Don Karlgaard was born and raised on a farm near Fergus Falls in Western Minnesota. He graduated from Campbell High School, Fergus Falls Junior College, and Moorhead State University. Don has a Masters Degree in Mathematics Education from St. Cloud University. In 1980 Don moved with his wife to Clearwater Lake. Don is a high school mathematics instructor. Don started his teaching/coaching career in Pipestone and has been in Brainerd since 1980. Don has coached football, basketball, and track. He has coached for 26 years at various levels, including the head boy’s job in Pipestone and the head men’s coach at Brainerd Community College. Don has taught numerous mathematics classes at Central Lakes College, formerly known as Brainerd Community College. Don credits his father for his interest in fishing. They would fish off the shore of the Ottertail River and catch carp. Don and his dad would occasionally rent a boat or pontoon and fish for sunfish and crappies on the many lakes in the Fergus area. He also did some ice fishing and remembers those times fondly!

Don’s 24-volt trolling motor broke down while on a fishing trip to Canada with his family and friends. When Don found a small flat that was loaded with walleyes, he hooked up a towrope from the bow eye of his big boat to the bow of the 16’ fishing boat that held his sons, Matt, Luke, and Dan. They used the 12-volt trolling motor on their boat to hold both of the boats on the flat. They had so much fun, with seven of them in such close proximity catching one walleye after another. There were also some exciting interruptions because of several muskies that would grab their walleyes and give them a great ride as well as a lot of splashing on the surface! Of course, Don had to offer a few instructions to his sons running the trolling motor in the small boat from where he was sitting in the back of the towed boat.

Specified species: Walleye, bass, northern, crappie, sunfish

Special company: Opening weekend is really special for Don as he fishes with his sons. Don also enjoys fishing with other family members and some of his Pipestone friends who are also pheasant hunting buddies in the fall.

Time of Day: Morning

Certain season: End of September and early October

Type of fishing: Backtrolling Lindy Rigs for Walleyes

Preferred type of clients: Don enjoys having a mix of customers, and relates well to young people.

Specialty lakes: Area lakes

Fishing resume: Don was so excited in early 1989 when Marv Koep responded to him saying he would love Don as one of the Nisswa Guides. This will be Don’s 18th season as Nisswa guide as his first day of guiding was in 1989 for the Governor’s Opener on Pelican Lake. His clients that day were Minnesota Senator Don Anderson and his wife Vi. Don also guided for the 1993 Governor’s Opener out of Craguns on Gull Lake. Then in 2001 he guided the DNR Commissioner, Al Garber, for the Governor’s Opener at Breezy Point on Pelican Lake.

Family: Don and his wife Cheryl have three sons, Matt, Luke, and Dan, and one daughter, Maari. Matt and his wife Erin are the parents of Don’s two grandsons, Benjamin and Elijah. Luke and Christine were married in November of 2004. The boys have all graduated college and have great jobs. Maari will graduate this year from high school and is trying to decide which college to attend this fall. Don’s four-year old Chocolate Lab, Juneau is his hunting companion in the fall, especially for pheasants.

In 2002 Don and his wife spent a week in Washington D.C. as he received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching for the state of Minnesota.

Don loves to fish anytime…anywhere. Can you believe he has four ice fishing houses? His favorite summer vacation is going to Northern Minnesota or Canada fishing walleyes with family and friends! His Canadian trip to Lac Suel is an annual event.

Info for more trips: Don relates well to all ages and types of clients. His goal is to teach people how to catch fish, so he is very good with novice, elderly, and young customers. Don strives to do his best to patiently guide his clients to have fun catching fish.

How many trips: Don’s goal is 70 trips. He has only had 30-40 some trips per year the past couple of years.