Show Notes
With roughly 15,000 lakes and over 84,000 miles of rivers and streams, there are plenty of opportunities for Wisconsinites to fish around every corner.
Free Fishing Weekend is coming up this weekend – Jan. 16-17, 2021. It’s the perfect opportunity to give ice fishing a try. Grab some gear and find your adventure on any water bodies in Wisconsin where there is currently an open season. All other
rules and regulations apply. Learn more at
bit.ly/WisconsinFFW.
On this episode, we spoke with Emily Edge, a self-proclaimed “die-hard fishing lady” and the 2020 Wisconsin Women Fish Rookie Of The Year. Emily talks about her unique fishing mission, tells us some pretty incredible fishing stories, and discusses what’s so special about fishing in the Badger State.
Follow Emily on Instagram at
@the_reel_em_angler.
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TRANSCRIPT
ANNOUNCER: [
00:00:00] Welcome to Wisconsin DNR's Wild Wisconsin "Off the Record" podcast. Information straight from the source.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:00:10] Welcome back to another episode of Wild Wisconsin Off the Record. I'm your host DNR's Digital Communications Section Chief Katie Grant. With more people finding their adventure outside in 2020 due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the DNR also saw a large increase in the number of fishing licenses purchased. And we expect that trend to continue as we start out the new year. Thinking about giving it a try? Now is the perfect time to grab your gear and hit the ice. Our annual Free Fishing Weekend is coming up January 16th and 17th. That means you can fish for free. No license or trout stamp required on nearly all Wisconsin waterways. All other normal rules and regulations apply. Check out our website for more information.
To celebrate this upcoming event, we sat down with 28-year-old Emily Edge, a self-described diehard fishing lady to get her take on what's so special about fishing in the Badger state. Emily was born and currently lives in southwest Wisconsin and has fished all over the US. While she's been fishing her whole life, she got serious about it around three years ago when she revisited her childhood pastime in honor of her late uncle. Emily was named the 2020 Wisconsin Women Fish Rookie of the Year. And her ultimate goal is to catch all of Wisconsin's fish species. Sit back and listen in to learn why this hobby is about way more than just landing the big one. And maybe even get inspired to give ice fishing a try yourself.
Welcome to the Wild Wisconsin Off the Record podcast. Why don't you go ahead and get started by just telling us who you are, what your name is? Um, a little bit about what it is that you do and where you're from.
EMILY EDGE: [
00:02:03] Yeah. So my name is Emily Edge I go by the "Reel Em Angler" and I am pretty much a die-hard fisherman or fishing lady.
Um, I'm from southwest Wisconsin, um, and that's where I currently reside.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:02:17] How long have you been fishing?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:02:18] Um, so I've been fishing my whole life. I grew up doing it, however I wasn't big into it, back then I kind of thought it was like dumb or silly, you know? And then when I got to be a teenager that definitely was not a hobby of mine.
Um, but I've been fishing religiously like I like to say the past three years now. So since 2017, when I moved back to Wisconsin. And I grew up fishing with my mom and my uncle. They're big into fishing. My mom likes to catfish, so that's kind of what I grew up doing. And then now it's ventured into... I do all sorts of fishing for all species and all types of... all types of fishing not just hook and line fishing. I like to noodle, or I like to try other techniques too.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:03:00] What got you interested in giving it a try again, back in 2017, give or take?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:03:05] So I don't really have a great answer for that. I guess, um, an uncle of mine passed away and he was the big fishermen and he got me into it. Um, so when he passed away, I kind of just felt that that was something I kind of needed to try to do more, to be like, close to him, if that makes sense. Um, so I kind of just picked it up and then I discoved that, wow I love this and it's so great being outdoors and being by myself or going out with other people. So I just started, you know, I didn't really know much at the time, just fishing with a bobber and nightcrawler on a hook and was catching little bass or a little panfish.
And I thought it was the greatest thing in the world. And now fast forward three years, and now I'm doing all sorts of kinds of fishing. So it's really taken off from just, just trying it essentially back in 2017 or 2016 and it's really exploded.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:03:56] You're on a bit of an interesting mission. You're out to catch one of each of 160 plus fish species. What inspired you to give this a try?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:04:07] I don't even have an answer for that really, because, um, last year, last September in well, 2019, I was fishing on the Wisconsin River by myself and I caught my first Sturgeon. Um, and that was wild. And then, uh, like two casts after that, I caught my second Sturgeon.
Um, and that took what? 27 years to catch one, let alone two back to back. Um, so from there I kind of just got researching this different species of Wisconsin. Yes. I know like the basics at the time, like Panfish, Bass, Muskie, Northern. Um, and then I really got digging into it and I've realized that there are so many fish in this state that aren't talked about mostly and I was just fascinated. Uh, so I'm now after all fish in Wisconsin. Is it possible? I have no idea. Uh, it's going to be a really hard task. Especially when I get into like the micro species and all the different rough fish. But it's something that, um, I've set as a goal and hopefully will try to accomplish as many as I can. It's been difficult kind of, uh, but in 2020, uh, from March until I think in the last one was like October, I caught 11 new species. So in that short amount of timeframe once I, when I started this, um, I accomplished a lot of species in one year. So hopefully 2021, will be double that for species.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:05:38] Absolutely. I it's just such a cool, unique way to go about doing something you love, which I just think it's, it's really cool that you've decided to do this.
EMILY EDGE: [
00:05:48] Yeah. And there's so many fish that when people ask me, well, what haven't you caught? And I'm like, well, I honestly haven't caught a lot because when you break it down into like the rough fish and especially the trout, um, I've only caught really just a couple, um. A lot of people think that for, um, Redhorse, for example, which is a sucker, um, they think that every single like sucker, they catchis the same kind, but really there's like Shortnose, Redhorse, uh, I think Blue River Redhorse.
So, um, there's a lot of different species of each fish that, um, or classifications I guess, if it is. I don't know the proper terminology, but there's a lot more in depth than what people think. So I think I've caught more species than I've thought I have. I just have not gone through my pictures from the past three years to classify which, which kind of rough fish that I've caught already. And same with, um, when I'm looking at Panfish I definitely have not classified my photos, um, by the different types of Bluegills, which is going to be a task in itself as well
KATIE GRANT: [
00:06:50] Yeah, for sure. Well, I'm glad that someone's doing it. I'm glad that someone isn't me. Um, cause I don't know that I could keep track of all of that, but it is really cool at any rate. What's your favorite fish to try for?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:07:03] I don't have a favorite. It really just depends on the day and what I'm going after. I do love fishing the Wisconsin River for big, um, Smallmouth bass. Those are super fun and like have a piece of my heart.
However, I also like Catfishing or I also like, um, fishing for big Bluegill and Crappy. Otherwise just fishing for big rough fish is super fun. So I really don't have a favorite per se. And I don't think I'll ever have one species that I just solely love and that's all I ever want to catch. I do really love going out and fishing the river and being able to catch multiple different species and definitely unique species that aren't just the common core game fish.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:07:44] What would you say is your favorite thing about fishing?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:07:49] My favorite thing about fishing... One. Is being out in nature. I just love it. And I love fishing solo. I fish solo probably about 95% of the time. So I just love being out in nature and spending time with myself. It's like therapy to me. And then the second thing, or the two things I like about fishing, um, is just also getting people out there.
Um, people think, you know I'm obsessed with it and they don't understand. So I want them to be able to try to get outdoors and try to fish, try to fish and really learn like the patience and the beauty behind it. And not that it's just, oh it's so boring you just sit there. Sometimes it is, but it's also more than just catching fish.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:08:30] And there's definitely, you know, a little bit of luck behind it. Uh, you mentioned those two Sturgeon. I think that's a, a pretty lucky thing, but, uh, it's, it's not the easiest thing ever. I mean, certainly there are times when you can go out and, and it's, it's easy to get fish after fish, after fish, but some days they just aren't biting. What would you say is the most challenging part of fishing?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:08:53] That's true. Um, the most challenging part is accepting that some days you're like you said, lucky, or like really good at it. And then some days you can go to the same exact spot that you were say yesterday and do the same exact things you were doing the day before and still not catching anything. And you can essentially throw your whole tackle box.
You know, it keeps switching your, your, uh, your rig and what you're throwing and still not get a bite. Um, so that definitely gets frustrating. Um, when you think you... it's like game, when you think, you know what you're doing and you've got it down and then uh, you go out again and it's everything that you thought you knew and learned worked, does not work.
So it's really like a constantly learning process if you will. Um, that just because something worked the day before, it does not mean it's going to continue to work. However, sometimes it does. Um, and then those are days that are really great and you feel like a professional and you're like, wow, I got this. I'm so good. And then you do the same thing and get skunked. So...
KATIE GRANT: [
00:09:55] You never know what you're going to get, which is one of the kind of cool things. I feel like that's a theme that we've had, um, on the podcast recently in both talking about fishing and hunting, you know, you can go out there with the best of intentions, but it's nature. You, you don't know what you're going to run into that day.
EMILY EDGE: [
00:10:13] Exactly. And the thing that I do is I try not to get my hopes up or set too high of expectations because when you set high expectations, uh, especially if you're like out hunting or fishing, you just disappoint yourself. If you go out with little to no expectations, then you're typically almost always going to have a good day, even if you don't catch anything.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:10:34] What for you, is the most gratifying thing about fishing?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:10:38] Probably is just being successful at it in the sense that, um, you put in kind of all this work and time. And then when you do get that hook set on a fish, it doesn't matter the size, how little or how big, it's just rewarding. And I think that's why I'm also hooked on it because you can go out and fish all day and catch one fish. But that one fish is going to mean a lot.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:11:04] You mainly do, or up until fairly recently um, mainly do fishing on open water. Um, you just started ice fishing last year. Do you have a favorite between the two yet? And if so, which and why?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:11:19] I thought I had a favorite and I thought that was going to be open water. Um, because I don't have a boat and I'm really good at shore fishing. Some people don't understand how I can go out all the time and catch fish from shore when they're out in a boat and sometimes can't catch much. However, this season for hard water season or ice season is different, I've decided that my goal for this, this season is going to be to become independent on ice. So essentially I want to be able to take myself safely, of course, um, out and successfully find fish. And, um, you know, be able to do everything on my own and not rely on someone else to tag along with me or let me tag along with them.
So I recently bought my own shack, my own auger, um, went on a little bit of a spending spree, but that just made me more excited to get out. Um, especially now that I have those things that I can get out and feel comfortable if I do decide to step on ice by myself. So do I have a favorite? I do prefer open water a little bit more just because the temperature is warmer and it's, uh, not so freezing. But since I have a shack now it's, um, also becoming a favorite and I don't have to be out in the dreaded cold in freezing wind um, since I have a heater inside.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:12:39] I hear you on that cold. That, uh, that gets me every time there. I saw on your Instagram, you mentioned why do I live where my face hurts. And I ask myself that very regularly.
EMILY EDGE: [
00:12:49] Uh, and you know, I took a 10 day solo trip down to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico and I fell in love with it. Um, and I'm just so excited to get back down there where it's warm.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:12:59] So we won't make you tell us all of your secrets. Uh, and you've told us one of them, but I'm going to make you choose a different one here. Generally speaking, besides the Wisconsin River, what's your favorite spot to fish?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:13:15] Hmm, that is tricky. Um, while Wisconsin River's my go-to. Only because there's, um, so many miles. I think it's like, from below the, um, dam in Sauk... Sauk all the way to about the Mississippi, I think it's like 92 miles of shoreline. Um, so that gives me really ample opportunities to catch fish and all different kinds. Um, otherwise I kind of do like just fishing Governor Dodge, um, in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, or just right outside, just because I live near there.
So I can just drive about 10 minutes there and, you know, hop out of the car and be fishing. But otherwise my go-to typically is going to be the Wisconsin River. Um, and the great thing about that is that the DNR, or you guys, have an interactive map. I can't think of exactly what it's called, but it shows all of the, the, um, what am I trying to say?
All of the landings and like canoe landings and all of the access points um, along the river there. Um, so I use that a lot to help me find, um, shore fishing spots. And I, I just love it.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:14:20] For sure. I knew that was going to be a tricky one for you. What would you say is maybe a most memorable or funniest fishing story?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:14:27] So for more, most memorable, it'd probably be my, um, near record catfish that I noodled. So I went down to Mississippi state and, um, I went on a noodling trip with a guide and, um, a outfitter company and I noodled and for the first time, and I drove down 12 and a half feet with an air hose and I pulled up a massive catfish and I didn't realize how big it was when I was down there in the dark, trying to wrestle it.
Um, I pulled it up and it was uh, 82 pounds. So that's probably the most memorable and probably will be for quite a while. Um, we thought it was a state record when I pulled it up and we got it to the boat and called the DNR and everything. Um, and then they weighed it the next day and it was shy of the... shy of the state record.
So that was pretty awesome. Still kind of in shock from that. Um, yeah, so it weighed in at 82 pounds, one ounce, and then, um, it is 52.25 inches long. So essentially almost as tall as me. Um, and it just looks, it looks insane and unreal. When I, if you look at the pictures, me holding it up, it looks, it doesn't even, it doesn't make any sense because it's so massive.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:15:42] Wow. That's... the look on my face right now. I wish we were in the studio together so you could see that one. That's, that's crazy.
EMILY EDGE: [
00:15:51] Yeah. Uh, and people like, how did you not? I'm like, I don't... so much adrenaline, you know from, so it was my first time. I don't, it's not really diving, but it kind of is diving down with an air hose, not scuba gear and you can't see anything.
It was my first time, you know, I like was panicking with my breathing on the way down and I almost backed out. And then I just was like, this is your last day here, you're leaving in a couple hours to go back to Wisconsin. So just suck it up buttercup. So I made it down to the bottom and it was kind of all a blur from there.
I mean, I reached in, I found the, found the catfish. Got it. We swam up and, you know, just the adrenaline makes you not consciously understand what's happening. Like, yes, I'm holding a fish, but I have no idea how big it is because I'm trying to swim up without a life vest on, um, and not have this fish like drown me. So yeah, it still sounds absolutely unreal to me. And I think it always will.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:16:45] I, I just had to scroll to it there, uh, on Instagram to find it. And you're not kidding that it's almost as big as you are. It is huge.
EMILY EDGE: [
00:16:53] Yeah, that's correct. I just, yeah. Looking at it. It's like what in the?
KATIE GRANT: [
00:16:57] Any other fun stories or memories to share with us?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:17:00] Here's another memorable one. Um, this is a Wisconsin one. So this summer I was fishing, obviously the Wisconsin again, and I caught probably one of the coolest fish that I've caught so far in Wisconsin, and I caught it by chance. I know... I don't even know if that'll ever happen again. Um, but I caught a Quillback carp sucker, and it was really just a remarkable fish that has a really tall dorsal fin.
And it just looks like it doesn't, it shouldn't belong here, but it does. Um, so that was a really cool fish to catch. And then, um, I caught a, also on the Wisconsin, I caught a really big, um, Smallmouth buffalo, which took me by surprise. Sadly, I didn't weigh that one or measure it, but it was just a remarkable fish to catch.
I think I like catching more of the, um, rough fish and more of the unique fish more than I do just your typical game fish, which I know some people might hate that I say that, but I just love all fish. And the rare ones are the awesome ones to me.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:18:05] If someone were interested in giving fishing a try. What advice would you give them?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:18:09] The biggest piece of advice I'd give is that it doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. Um, so like when you're on social media, you see tons of people having like the best of the best and all this fancy stuff. I definitely don't have that. Sure. I have some nice things like for ice season I bought a shack and electronics and whatever, but my rods are just cheap rods and I know a lot of people are gonna come at me for that.
But the rods I have right now for open water and ice are just like 20 to 40 dollar rods. And most of them are Walmart rods, like Shakespeare. So nothing wrong with that. You don't need fancy and for, well, I guess technically baits sometimes get expensive. I do lose a lot of money there. But, um, really you can just go buy a $10 pole at Walmart, buy some hooks, buy some sinkers and a bobber and buy some worms and you could really just be out fishing.
So with what, 20 bucks, I guess, plus a license, um, you could be having a good time. And you don't need fancy stuff. You don't need, you don't need a boat to fish 'cause clearly I shore fish most of the time. Um, and I think... correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Wisconsin still has the, for your first license, fishing license, I think it's like $5. So you don't have to pay the full, full twenty or twenty-five dollars, which is great too.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:19:24] Right. Yeah. That first time license or your first time back, if you haven't bought a license in, I believe it's the last 10 years. Even if you, you know, if you fall in love with it this year and you want to buy one next year, or we had, you know, more new licenses purchased in 2020, um, than in, you know, 2019 or the year before that, um, we had a ton of new people give fishing a try in 2020. And so buying your, your license for the next year is still really affordable in this state.
EMILY EDGE: [
00:19:57] Yeah. And that's, that's really great actually, because I've fished, what was it like six states I think? And Wisconsin, for resident and I think even out of state is like by far one of the best reasonable priced um, states around. Um, because I know I've Florida and I've fished Mississippi, um, and Illinois and those were a bunch more pricey, so it's really is a good deal.
Yeah. So that's kind of the best piece of advice. Um, and just try it, don't be afraid to not go out because you don't know what you're doing. Um, I learned a lot just by going out and just making things work and trying it. And even if it looked silly, I did it anyway. Um, and I watched a lot of YouTube videos and so basically study YouTube and just go out and try it.
And you're likely bound to catch fish. Will they be big fish? I don't know. Luck of the draw really. You can catch a big, big, big fish on just nightcrawlers. Um, and I've done that too. So that's what my big Sturgeon came on. So really doesn't take much to get started. So just try.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:20:55] Absolutely. Is there anything else you want us to know about fishing in Wisconsin?
EMILY EDGE: [
00:20:59] I guess one thing is that we are truly blessed in a state with tons of fishable water. Um, and anytime I leave the state and go fish somewhere else, I'm like, dang, we are so lucky in Wisconsin because likely, no matter where you live in this state, you can drive probably within 30 minutes and have tons of fishing options.
And that's just so awesome. And I think that as a resident to kind of, we take it for granted. Um, I know I do, especially when, when I travel a lot. So yeah, there's lots of fishable water and I think that there are lots of fish to catch, uh, and everybody should try fishing.
KATIE GRANT: [
00:21:37] You've been listening to Wild Wisconsin. A podcast brought to you by the Wisconsin DNR. Interested in following Emily's journey? Check her out on Instagram @the_reel_em_angler. And don't forget to take advantage of our winter Free Fishing Weekend coming up January 16th and 17th. Learn more at dnr.wi.gov. For more great content be sure to subscribe to Wild Wisconsin wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review or tell us who you'd like to hear from on a future episode. Thanks for listening.