GaryOsberg.com

The second weekend in June is always reserved for a fishing trip with my four brothers, my son Erik, and my grandson “Walleye Willie” plus brother Craig’s son Grayson.  This year, Grayson will not be able to be with us. There is a total of 8 Osberg men ages 14 to 79.  Cousin John and my great nephew Adam will also join us. 

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 2003 brother Bill offered to pay the way for my son Erik, so I decided to go along.

I am the oldest of five Osberg brothers and it was a wonderful bonding time. 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 with the guide and resort owner Woody for his TV show. Erik suggested that we try Woody’s instead of the fly-in in 2005. 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 home 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. One of the cabins is right on the lake.  Brother Bill is the chief cook and bottle washer, so we put him in that cabin along with brother Geoff from Chicago.  There is a traveling trophy and the Walleye that I caught last year measured 28 inches.  Now the trophy is on my wall and the fish that I caught is the largest one on the trophy.  This year I am hiring the same guide, Randin Olson, and going to the same lake to try and retain the trophy.

“Dost thou love Life? Then do not squander Time; for that’s the stuff Life is made of.”  Benjamin Franklin