 1198si,mark fish then fish for them. For brief periods I might drop a camera.

Juls: If you could only give one piece of advice to someone who wanted to get started in professional Walleye tournament fishing, what would that advice be?

Brian: Fish the FLW as a Co-angler

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