So, how did you end up on IDO?

2009 I move to SE MN from northern MN. I knew nothing of fishing in SE MN and needed to learn. IDO was an invaluable resource.

“So, how did you end up on IDO?”

Tail piping some dude in a Yar-Craft 1890 tiller with a big Merc on back…..

Been kicking around here since the early days of fish the river and movingwaters. Back then it was heavily focused on the river and pool 4. With James guiding down there 300+ days a year and posting regular reports, it caught a lot of attention for me. Remember back then, no smart phones, most did not even have a computer. Me included. Snuck online while a work! Facebook was years from startup. If you wanted to post a fish pic, you had to go to one-hour photo, get your film developed and then scan it to a file. (Yes, with a scanner) Then find a place to host the photo file in order to post a link! That or have your own website like James did and put up pics of big fat P4 walleyes on a regular basis. Very cool deal back then. In those days a recent report would typically show up in a paper or magazine. Chase that info and you were always a day late and a dollar short. The age of current fishing info was being born.

Early on the walleye tourney boom was also starting. It was crazy, 250-300 boat fields with huge payouts were getting common. If you placed in the top 25, you had a decent payday. Every circuit had a stop at Red Wing or Lake City. Also Mille Lacs where James put in a lot of time. Cool, I fish tourneys on both. Had some early success in those days. Fun times. James even took a day off back then and did well placing 2nd in the MWC at lake city against one of those huge fields. The true river guys would clean up. Still do. Thought I knew the river pretty good, I actually knew very little! I owe everything I know about river fishing to guys like James, Dustin Stewart, Randy Stevens, Greg Vandemark, Steve Dezurik and so many others who I met fishing tourneys and meeting through this website. None of these guys would give you a spot. But more important would point you in the right direction and/or tell you what you were doing wrong! Like take that minnow off the hair jig! (Thanks Greg!) The most important thing I learned and still holds true today is it’s all about time on the water. You can tell a guy where to go and what to use, or even take them there and explain it in great detail. Still won’t catch a fish if you don’t put in the time.

It’s been a fun ride watching the site grow. I remember running running into James one day down at Everts when things were starting to take off. He was so excited to announce “Hey, the site got 10k page views last month!!!” The site probably gets 10k views a day now. Maybe more? Or another time James saying he had not had live bait in the boat for a couple of years. The explosion of plastics had recently taken hold and there was no going back. It was a true revolution for river fishing. And James had a huge part of making that happen.

Have great memories of get togethers at Everts, Mille Lacs, PDC and Rainey River. The big brother/big sister take a kid fishing events. The IDO walleye tourneys. The fall full moon trolling runs. All fun times. Most important thing of all, the good friends I have made, the great people I have met. All due to this website. So many of the people who I consider close friends today I met through IDO. Life would not be the same without.

-J.

I was from pretty much right at the beginning. I’d drive down the hill at Everts, and Joe parked by himself would tell where he wanted to you park, even when no other vehicles were around. Few boats in the mid 1980s.
Met Steve and Amber Vick doing DNr surverys often on Pepin and Everts. Got to
know him pretty well. Dean Marshell took over and continued Steve’s management and tackle shop. Going through the no wake zome one day, James and I were going opposite directions, and did a slow turn back toward eachother and started talking. He mentioned he was starting a new fishing site, FTR.com to complement his Rochester based Pool 4 quide business. Couple of days later
I joined as member #88, and was reqular on the site. For a few years I was a
Field/ Writer Reporter, to help get more good info for newer members to use and be comfortable.
You Come A Long Way Baby…..
Jack
Great staff and regulars members made it fun to be signed on and contribute.
Lots of good memories from the beginning.

Been watching on TV. So I thought I’d check it out.Only web site I’ve been on was Lake-Link, Not much for PC,it’s more the wife’s I do enjoy watching IDO. Hopefully I’ll get in more fishing this year

Around 2000 I believe but the site was just turning into in-depthangling i think. Maves the catfish hunter out of everts resort got me to check it out.