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I'm Brian Bashore, Professional walleye angler and owner of The Walleye Guys Guide service. I am here to reel you in with captivating stories, expert tips, and interviews with some of the biggest names in the fishing community. So, sit back, relax, and let the drag scream!
Brian Bashore (00:01.422)
Hey folks, thanks for tuning in to another episode of Real Talk Fishing with No Limits. Today, we're going to talk to an industry professional, a good friend of mine, Dan Johnston with St. Croix Rods, National Sales Rep. And Dan is a hell of a fisherman. We're going to tell some stories, just talk fishing, tell a little bit about what's going on over at St. Croix. If you're just curious about the St. Croix rods you hear about, you're going to want to tune in. We're not going to dive too deep into the technical aspect of it.
We're just gonna talk a lot of fishing and kind of what rods pair up with, you know, what techniques a little better and just tell some stories. Dan and I both go way back. Dan was a really good friend of Tommy Scarlett. So we might even talk about old Tommy a little bit here. So stay tuned. You don't want to miss this one with Dan Johnson with St. Cory Rods.
Brian Bashore (00:00)
Hey folks, thanks for tuning in to another episode of Real Talk Fishin' with No Limits. Today we are diving in deep to what makes certain things tick like St. Croix Rides and Seven Reels with my good friend and the guy I like to call the Professor, Mr. Dad, Justin from St. Croix. What's going on, buddy?
Dan Johnston (00:19)
Brian, thanks for having me, man. Looking forward to it. It's gonna be fun just shooting the breeze, talking fish and talking little product and looking forward to it.
Brian Bashore (00:29)
Yeah, like I said, fishing, we were just chatting here before we logged on and it's unseasonably warm. And like I said, I don't hate it because extend the season a little bit. But of course, know, the ice fishing season is always something to look forward to and I I've always got some pretty slick ice rods that I like to go get my hands on. But I'm OK if I only got to use them for a month versus three or four months.
Dan Johnston (00:53)
I just did a podcast last week on Indian summer and how we attack that. And it's funny, it kind of segueed right into what you were talking about. Man, it sure feels good to be in shorts and a shirt like I've got on, but man, that water temperature is still high. I got them to bite a buzzbait real good the week before water dipped into the upper sixties. Then it went right up to the upper seventies and they wouldn't bite the buzzbait. And I'd like an idiot kept throwing it. And I'm like thinking, man, just look at my surface temperature gauge and the goal step.
Brian Bashore (01:05)
Right.
Dan Johnston (01:22)
cut stop diving on shad and I'm like, man, this Indian summer thing, I'm ready for it to cool off.
Brian Bashore (01:28)
Yeah. They just started diving on shad for me there. I'm like, this should have been happening months ago. They're there. can see the bait and the white bass are pushing it up and I'm waiting for them to blow up so I can just put clients on it. Cause it's an absolute blast, but a cigarette butt on a hook and whip it out there. You're going to start, you're going to catch them. They don't, whatever it's the water is, you know, white bass or, and I got these like two, two and a half pound white bass. they're monsters, right? They're 18 inch white bass are fun, but only got a couple of days on it where the, now the goals kind of moved.
but the bait's still there, the bass are still there.
Let's cover a little background for those that don't know Dan. What you roll over there with St. Croix. What's your background. For those that don't know, Dan's not just like the greatest sales rep for St. Croix in the world. He's a fishing fanatic and if he wasn't doing this, you might have seen him on the Basilique tour I think somewhere. Bring us up to speed.
Dan Johnston (02:26)
Yeah, honestly, Brian, I've been covered up in fishing ever since. I was thinking about that because you sent me a little list of questions and I do a lot of podcasts and I'm like, where am going to go into this one? But I do have a story because I got asked this on an interview at ICAST years ago, the big dealer show that we represent every year in the industry. And the guy asked me, goes, how did you get into fishing? I didn't really, and I thought, I can answer that. I was on a
Elementary school trip, field trip, when we took a bus down to a local lake, I still live relatively close to, and there are these docks we're walking out on, right? And we're checking out the boats and checking out nature and all this cool stuff. I looked down between the slat of this dock and I saw these two little eyes right up on the surface. I'm little. I mean, little, little. I don't even know what grade it was, but I was little. I was so little, they got all like connected to ropes when they walk you around, right? And I thought, you know what?
Brian Bashore (03:24)
Put them on the leash, chef.
Dan Johnston (03:27)
You know what? I'm like, whatever that is, I'm going to figure it out. And I thought there was an old piece of line with one of like an old Aberdeen, probably like a number, I'd guess like a number six gold Aberdeen hook on it with a dried up nightcrawler. And I'm like, you know what, if I dropped that thing down there, something might happen. I dropped it down there and something took it and broke my line. And I thought, all right, from that day forward, I'm in, you know, and it was, I can actually take it back to an instance.
And then I was blessed enough. My dad took me fishing the time when I was little and got into it and then got into fly fishing, really hardcore, still teach it to this day on the casting side. But I did some guiding in Northeast Iowa, been covered up on the bass side ever since I could breathe, it seems like. And then I love the crappie thing and doesn't hurt to go out and whack on a few walleyes with you every year as good as you are at it, throwing that little jig out there and electronics. But the St. Croix side, Brian, I've been with them for
going on 25 years now. Started as a sales rep on the road with four states, had expanded to six states, always was involved with the product teams. And then now I do national sales and I'm also on the rod team and the real team as well. So super blessed, great company, love it. We're all about our anglers and trying to make them better on the water. And it's just been a, it's been a blast.
Brian Bashore (04:50)
It is definitely a great company to be in a great family to be part of really. That's ultimately what it is over there created, you know, founded by a family and still basically ran like a family.
Dan Johnston (05:03)
Well, literally, it's family owned. mean, you know, and they're good friends and, you know, there's times I've sat down with them and we huddle up and start talking about work and all those things. And then the conversation goes into my son and, you know, how am I doing personally? And that reciprocates right back to them. They're just wonderful people and they've created a culture. Like you said, it is, it is family. I mean, we're far from perfect, man. I mean, we make our mistakes like everybody, but at the core level.
Brian Bashore (05:05)
Literally. Right, literally.
Dan Johnston (05:33)
We're about making people better, trying to help you sincerely, honestly. And we listen, try to listen really well. I mean, a lot of the rods that we've come out with are a direct result of talking to guys like you, to be honest with you, you know, and trying to find out what you're really looking for and why does that matter? And a lot of us on the product teams have been anglers ourselves forever at St. Croix. So I'm thinking, okay, Brian wants that.
jig and wrap to do this and he's using this kind of line and how do we want that tip to deflect and what kind of materials can we use? And, you know, we talk about that amongst our team and, you know, just the end goal is to make people better on the water. That's literally why we exist. So that's a cool dynamic because we're not just trying to push stuff out there and sell stuff. It's a culture and it's different and it's been really cool to belong to it because we're really sincere about helping people.
Brian Bashore (06:27)
Yeah, and I think anybody who's ever owned a St. Croix has more than one and they've come back and that's it. Now you're part of the family. You've folded in, you get it. I mean, all my clients, that's all it's in the boat of St. Croix rods, they use them and they're like, I've always wanted to use one of these. Guarantee it's all he's going to use moving forward because he said the same thing. He's like, okay, I'm sold. I need to get a new one of these. He was a bass guy out of Wisconsin and I told him about...
know, the Basex promos, but the physics, if he's looking for the, you know, getting into the scoping thing and gave him a handful of lines to look at. he's like, yep. He goes, he just, he goes, I just haven't had an opportunity to use one now that I used one. He's like, yeah, okay. I get it. I understand it. I said, there's so much more to it than just the rod in your hand though. You know, the service and if you break a tip or do something to warn him, I mean, there's just, there's so much to it. And I'm like, but you just go get yourself one and you'll figure all that.
Dan Johnston (07:23)
You know, it's funny you say that because I've been at, you can imagine with the decades of from, you know, TV to radio, to podcasts, to sports shows, to talking to thousands, tens of thousands of anglers at shows and all that. I get asked that too. They're like, all right, dude, seriously, is there really a difference, you know, in, your legend elite, for example? And I'm like, you know what? I, the best way I can narrow it down.
Brian Bashore (07:28)
Yeah.
Dan Johnston (07:49)
Because I try to, obviously my job is national sales and I have sales reps that I work with to try to make our company play a small part in helping our company be successful. get that and selling rods is a big part of that. That said, when I get asked that question, I take my sales hat off and I go right back to being an angler. And really what I dive into, the biggest things that you can notice, and I say this super sincerely when I say this, is baits where you need ultimate feel.
or instances to where you need to feel the bite. what I mean by, you know, any type of inhalation fish, a crab, let me just talk to bass and crappie. Both of those suck that bait in, okay? That thump you feel is a high speed movement from that bait, from where it's at, and it's down choked, right? So it's moving that far really, really, really fast. And that's what you feel in that thump.
Granted, there's a lot of lines out there, whether they're polyethylene or floral or lines have come a long ways with sensitivity, but absolutely, I'm here to tell you right now, when you're talking about feeling the bite on slack line or a bass coming up and pushing a chatter bait and taking the blade out of cadence or something crazy or feeling a little tiny string of coon tail on your bait and you got to rip that thing clean, that is where it absolutely matters and I'll take it to my grave. And now there's times I'm.
running a number seven spinner bait in dirty water, chunk and wind it or a big heavy crank bait. I don't want that. I don't need it. I don't care. But anything on the bottom, my finesse jigs, my shaky heads, my drop shot for sure, all my finesse walleye rods, my dock shooting rods for crappies because you're fishing super slack line back there waiting for that thump. It absolutely matters. And to your point, until you try it and experience that for yourself, you won't understand. it's
It's really cool when you feel it, because there's no doubt it makes you better.
Brian Bashore (09:46)
yeah, that slackliners that my Legend Xtreme has got my Z-Man Jerk Shad on it and I run some little Golt Chamberlain early in the spring and I think this is you get bit so many times on slackline or windblow or whatever the case is you occur and it's I know I mean I bet 50 % of the fish in the spring I set the hook on when that thing is slack. I think this rod is so sensitive but it's the extra fast action tip and it's just
So many good things. Like I always tell people, I can fill a wall, I fart on it when it's by, you know, that's the only way I tell them, but cause they're like major and I've had guys, you know, the Cedar shorts from it. So yeah, we just anchored up and watch you two put on a clinic over there all day. We're like, I don't, we don't get it. And I'm like, I'm telling you the lie, the rod, the reels at all, the little things add up to make a big difference. It's not just, Hey, this is just what everybody else has. There's, there's a reason for it and behind it.
When it works, works.
Dan Johnston (10:41)
I shot a product video with our Legend Extreme when it first came out. There's a few of us that got them. We were supposed to kind of shoot a hype video on it. And it had that, you know, extreme skin handle and SC5 and carbon guides. And I'm thinking, man, this is going to be freak show sensitive, but you never know. You take it out. So I do remember going down to P Gravel Bank and there's a lay down on this P Gravel Bank. Every single September we're there, just there.
I mean, they're just there. It's one of those video cheating spots. I call it a PO box spot on a spot, stupid, easy spot. And I pull up on this thing and it was blowing. And the only way I could present it into the crotch of the tree where I wanted to get, I never want to go over perpendicular on something with a jig, you know, unless I absolutely have to. So I knew where I wanted to get it, but I it was a crosswind. I'm like, dang it. I don't really know if I want to do that, you know, but I got to do it, whatever. I remember
Brian Bashore (11:12)
Right.
Dan Johnston (11:38)
pitching that thing under there and I'm holding it I've got significant bow in my line. And I think I'd have to go back and read the transcript on what I said on the, in the press release when it, when the rod came out, but Brian, felt like a bat or something ran into my line and it was a bite. It literally, I had so much slack in my line. All I felt was this, know, where I wheeled down and I'm like, I should swing on this thing, but he doesn't have it. It, I'm like, that was.
Brian Bashore (12:01)
Yeah. It's a lot of slack. Right.
Dan Johnston (12:07)
It was, it was almost like something knocking the fillet out of my teeth and like an idiot. felt so weird. I didn't swing on it and I should have. And I pitched it in there again that time it ate it on the way down and set the hook and landed it. But I'll never forget that bite. Granted, it was on 15 pound floral. and it was a, you know, so I was well connected to the, the sensitivity aspect of it, generally speaking, but that, that rod with that handle, I mean, and that goes back to what I was talking to before. There's certain bites.
that you feel on really good equipment that I'm not necessarily going to say you're going to feel on just everything. And you know, you know me better than anybody. I'll never sit here and put any rod down or brand down or angler's opinion down or anything. But what I'm here to tell you is what I experienced. Cause I got a reputation to uphold and I'm not going to, you told me I could use expletives. I'm not going to bullshit people. If I don't like it, I'm going to tell you if I like it, I'm going to really tell you. And in that case on some of that high end stuff and it is freak show.
It is really cool to fish.
Brian Bashore (13:08)
It is we I mean they catch you off guard so often you just close the bell and you're like thinking all right I gotta let it drop whatever and as that process has happened you're like That was a bite, know, and then you totally forgot set the hook or you reel down on it quick You're like I was not expecting that That's a good feeling that the little we love that that thump and that tick You know, it's a name that many of you recognize out there Dan is quite familiar with and has got the privilege of spinning. I think you guys fish some tournaments together even
Dan Johnston (13:18)
Hahaha
Brian Bashore (13:38)
Tommy Scarless, you bet you got some stories. He spent a lot of time with Tommy. Tommy's an old, say, croak guy. Actually, he's the one introduced to us years ago. Do you guys fish crappie turrets together?
Dan Johnston (13:50)
We fished Crappie Masters. He was a dear friend of mine. Matter of fact, the last seminar he ever did, I was right before him. A seminar we do and I started it, don't know, 25 years ago, whatever, in Iowa. And after a few years, I pulled some big names in, Tommy being one of them. And man, we had so much fun, got to be great friends. just, dear to my heart.
You know, I got, I got a call that morning. He fell out of his tree stand even before he knew he had the tumor in his brain. And, I got a call that morning and I'm an avid bow hunter, know, so I connected to that one. I'm thinking, man. And went through all that and, you know, all you, all you can do in something like that is try to be there for somebody. But I will tell you this, if you're going to go there, and it
Kind of hard for me to talk about it, but I'll say it because it's in a good way. mean, I went and visited him in the hospital a bunch of times and we had talked all the time and all the way through his struggles, you know, towards the end. And he never put anything on himself for feeling sorry for people. Matter of fact, he told me one time that getting his brain tumor was the biggest blessing he's ever had. And I said, dude, what are you talking about? And he said, finally now people take me serious about my faith. And I'm like,
You talk about something that's inspirational and, know, and Tommy, I'll tell you, he was a hammer on the water. We all know that he ruffled some feathers. There were some people that didn't like him on the water. I get it. lot of us loved him. but if, if, you know, if how he handled his struggle right up to finality with what he fought wasn't handled the right way, then I want to see what is the right way. Cause he, he gave everybody else credit. he really leaned.
Brian Bashore (15:18)
Yep.
No doubt.
Dan Johnston (15:40)
into faith really hard and said some things that were inspirational to a lot of people. Things I'll never forget. When things get tough, you can reach down to people that you respect and the things they tell you and more importantly, how they actually act through adversity. What a testament. What a great guy, man.
Brian Bashore (15:57)
I would say he probably impacted more people in those last two years than his first 20.
Dan Johnston (16:03)
100%. That's what I'm saying. Yeah.
Brian Bashore (16:05)
Yeah, that's all I did. One of my guides, drew him. Scott was on the Coengler side at the end of the T-Term at Devil's Lake. So would have been one of his last tournaments. So Scott was fortunate enough to drew Tommy. So I introduced him the night before and said, hey Tommy, this is your co for tomorrow. This is my buddy, he's traveling with me with my guides. He's like, okay. So I'm like, you can ask him whatever you want at noon.
He can give you any information you want for pre-fish. And had a pretty good pre-fish and I don't think Tommy Orr and did great in that tournament. Scott's got so many stories. They didn't do great. Didn't care. I pretty much asked him today, it was a single best day of fishing, even though we didn't catch a lot. you want to start off with Tommy had a deal where he asked the Co's to bring cookies. What do need me to bring? Bring me cookies. You know, it's just to see what level of this Co effort he's going to put into it. Are you going to stop at the gas station?
Are you going to go to the grocery store and pick up some homemade? Or are going to have somebody make you some quick? Tommy forgot to put gas in the boat, so they didn't go far for the boat launch. They would take off and he you know, he said something, he's like, what? He's like, I forgot to get gas. He's like, I guess we're just fishing over here today. You know, and. he said it was like 12 o' and Tommy goes, OK, so tell me, know, what's the secret? Where are you catching them? That's like here, here, you know, and but.
They couldn't go to work. didn't have that much gas, but they cracked out some, some good Devil's Lake Walleye and just had a blast. Had a bunch of stories, broke, broke a rod. He shut the lid on a legend walleye tournament series right off the bat. And he said, Tommy just looked up and says, okay, God, so this, this is how we're going to do it today. You know, and he was like, I got it. Then it was, we got no gas. We got this, we, you know, but fortunately Scott brought him good cookies. hell of a guy, a lot of stories.
Dan Johnston (17:55)
Yeah. It's funny one time, the first crappie, what crappie masters we fished on Lake of the Ozarks. I've never seen a guy and I pull my boat on the trailer through the Ozark roads pretty, pretty fast. Cause I've been doing that down there forever. I keep my boat down there all winter. What's that big boat you guys run? Is it a 520 what? Big walleye boat? 521. Range. Yeah. He ran a great, I mean, I've
Brian Bashore (18:16)
my ZV-20? ZV-20? ZV-21? Or a 620 or 620? Yeah, yeah, it's 621. Yep. Yep.
Dan Johnston (18:22)
620, that's what it was. I've never seen a guy pull one of those with his big diesel through those Ozark hills like that. Man, he had me holding onto my seat. I thought I drove fast. And he's just talking, we got the radio going, no big deal, headed to dinner, just flying like 65 mile an hour up and down. thinking, man, if a whitetail runs out, we are gonna meet our maker. But no, was a very eccentric personality, amazing speaker. And what was cool is he could
Brian Bashore (18:42)
Yep.
Dan Johnston (18:52)
totally back it up on the water. I miss him dearly.
Brian Bashore (18:57)
Yeah, hell of a guy. What the... You talked about the dock skipping. Is that video still out there? I know there's a video.
Dan Johnston (19:04)
Yeah, it's on the, if you just go on YouTube and just Google Lake of the Ozarks, St. Croix dock shooting, it'll come up. And it's not really skipping. I mean, we will, it'll skip once it gets back there a ways. I don't even want it to, I want to aerialize it the whole way, it was inter, I didn't come up with this, man. This was something that a guy showed me down there, good grief, 15, 20 years ago.
being a bass fisherman and being a loving skipping docks with bass jigs, I thought this is the coolest way to catch crappies I've ever seen in my life and worked at it really, really, really hard. Brian, you know, I'm a little competitive that way. So I I spent hours and hours and hours taking nothing but shooting rods down there in the lake and finally got to a point where got okay at it and then started doing Wally Marshall seminars at the World Crappie Classic for it.
Brian Bashore (19:47)
Yeah.
Dan Johnston (19:59)
shooting pop cans, shooting lifesavers on a piece of dental floss with a crappie jig under a dock. But it's cool to see people's interest in it, because it's a cool way to do it, but also opens up a whole new toolbox of fishing for people that have been fishing for 50 years and never even heard of it before. And it's really a rewarding way to do it. I got to tell my dad to do it a few years ago, and he loves it. He's like 90, he's got arthritis, and he goes, man, I'm going to get that thing under there no matter what.
Brian Bashore (20:05)
you
Dan Johnston (20:28)
But no, it's a really fun way to fish. We've got a 6.9 MLXF and avid panfish that's juice for that. It's like a Navy Seal rifle. It'll shoot to the back of a great big tub boat if you want to, but it'll go into a crack about that wide. It's really cool.
Brian Bashore (20:29)
That's awesome.
Yeah folks, head over to YouTube, check that out. Or I'll do YouTube, watch this, head over there and check it out. That is an expert at it. It's pretty cool. It's definitely a skill. You don't get it right on your first try, that's for sure. Maybe not your first hundred, but it is.
Dan Johnston (21:04)
It's not as hard as you think, as long as you're set up right and you follow some basic steps. It's like anything, you know. And then of course, if you want to get really adept at it, it's time on the water and doing it a lot and different light conditions and wind and all the things that work against you. But it's a lot of it is just getting set up right, right line, right rod, right size jig, how to hold it. It's putting up your non-shooting hand right under your shooting hand, elevating the rod tip. I talk about all those things in the video, but once you get the ABCs of it,
It'll come a lot quicker than you think. And the thing is I use it bass fishing all the time now with a Ned rig. do it with a fluke. I do it with a lot of things that is a direct relation to what I learned on the crappie side.
Brian Bashore (21:46)
yeah, bet. Yeah, that's a great way to get a Ned Rig in there. Those are deadly. I've been whacking some walleyes. run my victory rod a lot with my Ned Rig and I'm just gonna catch... That's an overlooked walleye bait. It's a mass bait, but it's an overworked walleye bait. yeah, all summer long.
Dan Johnston (21:53)
Yeah.
You do that for wallites a lot?
Cool.
Brian Bashore (22:06)
Even the guy I actually had from Wisconsin the other day, he went...
I want to say his ear you're a green bay, but his guide Ned rigged all day long. Those are like like the woods. Excuse me He's a lake the rook woods. He said they Ned rigged for a while
Dan Johnston (22:25)
Just a TRD?
Brian Bashore (22:25)
And he fished. Yep, that's what I got on mine. he eats. Yep. I'll go sometimes with the live crawler, but if they're biting good, go with tyrannies.
Dan Johnston (22:28)
No kidding.
I've caught him.
I've caught a lot of them on Ned rigs. Most of the ones I've caught have been swimming it back to the boat, you know, with a constant cadence, which is a great way to fish a Ned rig, especially right off a current. But that's how I've caught most of my walleyes. But I haven't caught a lot of them putting it on the bottom. And maybe it's just something I'm doing, but I don't know why they wouldn't hit it. mean, it's imitating a minnow, you know.
Brian Bashore (22:44)
Yep.
Nope, had a... Yeah, I watch them on LiveScope or find them and if they're biting the crawler good, I'll just go to the TRD and then rig and it gets better. And I can just let it... because they're so... you'll watch them. mean, this scope obviously helps you, you know, make this thing all come to, you know, where it is nowadays. because they'll sit there and just look and with that thing, just let it sit. Don't even touch it. Don't move it.
you know, pop it a couple times and if they follow it and when they just stare, give it sometimes five or 10 seconds and all of sudden they're just, that was picking right up. It's just.
Dan Johnston (23:32)
That's really cool. Are you using more of mental colors doing that or?
Brian Bashore (23:38)
Nope, brown and orange. Crawlers. Yep, crawler. use it to, yep, that crawler. Same with the grub. had an eye candy grub that never came off. The Zman Jerkshad, one of those never leaves the rod and then that Ned Rig is in there for most. I actually just took it out like three days ago because they're strictly Mendoz now, which I'm sure it'll still work, but it was really when the crawler bite was good.
Dan Johnston (23:41)
No kidding. Yeah, I suppose. That's cool.
Brian Bashore (24:08)
A lot of them don't want to hit the crawler on. They'll follow it down and I'll try to pause it or catch them suspended with it. If they're up there, they don't tend to hit it. But if they follow it, then I just let it drop and then it'll sit there and then five, 10 seconds, sometimes 20 seconds. then you can film, pick it right up. No, but without a live scope, would have known that I would still thrown it and still caught them without it. But now I catch a hell of a lot more because I could tell that they're just looking at it and just give it a second.
Dan Johnston (24:24)
Wow.
Brian Bashore (24:37)
Totally, instead of laying it, I'm fishing a lot of mud, silt, so that live bait is, you know, without it, is just laying down in it and they can't, maybe they'll lose it, you know, whatever the case is, but just having it stick up a little bit. That's the trick, but that used my, wish victory rod.
A tactical one, think I got an Nidrig on. I just got a couple of them, but yeah, I love that rod. This feels pretty good.
Dan Johnston (25:05)
I throw it on a seven three MLXF a lot with braid with a four liter, mostly for well, large mouth too, but really for small mouth, it's beyond lethal. That bait is, and it's interesting you're saying what you're saying. And I totally agree. I think the biggest mistake some people make with a Ned rig is they try to do too much to it. That Elastec material that Z-Man has
Brian Bashore (25:20)
yeah.
Dan Johnston (25:35)
And the Berkeley Power Bait General is really good too. I mean, it's a little fatter, but man, you talk about a bait, just fricking eat and don't want to let go. I mean, at all. But the best times to your point that I've had with it is either just letting it literally sit there or just kind of a real slow drag. I'm not doing a lot to it. If you see it in clear water, you know, it's sitting up at a 45 because of that tail and those little heads they make are just awesome. And the hook gauge is so light.
that I can go all the way down to six pound fluorocarbon and still just punch them. Cause that it's like a little hyperdermic needle. Yeah. That's a bait that I know it's been around a while, but there's a lot that people are just kind of starting to figure out with it. Little nuances make it even really special.
Brian Bashore (26:18)
It, you're at move it, it, let it, it does the work for you. You just get it out there in the right spot and let it, just let it do its thing. And sometimes let us do his thing is to do nothing. Let it, you know, it's enticing when they look at it. We caught a couple Saturday, Friday. I was getting Friday, drop shot. So everybody's just.
Dan Johnston (26:30)
Yeah, right.
Brian Bashore (26:42)
Jigging a minnow, it's a typical fall bite, it's going vertical, jigging a minnow or I have some on the scope. I'm like, yep, this short little 15 footer and work it back. They're all running avids. I'm like, man, I'm like, so I grabbed my one, one inch walleye, turbo drop shot, first cast, bam, 18 inch walleye. And that, I'm like, man, I don't, don't use this rod or, you know, this enough, it's great. And then when I, client would hook up.
I'd stick it in the rod holder and go take care of it while I was in the rod holder, a perch or another walleye would come up. I'd ride off off the bottom of the rocks and back that minute when I got it like 10, 12 inches up. And then it made a great dead stick because it's fairly soft out there and hanging. And eventually I just sat in the back of boat and showed this kid how to use it. he was like, yeah, this is fun. It's a nice, good little bite. Like, yeah, people just, so many bass methods, you know, walleye, they're all predators, they're all eating, but they just work.
Tokyo rigs, I got videos out there running Tokyo rigs. I especially did a chamber run catching a ton of them. The Ned rig, drop shot, everybody thinks bass and small mouth, but they catch a hell of a lot of walleye.
Dan Johnston (27:49)
Well, the suspending jerkbait could be the best example of that. I I threw those things for years and years and years. got two boxes of them, specifically like Megabass 110 size or all down to about the like pointer 78 size and those two sizes. there were colors that I had specifically for walleye, but I'm fishing it exactly
the way I would fish it for spots or small mouth or large mouth, you know, same identical cadence, but for whatever reason, if I had any type of orange bottom or chartreuse sides, the walleyes would just absolutely choke that thing almost to the point where it was a, it was not a good thing if you're trying to target large mouth. But I thought, you know what, if I'm walleye fishing, I'm just going to try this. I did it up on Mille Lacs I've done at Northern Wisconsin, Northern Minnesota.
Missouri, Iowa, all over the place for specifically for walleyes. And that date is unreal for walleyes. you tell it, I tell you what, and I don't know if a lot of people would agree with me on this, but I think a walleye hits it as hard or harder than a bass does. I mean, you kind of know when they hit it, they get a face full of it, you know, and you, and in clear water, you can see them. They'll come up and just a night. Sometimes they got it like this or, they got it's gone or whatever, but it's
Brian Bashore (29:03)
yeah. Yup.
Dan Johnston (29:11)
It's a, you can, you can tell it's a walleye. What blows my mind, O'Brien, a lot of times, especially like with a Smithwick Rogue. And I usually, fish that personally, that bait for walleye when the water's a little warmer and I'm fishing a really hot cadence, you know, one, two, three, stop, one, two, stop, one, two, three, stop, just screwing with it where it almost looks like a mirror coming back at you. And I can't tell you how many times I've had them come up and mug it 20 feet out in clear water and I can see them.
Brian Bashore (29:28)
Yep.
Dan Johnston (29:40)
I can see it all over them and they don't get it. And I don't know if you have an explanation for that one, but I've seen that a hundred times. like, how do you, I could drop this thing on my hand and it'd be in me. And this thing's trying to attack this thing and he doesn't get it. I don't know what happens there, but while I do that all the time. Yeah.
Brian Bashore (29:52)
right. Exactly. A jig and wrap I get that thing's dropping a neurotic, but the jerk bait, no, you know, pause and I don't know. They just get so aggressive. I was on Green Bay, had to prototype for the new Avid that released a few years ago. I was running the jerk bait and running a Berkeley Cutter 110 and yeah, five pound walleye just crushed it. I'm like, I got to run this. got to use this. And I was like, yeah, this.
I like this rod. And then when you get a four-pounder, then a five-pounder, I'm like, same thing, great and chartreuse on the sides.
eight feet of water maybe, but there was no doubt that was a walleye and it was on and yeah, everything's in it. I didn't have any that missed it, fortunately, but I did catch a ton of them. But yeah, that's a real fun bite when you get on it. I don't get a lot of that on the river. These fish are usually a little deeper, there's definitely time and place for it. You can get them and that's aggressive one. Jig and wraps, yeah, I get it. While you miss them on those, but.
Same deal. It's, it's, there's only one way. There's no tasting it or looking at it on the bottom. It's there it is. I got to get it now or I don't get it at all. So, you know, it's very aggressive. what, what's new at St. Cory? What do we got coming up? I know there's a bunch of contests going on right now. I don't know how long those are lasting. going into winter. I've got any new ice rots coming out. We got the.
physics that came out of bass.
Dan Johnston (31:28)
Yeah, we didn't do much on ice this year. As you all know, the ice fishing the last two years has been bizarre, man. It's been a really crazy, especially in our big ice markets. I think a lot of companies are kind of like, whoa, let's see what's going to happen here. We still make awesome ice rods. That Legend Black spring bobber is still my favorite. I run that thing in conjunction with a flasher and do the lift and hold cat and mouse deal on the crappies.
and just love doing that. But then we've got the CCI, actual carbon blank high end ice rods that are, you know, been out for a while, but they're just awesome. But on the, on the conventional side and on the real side, you know, the seven real brand is pretty new for St. Croix. It's been a couple of years now and two reels were launched in there, the GS casting reel and the GF spinning reel, both the GS casting reel I had in my boat for quite a while.
to test it and man, it's a little bigger than its predecessor, the GF that came out a year and a half prior, but it's like a freaking sports car. It's got like multiple adjustments. It's got centrifugal and magnetic and it's a little bigger. It's like a 250 size. So anything 15 pound lining up, I'm going to it exclusively and I can throw it a freaking mile if I want to. can tune it the way I want it for skipping. I can tune it the way I want it for throwing a buzz bait in the wind.
loving it super smooth, sexy looking black and red, you know, really good. And then the GF spinning rails, a price point 110 bucks, five ball bearing, seven 50 to 3000 size, super smooth. And one thing we're noticing about seven Brian is one of our core values with seven is durability. And we had thousands and thousands and thousands of these things go out, you know, whenever you launch a new brand, we had like less than 10 come back.
was like, what? And I'm looking at the metrics and talking to our largest customers about this. I'm like, man, I go to our team. I'm like, man, we got to be sure we're right about this if I'm going to say that. I mean, that's a really strong statement. I keep going back to it. And it's like, and some of the problem people have are real product manager is handling like over the phone. It's like, dude, you got to just adjust this. The guy's like, okay. It's not even anything wrong with it. So that's really cool. Then on the rod side,
Brian Bashore (33:46)
Yeah.
Dan Johnston (33:55)
The two biggest things that I'm probably most excited about in terms of volume, black bass is a rod we came out with that, you know, SC2 has been such a Stallworth material for us for forever and ever. And this has got SC3 in it, which is a step up. but there's a ton of models. It's really, really, really well balanced. The one that I tested was the six eight.
MXF casting and we were just talking about a jerkbait. I was throwing a Megabass 110 with 10 pound fluorocarbon on it. there is, let me just say this, not all jerkbait rods are created equal. That's another thing I'll take to my grave. I mean, if you think about this, if you think about this, there's a lot of cadences with jerkbaits. can get, you can really get on it when it's warm. was talking about that rogue deal. There's other times with that, with a 110 or something with like clear sides.
Brian Bashore (34:29)
.
Yeah
Dan Johnston (34:50)
in clear water where I'm counting to 30 before I hit that thing. And if I hit it, I don't want that thing to freak out like it's in water any warmer than that it really is because that fish is the temperature of the water. If I'm throwing this thing in 48 degree water and I reel down, I hit that thing and it does a freak out like the water 70, that's not good. so I have personally messed with every tip we make for a suspended jerkbait in cold water because it's
It matters. mean, if they see that thing, they're like, that's not real. You know, especially cold water fish, because generally speaking, this isn't always true. But generally speaking, we're throwing that thing in cold water. It's clear along with it. And they're not charging it like they will in the water 75, because they're freaking cold. They're the temperature of the water. They come up with it like they come up, they come up on it like a blimp, you know, in the big one, they'll look at it. And they're like, really looking at that thing. Am I going to eat it or not? And
Brian Bashore (35:37)
Alright, we're all a little slow.
Dan Johnston (35:47)
If they do eat it, part of it could be, you know, the best analogy I could give you is if you go out, go down to any reservoir that has shad in it, that freezes and go down there in the spring when all the catfish guys are down there just whacking on them because they'll shatter all dead in the ice, right? But the ones that aren't dead, the ones that aren't dead, watch how they're moving around. And it's the best way I could explain it. They're just kind of going one tail kick slide and that's it. They're not going at all. And that's when I'm like, okay.
Brian Bashore (36:01)
Yup. Yeah.
moving.
Slow, slow.
Dan Johnston (36:16)
that, you know, there's something more to this when we're fishing these things in cold water. And so that was the beta tested with Black Bass and there's ton of models. It's got an EVA handle, super cool looking, go on our website and check it out. It's really cool. And then we got also GXR is a, what we call a system. It's a rod and reel, both spinning and castings, like eight models, four and spinning, four and casting. SC2 blank.
And SC2 is responsible for the number one selling rod in the history of North America in triumph and the number one selling rod in the history of US produced for St. Croix, which is Premier. And that's what this blank is. It is bad to the bone. Okay. And we picked the right links, powers, actions, and the reel is really, really smooth. On the casting side, five ball bearings, but they're Japanese bearings.
You know, we've had these things before where I'm comping other bearings with other reels and, know, one reel might say, man, mine's got nine ball bearings in it. Well, guess what? I'll take three really, really, really good ones, especially around the spool. A couple around the spool that are good, good ones makes all the difference in the world. And that's what we did with it. So super excited about that. At ICAST, it was really, really well received, both Black Bass and GXR and on the seven side too. So we're
We're all about new product and bringing things to market. And we've got some rock stars right now for sure.
Brian Bashore (37:50)
The launch at the Classic with the physics rod. mean, the forward facing sonar movement, it's hit hard. It's been all the buzz this year. You've heard about it. Tired of talking about it, but you got a rod set up for it, which just makes perfect sense. And I know Tray McKinney's had a pretty good run with it.
Dan Johnston (38:07)
Yeah, specifically you're talking about what we're calling minnow shakers, right? All these young guns out there that are just handed it to people and fishing that minnow shaker. And there's a bunch of different ways to do that. There's a bunch of different tails and that's really a personal preference deal. it's really like an underwater slow cadence jerk bait and they're super lethal with it. Obviously they're watching on forward facing and watching the attitude of the fish determine how they use it. But what we found is the
Brian Bashore (38:13)
Yep. Yep.
Dan Johnston (38:37)
The rods for that aren't super long, know, six, six, six, eight. We had those blanks forever in walleye forever. And we thought, you know what, we're going to put that molded carbon fiber physics handle on it. Really turn it into a. Badass forward facing minnow shaking scoping rod, you know, and that's what we did in physics and physics is another really cool project. You know, it's outside the box. You look at it it's like, man, that's St. Croix really getting outside the box, you know, but there, you know, you look at the, you look at the old guys like you and I and.
Then you look at this whole demographic of these young anglers are just hammers, man. I mean, they're so good. And to see how advanced they are, you know, you got to take all age demo. And how about the, how about the women out there? How, I mean, these, these ladies can flat out catch them, you know? And so I, think all these companies, all the companies need to.
Brian Bashore (39:24)
Yeah.
Yup.
Dan Johnston (39:33)
pay high respect for all these different demographics, you know, and really listen, listen to them and, know, listen to what they want. And, it definitely pays off, but it's different, you know, I'm still pretty traditional legend tournament victory a little bit, you know, avid, love avid. but yeah.
Brian Bashore (39:53)
Those avids are a guide's dream with stainless steel guides. They can no longer break the inserts or the rod tips by reeling the jigs and the bottom bouts all the way into the rod tips. I get excited looking at the fish but they just keep cranking at you and I'm like, stop.
Dan Johnston (40:01)
Right.
Brian Bashore (40:12)
guide clients and it's slowly getting them over there and starting to get them into some of the sevens. I had a guy there today...
Seaguar's PEX8 micro braid line. So you're talking super, super, super thin diameter, which I use, you know, on finesse. I have it on a Legend Elite rod. And I'll use that for middle shake, or just this finesse stuff. It's like 18 pound test, but the diameter is like two pound. It's just, but the super thin diameter lines get super slick. Sometimes your knots or whatever overkill it. But he's like, well, how much backing do you put on it? don't put any on.
I don't know what reels you're using, but I don't need any, because I got a seven. And so that, you know, attribute about it, super cool with that. I don't know what you call it, a rubber sleeve or a gasket basically around the, around the spool that prevents the slippage. So, so I don't, I don't have to carry the generic spool of whatever kind of mono, you know, to fill. If you got a wire on the water or something or a knife for turning, it's just, it's just quick. It's simple. It's easy and it works. And I have yet to ever had any issues with it. And on the seven reels.
The drag is probably my favorite part of them on the GS NX. It's not, it's just easy to adjust. It sticks out a little bit. You know, it's kind of the logo V there. And even while you're fighting the fish, nobody wants to mess with the drag, but we have to mess with the drag sometimes because you're like, it's lot bigger than I thought or whatever cases. And it's just easy to find it and easy to adjust. So I dig that a lot. I'm sure that's probably a lot of the feedback you got on them with those things being out there now.
Dan Johnston (41:47)
Yeah, right behind durability with the spinning reel is the drag beyond the shadow of a doubt. What it is, it's a carbon fiber stainless steel. We call it a multi-stack. And the biggest pain in the butt in drags, especially now with high-pressured fish, forward-facing sonar that I'm convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt they're starting to ping to a little bit. You know, I can, I've literally seen
Brian Bashore (41:51)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Dan Johnston (42:16)
I'll light up a brush pile, especially on a really heavily pressured lake. I'll light that thing up from 30 feet away and I'll watch a fish swim out of the brush pile and leave it when I'm sitting there pinging it. So now I'm to the point where I'll find that brush and I'll turn away from it and not light him up, you know, but the point is with that drag is it's forced us to use light line and downsize and finesse if you're behind a bunch of boats or it's a real pressured situation. And if you notice,
Brian Bashore (42:29)
Yep.
Dan Johnston (42:43)
with really, regardless of the size of the reel, one thing I've been really happy with is there, I call it startup. You don't have to kind of get it going and then it's smooth. It just, it starts up really good. And if you've got a big small mouth on a drop shot right at the boat and he decides to say, guess what? That's a big shiny boat. I'm getting out of here and I got two foot of line off my tip. That matters and not breaking fish off with it. It's just super smooth. And some of these drop shot hooks, whether it's a nose hook or a
Brian Bashore (43:00)
Yep.
Hey, how are
Dan Johnston (43:12)
the owner cover shot, I use a lot. If you look at the gauge of that hook, it's not a real heavy hook. you don't want, you want things to really kind of give and go away and not locked down like a flipping or punching scenario, which would be opposite of that, right? And if you don't have a good drag on a spinning reel with as light a lines as we're using right now, it can be problematic. So we're getting really good feedback on
Brian Bashore (43:35)
Yeah, for sure. If mine were screaming the other day, I'd keep them a little loose for clients. Just, you know, lack of experience. And I just think, and I'm just like, just keep reeling. Well, it's not coming. I'm like, it's just, just keep reeling. It eventually you're going to start to gain a little bit. And if they're more experienced, I usually would give them a little step up and a rather real combo to use. you know, a lot of them aren't and they're just, they're guide trips. They're just out there to have fun and then learn some stuff, but it's keep them little, keep them a little loose. You know, and if it's a 20 pound flathead, I'm
Dan Johnston (43:42)
Right. Yeah.
Brian Bashore (44:04)
out a little bit so we're not there for 30 minutes but we'll get it to the boat. There's been plenty of that happening lately too. I'm loving them. I got my sevens. I got that a couple of the Baycasters. I haven't didn't really get a new near the bass fishing as I anticipated to upriver this year it was kind of dirty up there and now it's really clean but even all the bass guys that fish out on the loose Clark mainly have been on the lake and so early in the year got on a lot of small mouth. We were getting walleyes limits pretty fast so it's like all right it's like
Dan Johnston (44:07)
Right.
Brian Bashore (44:33)
11 o'clock we got all day. Let's go chase some of these bass up by the dam. And it was plastics and cranks and yeah, know and the smallies were getting much bigger. Not a lot of largemouth, but we get a lot of largemouth further up in the river. But for whatever reason, the Bass Club even had some, I've seen more bass boats on the lake ever by 500 % this year than I ever have fishing the reservoir part versus the river part. And yeah, I don't know if it's just that much better or up river just kind of.
We had floods, which you guys got to experience as well. A little bit over in Iowa, right? It was during the, the customer appreciation day when I was there for about an hour and I to hurry and get home because my basement was full of water. they, they stopped all the flows. So that brought, you know, way up river, way down. And I don't know if that pushed, you know, obviously those fish had to get out of there. Maybe they moved out of the lake, but a lot of bass fishing, but I think as a sport in general, it's growing. believe numbers are up and Jesse would know this with
Dan Johnston (45:15)
Right, I remember that.
Brian Bashore (45:32)
being on the ASA, I don't know, are 55 million anglers or something like that? I mean, it's, we're going up, hunting's going down, but anglers are going up slowly but surely, but.
More the better.
Dan Johnston (45:46)
Yeah, we had a huge spike during COVID, you know, with angler participation and that has subsided for sure. But the big challenge now is keeping them, you know, because angler, know, angler participation is so important for the health of our fisheries. And most people would say that guy's smoking something. Cause how would a fishery possibly be better if you got a ton of more people doing it? Well, everything people buy, there's an excise tax on what you buy.
Brian Bashore (45:49)
Alright, yeah.
Keep room.
Dan Johnston (46:15)
that goes back to fisheries and it helps fund legislation. you know, I mean, there's not some one person that will listen to this that doesn't understand there's forces out there that want us not to fish certain areas, you know, and try to move away from the things that we all love to do, whether you're a hunter or a fisherman, you know, and I don't want to get political here, but it matters. mean, numbers are power. They speak volume and
The more fishing participation we can get, better. I've always seen that. Now that said, I think we need to practice responsible harvest. know, obviously on the bass side, I'm huge on catch and release. I'll keep my crappies enough to eat them and let the rest of them go. I let a lot of lowlice go, Brian. I know you'd probably cringe to hear that, but you know, I'll keep a couple, eat them and let them swim off. I mean, it's nothing, I don't know. just, yeah, I think it's a good thing.
Brian Bashore (47:00)
Highlight.
95 % of them, if not 99 % of the ones I catch, I let go. So clients not so much, me, I don't keep them. No, I keep a few out of chairbland early in the spring, a couple days of limits. I'm like, all right, that's plenty for a while. Then right near the end of the fall, last few trips of the year, all right, I'll go out and get a lemon or two to get through the winter. And that's it. I did keep some perch, I ate some perch here today, because I had a big perch, like a 1.6 pounds, but it wouldn't go back. It wasn't even deep water, but I threw it back and bellied up.
and then it did through the live well and I'm like, that's, he ain't gonna make it. So we caught a couple more of them. All right, so I cooked them up the next night. It was good. It's good birch.
Dan Johnston (47:36)
Yeah.
I love eating pan-fitted, crappie, walleye, bluegill and perch are my four favorite. Ice fishing is my favorite time to eat them. You know, for whatever reason, just golly, they come out. They're so good. It's almost like when you clean them, you get home, the meat's kind of white. You don't have a lot of blood in them and they're just, they, yeah, I love it. But no, angler participation is huge. Yeah. What's that?
Brian Bashore (47:55)
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
Couple of best wall I ever had were from ice fishing. The best couple wall I've ever had were ice fishing straight out of the ice. And, you know, I came home and I think I drove two hours and they were still alive in the bucket with no water. You know, I was like, what? You got to be kidding me. like clean them. And then I saw watered them and brined them that night, cooked them the next day. was like, wow. I mean, it's just cold. Water's clean. It's cold. but yeah, angular participation is huge. And in the early November, I got Chris Horton coming on with the International Sportsman's Foundation on the
Dan Johnston (48:15)
yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
Brian Bashore (48:37)
On the sport fishing side, as well as I believe Blue Carpenter is going to join us for National Wildlife. And we're going to talk about all of those aspects of it. So those out there watching and listening, you're going to want to tune into that. We're going to get deep. It's not the sexiest stuff when you talk about politics and the history of contravation and how this stuff works. But I think a lot of people don't understand it or know it or how the funds are used and all that kind of stuff. So we're to break that down and hopefully everybody tunes in because if you don't know is.
you're going to get a lesson from Chris. nobody, nobody knows it better. I mean, it's the guys, that's what he does lives it day in and day out and whether it's in DC or North Carolina, wherever he's at, it's a, and it makes a big deal, but it all starts with angular participation period, whether it's kids fishing, keeping them fish and re-engage in anglers that came in during COVID. That's important. So what you guys are putting the products out there. You got to say Croix's got the customer appreciation day and usually it was like third weekend in June, typically.
Dan Johnston (49:35)
Yeah, it usually hovers sometime around Father's Day weekend. It doesn't necessarily land right on it, but it's around that time. Year in and year out.
Brian Bashore (49:45)
So that's a great time people get out there. They've got seminars, Danzer, got Tony Rokes. You got all these guys giving seminars, lessons. You get a touch, feel, play with the products. Just phenomenal. doesn't end sales, huge sales going on, huge sales. So you're looking to save a couple bucks, get out there for that. was my first time there. Unfortunately, I didn't get to hang out and experience it for the whole day or two like I planned on it. But I am fortunate enough to get to spend a little time in the boat with
with Dan every last few April's not this year as in Erie but hopefully this year I don't know when Shields Fish University is but I Cory does a lot of the manufacturers bring out a lot of the experts like Dan and the Shields staff basically get some hands-on learning and that's just I don't know if there's any other companies out there doing it but that is just a phenomenal event and these guys walk away with just a wealth of knowledge. mean, you've been doing that for years.
Dan Johnston (50:38)
It's forever. It's an amazing event. You know, it's one thing to, you know, you and I talked a little bit about Ned Rigan today, but there's nothing that replaces going and doing it yourself and getting your hands on it and feeling what somebody's talking about. that's what this event does. know, we'll have classroom sessions, but then we take them out on the river and put them in Brian's boat.
And we've got amazing walleye fishermen out there, which is really out of my wheelhouse, out that Chamberlain walleye deal out there. I mean, I catch them, but because Brian puts me on them. it's really, what a blessing for those young men and women to be able to go do that. And they can bring it back and talk the talk to the people on the sales floor. And back to the point about angler participation.
Brian Bashore (51:17)
Yeah, you can catch them. You catch them.
Yeah.
Dan Johnston (51:35)
I did a podcast on this a while back too. mean, one of the, was asked, you know, what's the biggest thing to try to do to keep people in the sport of fishing? And it's very, very simple answer to me. mean, there's not one answer. Obviously you talk about being good stewards of the environment and the advantages of, you know, picking up trash out of the water and just doing the right thing is a life lesson in anything you do. And I get that, but specific to the question about how to keep them in the sport is catch them.
Brian Bashore (52:03)
Take them. Catch you all right.
Dan Johnston (52:05)
In other words, you got, you know, seriously, don't go grind something out for eight hours like we do in practice for bass and get two bites, you know, go like if you see seagulls diving on white bass and they're blowing up, man, time that thing, get that window, take the guy or gal out and get some binoculars and find them and say, man, there they are and fire a 250 up and run to them and throw a pop bar out there and it goes, push. You know, they're going to come home and go, this is something I want to do again.
Brian Bashore (52:10)
Yeah.
Yep.
Yep.
Dan Johnston (52:32)
You know, but it can be bluegills off the bank. can be anything, but I think just getting people success and catching fish is, I think our responsibility for those of us that have done this quite a bit to path to pay that forward, you know, cause if, you go out for hours and hours and not catch them, is it cool? it better than sitting at home watching a soap opera? Probably, but it's not as fun as catching them. You know what I'm saying?
Brian Bashore (52:57)
Yep, moderation, short spurts, get them on the fish. And I keep a couple ripple shads or plastics just sitting in the compartment on top of the boat. So when I see that white bass blow up, can just say reel them in. I slam the trolling motor and fly over and I grab their jig and I slip the plastic on them. Like just start throwing, throw. And it's just, you know, every cast and like it may only last five, 10, 15 minutes, you know. They're like, wow, that was fun. I had a young kid their day caught a whiz.
Dan Johnston (53:10)
Yeah.
Brian Bashore (53:26)
I have 36 inch Northern on Lindy ring. So fortunately it was very, very tip of its lip. So it didn't, didn't break. I'm like, wow, you got to be a big walleye. And then it came up a little bit. I'm like, that's way too big for a walleye. I'm like, it's a Northern, but that he wanted a big Northern, you know? And yeah, he, and there was a little local tournament going on and he was hooting and hollering on my tail. know, first boat that came in, we were netting about a four pound walleye. So they saw that and then he was hooting and hollering an hour later. I'm like, they think we got, you got like a 10 pounder.
Dan Johnston (53:38)
Right.
Brian Bashore (53:56)
You know, you got all these guys around and get a get all pissed off. It was funny But he was stoked that was like that was he was that made that made it that was it That's all we needed. I don't care if we got another fish all day Now I don't have to take him to Canada, know, so I saved a bunch of money cuz he got his dream fish But like yeah, he's hooked though catch him They're hooked. That's it's simple. Take them no matter who it is
Dan Johnston (53:56)
Yeah.
Well, think of how many people, it's a huge compliment I'll give to you. And I know, I know guiding is obviously a big part of that is making a living. get that. But aside from that, as good as you are, and another thing, Brian, you do a really, really good job of, and I've spent quite a few hours with you in the boat now out there at these South Dakota events is I think talking to people about the why is really important. I mean, it's one thing to get a bite and
you know, swing on one and reel it in and all that was cool. But why, why did that happen? You know, was it something you did to impart action on that bait at that time? What did that bite feel like? And it'd say, well, man, I felt this thump. Well, what was that? That's not like a dog biting something. That's actually something sucking it in. What you're feeling is the slur speeding up really fast. They're like, really? You know, and get them part of the process and understand why things are going on. And he's critical. You've always done a really good job of that.
Be in the boat with you, listening to you.
Brian Bashore (55:20)
Those fun things are for so many of those new employees, and we take it for granted sometimes catching 18, 19, 20 inch walleyes some days over there on every cast. I don't know how many times, personal best, personal best, personal best. We're like, it's a good one. It's another 19 or a 20 incher. As you know, the evening bite gets better as the sun sets, that last group that goes out always wax that 20 plus incher. And you're like, you know, so it's take photos, but yeah, they're lit up and they're just stoked. And that's my personal best.
Dan Johnston (55:44)
Yeah.
Brian Bashore (55:50)
Well, they're from Idaho, right? Where it's an invasive species and they don't get to catch them. But yeah, it seemed that excitement on him like that guy sucked. You know, he's leaving here with a positive experience and no matter what products they're selling or talking to the customers over there, they at least had it in their hand. They got to use it. They got experience with it. You know, it's like from electronics to line to reels to rods. mean, hell, they're even getting to experience different rides and a bunch of different boat brands. So that is quite the thing they put on and.
You've been the keynote speaker there for years and I don't, and if people, ever get the chance to catch Dan at a seminar or if you're shields employee and you get to go to the fishing university, you're in for a treat. It, we call them the, I call them the professor for a reason. The guy knows their product inside and out. So, we'll wrap this up, Dan, what, we talked about new stuff. talked seven, we talked fishing. You could leave these new and you know, veteran anglers maybe with a little, a little nugget, a little tip to help them on their angling.
moving forward.
Dan Johnston (56:53)
Keep it real. mean, just think outside the box. Life's so short, man. I mean, fish, fish hard, do it the right way, and probably more important than anything else is pay it forward. I mean, like I told you earlier, that dock shooting thing, I'm not gonna say I never would have done it, because sooner or later I'd come up on somebody down there and saw them, and like, my God, when I've probably figured it out. But the fact that it was introduced to me,
Brian Bashore (57:16)
Right.
Dan Johnston (57:21)
And God rest his soul. He's a guy I shot that video with it. You'll watch if you YouTube st. Croix Lake Ozarks doc shooting. He's no longer with us But the fact that he showed me how to do that Leads me want to show people how to do the little Small percentage of things that I know so that's what I would leave people with you know And just live it and love it man. I mean get out and do it
We're very, very blessed to have a chance to fish the way we do for sure.
Brian Bashore (57:54)
We are, and we have a lot of great fisheries out there. We're, you know, I was talking to Ryan Buddy on one of these who's been fishing overseas for the world predator stuff. And I don't think people realize how good we have it here in U.S. with the amount of fisheries, the size, the quality. And you think some of our places are high pressure, go over to Japan and go fishing. You want to talk about some high pressure fisheries where you have 10 times as many people and the fisheries are this much, you know, or this big and their fisheries are that big.
Dan Johnston (58:08)
Yes.
Brian Bashore (58:24)
Yeah, you know, take care of the resources. It'll take care of you and get out and do it and go enjoy some quality time outside, whether you're in a tree or you're on the water. better place to be. So, all right. Well, Dan, appreciate your time. I know you are a busy, busy guy over there and you probably got to jump on another podcast today or 10 or, or I certainly got plenty of phone calls, but it is like 70, 80 degrees out. So you might need to go get some fishing in too. the,
Dan Johnston (58:36)
Amen, man.
Brian Bashore (58:53)
The boat clean is going to going to happen for this guy while it's hot out as we wrap up the season. But once again, thanks for your time, Dan. Appreciate it. All the words of wisdom and the insight. Always good to catch up with you and all of those that are listening. You can catch this podcast over at Apple, Spotify, all those podcast places, the Walleye Guys page and the Walleye Guys on YouTube. Thanks for listening and tuning in and stay safe and we'll see you on the water.