GaryOsberg.com

I am oldest of five boys. The first week in June is always reserved for a fishing trip with my brothers, my son Erik, my grandson “Walleye Willie” plus brother Craig’s son Grayson.  This year, brother Geoff will not be able to be with us. He had back surgery on May 21^st. Cousin John Hagstrom and my brother Brian’s friend Paul joined us this year. 

It all started sometime in the nineties. My youngest brother Craig was invited by his father-in-law, Jim Keeler, to go along on a fly-in fishing trip to Trout Lake in Canada. Over time, my other brothers, who were into fishing, were invited to go along. In 2002 brother Bill offered to pay the way for my son Erik, so I decided to go along. They teased me about my tiny tackle box. 

I told the camp host, Murdoch, that I would be back every year for the next 20 years. The next year we went to brother Brian’s cabin near Aitkin instead. The year after that we went to Rainy Lake. Erik was working as a weekend sportscaster on WDIO Channel 10/13 in Duluth and he did a story on fishing. He interviewed guide and Rainy Lake resort owner Woody for his TV show. Erik suggested that we try Woody’s instead of the fly-in in 2004. We had a great time, and the greatest part was that Woody had a wonderful pub filled with memorabilia from his hockey days. For many years we went back to Woody’s. We never did do the fly-in again. You can check out Woody’s at www.fairlyreliable.com  It is worth the drive just to meet Woody. In 2011 we switched to Brindley’s Resort on Leach Lake. A large house located across the road from the marina worked well for the whole gang, but fishing was tough.

In 2017 we decided to try Holly’s Resort on Otter Tail Lake.  Erik is an ambassador for Otter Tail County, and we reasoned that we would have a better chance to find the elusive walleye.  We had a great time.  Brother Bill and I stay in the small cabin on the lake.  Cabin number 14 has six beds downstairs and 3 more in the loft. In 2022 I was the only Osberg that did not have his name on the traveling trophy.  My son Erik suggested that I hire Randin Olson with Lockjaw Guide Service www.lockjawguideservice.com  to take me to a “secret lake” nearby.  The Walleye that I caught in 2022 measured 28 inches.  I finally got to put my name on the trophy and it was the biggest fish caught. The next year my grandson Walleye Willie caught a 28 ¾ inch Walleye, so his name went on the trophy for the second time. This year he caught another 28 incher.  Next year I am hiring the same guide and going to the same lake to try and get the trophy back to Mill Stream Village.

“You can’t catch them from your couch”.  Gary Osberg