Testimonial on Behalf of Lenny Hodgson

I have enjoyed the privilege of fishing with Nisswa Guide, Lenny Hodgson, regularly for over the past 15 years. The memories are all pleasant. The experiences of pursuing (and catching) the wily walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass and northern pike across the Brainerd Lakes Area with Lenny as my guide are among the most treasured in my Minnesota fishing experience -- that began, as a boy, in the early 1940’s.

There is much to praise about Lenny the person – and Lenny the guide. As a person, it’s simple – there is none better. As a guide, the same assessment applies. The enthusiasm he has for life in general (as a family man, father, foster parent, first-responder, teacher, former Mayor of Nisswa and longtime councilman) becomes magnified when guiding fishing is involved.

Lenny particularly enjoys seeing his customers having memorable fishing experiences. He is literally the kind of guy -- who on a free afternoon from his busy guiding schedule – goes fishing. He will claim that he is just out “scouting” to keep abreast of the hot spots. While partly true, I’m sure, the underlying fact is that Lenny greatly loves fishing and consequently is an excellent guide.

I have had the pleasure of fishing, from time to time, with nearly all of the members of the Nisswa Guides League and can testify that they are all top-notch in their profession. Lenny is my favorite.

Kent Granger
Attorney (retired)
Kansas City, Missouri

I guess our guardian angel was looking after us when we chose you. … After watching some of the other fishermen around us, and their techniques I am sure that we would not have brought any fish home without your expert guidance. … I think spending a day with you certainly enhances your chances of fishing success. To me, having your services was money well spent.

George and Carol Lefman

I would just like to tell you about our experience with fishing guide Don Karlgaard. I have fished with Don at least 6 or 7 times both as a business outing with my customers and as a family outing with my wife.

In each and every outing, Don was extremely patient, considerate & easy going and at the same time was intense in his attempt to make our day as enjoyable as possible. He worked his butt off to not only find fish, but to make sure we were comfortable including our knowledge of the task at hand.

Whether its crappie fishing in the shallows or bouncing deep lead with a red tail, Don is outstanding at what he does and is always at the top of his game.
Even though he has educated me to the point to where I could be self sufficient on the lake, we look forward to fishing with him in the future as we consider him a great friend.

Thanks for your attention.
Good fishing!!

Tony Daniels
Buffalo, MN

I have known and fished with Rich Boggs for over 10 years. I have fished with the best anglers in America and can honestly say he is as professional and a qualified angler as any of them. It is truly a wonderful experience sharing a boat with him.

Chris Jensen

I’d like to take this time to personally recommend the fish guide services of John Stolski. We recently enlisted John’s help for filming of a television segment of Kent Hrbek Outdoors TV in the Brainerd Lakes area starring Minnesota Twins legend Kent Hrbek with celebrity guests Olympic figure skating Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi and her NHL Hockey playing husband Bret Hedican of the Carolina Hurricanes. In a word, the shoot was splendid.

Our crew found John to be courteous, knowledgeable patient and very skilled when it came to matching his clients fishing skills to fishing opportunities. Kristi landed a nice sized Northern Pike only :45 seconds into video taping. Meanwhile Hrbie and Bret “pounded” Gull Lake walleyes until our camera crew was weary. And although the sunny clear blue skies looked great on video tape, this seasoned outdoor television crew knew full well it was not an ideal mid-summer day to fish Gull Lake “bite” wise.

The cast and crew of Kent Hrbek Outdoors heartily recommend the services of John Stolski and would welcome a chance to fish with him again personally or professionally in no time flat.

Eric Gislason
Co-Host & Executive Producer
Kent Hrbek Outdoors Television

The scrappy beginnings of big-name anglers like Al Lindner, Gary Roach, and Marv Koep; the competition and camaraderie of men who devoted their lives to fishing and the birth of freshwater angling as we know it today. … you’ll marvel at how a group of hard-driving, creative fishermen, and a roadside bait-store owner used their good luck—and uncanny abilities to catch fish—to change a sport forever.
—Chris Niskanen
Outdoors Editor, St. Paul Pioneer Press

The league’s legacy is firmly and deeply imprinted into this area’s history. To not acknowledge and record this bit of vital area history would have been a travesty.

—Steve Pennaz
Executive Director, North American Fishing Club

As I reflect back, the advent of the Nisswa Guides’ League was like a bobber
going down. It was a silent signal that Minnesota’s historic mom-and pop
fishing business was evolving into a stable of celebrity guides who
angled for dollars with passion, biology, and high-tech fishing gizmoes.
… Indeed, the Nisswa guides and their catches resulted in
Legends and Legacies. I know because I was there.
—Ron Schara
Author of Minnesota Fishing Guide and
host of the Minnesota Bound television show

Guides to Senators, celebrities, like the late great Kirby Puckett, ….