Twenty Questions With Walleye Pro Pete Harsh

This week's spot light is on Veteran Walleye Pro, Pete Harsh. Pete, also know by many as "Mr Tiller", has won titles from the biggest Walleye Tournament circuits in the history of Walleye Fishing...Professional Walleye Trail, Masters Walleye Circuit, and those titles include the prestigious title of "Angler of the Year" for the 2008 FLW Walleye Tour Season.

Traveling the country with his faithful friend, Shadow, Pete has fished just about everywhere there are Walleye swimming, and he's fished for Walleye with every presentation available to the competitive angler.

After learning more about Pete in the article below, you can join us Wednesday night, January 20th, at 7PM Central Time in the Walleye Central Chat Room for a more one on one with him, where you can ask him your own questions to help you become a better Walleye angler too!

Hope to see you all there!

Juls: Who is Pete Harsh?
 
Pete: I guess I am just a 57 year old, 'Good ole boy" who has been fortunate enough to spend the majority of my life in the outdoors. Fishing, hunting, and at an earlier age, trapping in the great State of Minnesota. I enjoy working on and cruising around in old restored Chevy pick ups making BIG power. As far as sports go, I enjoy football and baseball. i also enjoy attending dirt Late Model and Modified stock car special events. Racing helps me to get my mind off the serious side of fishing at times. My best friend fishing and hunting partner is Shadow, my black lab. I am most comfortable wearing old blue jeans and flannel shirts. People have asked me if I am related to Larry the Cable Guy and I tell them, "No, no relation. Larry, well he just tries to look like me for his act."

Juls: How old were you when you went fishing for the first time? And, who was it with?
 
Pete:  Well, my father was fond of telling everyone that my earliest fishing trip was the time I went fishing with him and ended up going home with my mother by accident. As far as going fishing at an early age stories, I guess that is a hard one to top. When I would get out of line, (Which was frequently in my younger days) Dad would laugh and rub it in about me being an, "Accident". Maybe back then his sense of humor wasn't always appreciated, but it is sure missed now.
 
Juls: When did you start fishing tournaments?
 
Pete:  I got hooked on tournament fishing in the  year 1983. My first walleye tournament, I was very intimidated by all the big names entered at the time, (Probst, Roach, Randall ect..) and just scared to death that we would get skunked. How we managed to catch two fish I don't know, but afterwards we felt like we had won the tournament!
 
Juls: What is your most memorable experience while fishing? (Either tournament or fun fishing...doesn't matter)
 
Pete: Fishing with my dad. While that may sound corny to some. Dad taught me a lot about fishing. The conversations we had while fishing and hunting together turned to be a great preparation for life. Many a time I've relied on the advice he gave me.
 
Juls: What does it feel like to win a tournament? What goes through your head when they hand you the winning trophy?
 
Pete: Relief, maybe a little disbelief, followed by a strong adrenaline rush. The competition is so fierce in walleye fishing today that when you do finally win it is a very, very special moment in your life. In 1998 At Leech Lake, MN I won my first of four PWT tournaments. That tournament was an incredible experience. I only caught 7 fish in two days and won!  I have been fortunate enough to have won 13 walleye tournaments in my career. During that time I believe I have had more seconds than firsts. Not to mention all the times I was just plain horrible. On the FLW Walleye Tour I had 3 second place finishes before I finally won at Devils Lake. The Devils Lake FLW Tour event win, when it did come, would have to be my most memorable win. Winning the FLW Walleye Tour Angler of the Year in 2008, while not a tournament win, certainly has to rank right up there too. 
 

Juls: Who are your sponsors?
 
Pete: In 2008 my sponsors were Ranger Boats, Mercury Outboards, Motorguide, Walleye Masters Splash Guards, Northland Tackle and Lowrance. I am currently working on securing and renewing sponsorship for 2010. Like everyone else, I certainly could use more sponsors. Sunday, the shotguns got put away and it's now back to the walleye fishing world fulltime.
 
Juls: I know you are involved in creating new products for some of your sponsors...what are some of those products? And, do you have anything new coming out for 2010?
 
Pete: Over the years I have had a strong hand in the development and refinement of tiller boats, tiller motors and accessories designed specifically for tiller boats such as steering systems, splash guards, ect.. Maybe that is why they gave me the name "MR TILLER"? I also have worked with several rod mfgs. in developing lines of rods specific to walleye fishing. I have assisted in the development and refinement of items relating to the electronics and tackle industies.
 
Juls: What did you do for a living before you started in this business as a living?
 
Pete: I worked nineteen years in the L. P. gas industry. Did pretty much every job there was, serving in the end as a District Manager.
From there, I worked seven years for a major boat company as a Sales Manager and finally as a National Sales Manager. One day, in early 2002, I just decided to go fishing.
 
Juls: Now that it's the "off season" what do you do?
 
Pete: As a promotional fisherman it never seems to really be the "off season". This time of the year it is seminars, special events, and sportshows. January through early October, it seems like it is walleyes and promotional fishing 24/7. October through December, I add recreational hunting to my fishing activities. Like most sportsmen and women I wish October and November were 9 months long.

Juls: When did you get your first boat?
 
Pete: The first boat that I actually owned was in the late sixties. It was a 10 foot Jon boat with a Sears 7 1/2 h.p. single cylinder air cooled motor. Tiller steered of course! As I remember, for reverse you had to turn the motor all the way around backwards. At the time, I couldn't afford a trailer. I hauled the boat around in the back end of an old beat up 1953 Chevy pick up. Let's see, I paid $75.00 for the boat, $89.00 for the motor and $140.00 on payments for the pick up. My complete rig cost me a grand total $304.00, which was more than I could afford. Compared to sitting on shore or renting a row boat, I thought I had died and went to fishing heaven! For those times, it was a state of the art, fish catching machine! At least I thought so. Had a lot of fun in that little tub!
 
Juls: What kind of hunting do you do? What do you go after?
 
Pete: Shadow and I have a preference for pheasants, mallards and geese. We have also hunted hungarian partridge, quail, ruffed grouse, and sharptailed grouse. I used to be better known as a bowhunter than a walleye fisherman. Due to the fall fishing and bird hunting I do now, late season muzzeloader hunting for deer is about all the big game hunting I still have time for. Other than my lab Shadow, my 81 year old uncle, Bob Jones, is about as good a hunting and fishing partner as you could get. At age 79 Bob shot a triple on Greenheads and that was before he had cataract surgery!
 
Juls: What are your plans for the 2010 season?

Pete: I have not made a decision yet as to what tournaments or circuits I will fish in 2010. This is a time of uncertainty in the fishing/ marine world for all of us. What I will be able to do will in part depends on my sponsors support. I am looking at the possibility of the FLW again, possibly a few MWC's and maybe an AIM event. Right now I just cannot say for sure.
 
Juls: Do you guide? If so, how can people contact you?
 
Pete:  For 2010 I have decided to actively resume guiding. In December, 2009 I completed the maritime training for, and passed, my Coast Guard OUPV license exam for inland waters and the Great Lakes. This will alow me to legally guide virtually anywhere I have spent my career fishing walleyes. (That is, with the correct state licenses of course.) While my clients will certainly catch fish, the emphasis will be on an educational experience. Locating walleyes, mastering presentations, perfecting boat control, the little tricks of the trade that I have learned... is what I hope to impart to my customers. harsh@mainstreetcom.com or 320-267-7193 will reach me. I hope to have a website up and running soon. Guiding is something that I had looked at getting back into upon retirement, but am looking forward to getting started at it now.
 
Juls: Of all the waters you have fished in your lifetime, what are your top five favs? And, why?
 
Pete: That is a very hard question to answer, but here goes.
1.  Mille Lacs lake, Lake of the Woods, Leech lake and Cass Lake are some of my all time favorites that well represent Minnesota's many, many great walleye lakes.
2.  The excellent fishing of the Western Reseviors comprising of the Missouri River system still make me feel like they are a second home to me.
3.  The memories of Lake Erie, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, each have a special place in my heart when it comes to open water trolling and monster walleyes.
4.  The Mississippi River, the St. Marie's River, the Rainy River, heck ANY river is hard to pass up fishing if I am pulling a boat behind me. Where ever there is current, walleyes get my attention.
5.  Last, but certainly not least, Devils Lake, ND. Devils Lake is literally in a class by itself when it comes to walleye fishing opportunities.
Maybe I didn't answer that with just 5 waters, but with opportunities like that for all of us how could you narrow it down any farther?
 
Juls: Who are some of your fishing idols? Who did you look up to when you first got into tournament fishing?
 
Pete: Individuals I looked up to when I got started? I don't think that has changed much.

• Bob Probst Sr.  The best natural all around walleye angler I have ever met. One of the top personalities in walleye fishing in my book. Bob could catch walleyes in a bath tub.
• Gary Roach.  I have looked up to Gary Roach since I got started fishing tournaments in the eighties and I still do. Now, I am honored to call Gary my friend.
• Jeff Jertson, (deceased). The best live bait chub fisherman there ever was. Hands down. Jeff also had the best sense of humor I have ever encountered. His death was untimely. Those of us who were fortunate enough to know him still miss him.
• Randy Randall. Now in his seventies, Randy was and is the best live bait fisherman to ever set foot in my boat. Not a bad hunting partner or friend either.

Juls: Do you do any kids events?
 
Pete: Nothing scheduled for 2010 yet, but I am available to help out. In the past I have done Kid's fishing seminars, Youth's special fishing events, and individual youth's fishing trips. In spite of all the tournament fishing I did last year, perhaps my most memorable fishing trip was taking some kids out and watching them fill the boat with sunfish. The kids had a ball, but I think I enjoyed it more than they did. Made this old man feel like a kid again!
 
Juls: What is your favorite presentation to use? What is the most fun for you?
 
Pete: Fishing structure with live bait rigs, jigs or spinners. No, wait a minute, trolling three ways or jigging in rivers. No, definately trolling cranks on lead core. Naw, fishing bobbers in flooded trees. Wait a minute, did I mention open water trolling for monster suspended walleyes with spinners or cranks? It is all fun! Now what was the original question?
 
Juls: How do you break down a body of water you've never fished before? How do you approach your prefishing?
 
Pete: Get a hold of a good map and up to date chip for your depthfinder. Highlight all the areas of the map that are the local hot spots and all the well known community spots. Use the map to identify the reasons why walleyes are found on those local spots. Then go fish the lake every where else. That is where you will find the areas holding walleyes that have been overlooked long enough to reach trophy or tournament winning class. Sounds easy, but it isn't. When you do find that overlooked school, it may be the school that gives you that elusive win. Adopting that strategy won't make you consistent, but it may make you a winner!
 
Juls: What are you most proud of in your life?
 
Pete: That's easy. My parents, both now deceased and my daughter. Growing up I had great parents who were good hard working people. The excuse of blaming my parents for a bad childhood was never an option for me to cover any of my personal failings. My daughter is an independant hard working woman who never ceases to amaze me with her abilities.
 
Juls: If you could only give ONE piece of advice to a new angler who wanted to start fishing tournaments professionally, what would that be?
 
Pete: First things first. Take care of family and job responsibilities, then follow your dreams. Don't cut the first two short to follow the latter. Be patient. Experience and depth will not come to the impatient.

Just a parting thought...

These are difficult times for the sport fishing industry and all of us as anglers. If I didn't have a passion for this sport I wouldn't still be in it. And, if you didn't have a passion for fishing YOU wouldn't still be reading this. Together for 2010 let's harness that passion, that energy that drives us, and help the sport fishing industry get started again on the rebound! ...Pete Harsh