Tryouts for the USA Ice Team.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON CJONLINE
While searching for great fishing tales to share on his upcoming website, fishstories.org, South Dakota resident Buddy Seiner has heard it all.
Following are a few of Seiner’s more unique experiences, as well as a few things to look forward to:
While searching for great fishing tales to share on his upcoming website, fishstories.org, South Dakota resident Buddy Seiner has heard it all.
Following are a few of Seiner’s more unique experiences, as well as a few things to look forward to:
“After only a few months, I have had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people in the fishing industry,” Seiner said. “I recently spent a weekend in Rhinelander, Wis., with members of USA Ice Team as they prepare for the 2018 World Ice Fishing Championship in Kazakhstan. I will be following Mike McNett, Myron Gilbert and many anglers vying for a chance to represent the United States and fish for gold in 2018.”
“I chatted with Dan Maio, an Australian who fished his entire life until catching one fish that made him want to quit … cold turkey.”
“Whitney Anderson grew up fishing on her father’s commercial boat for 21 years before moving to Seattle to follow her passion for design.”
“I was humbled to sit down with Darlene DeChandt, widow of radio/television personality (and one of my childhood idols) Tony Dean, to hear stories about their life together, and Tony’s rise to legacy status.”
Seiner’s dream is to create an archive for fishing stories. He said that, during the journey to make it to where he is today, he has had the opportunity to meet amazing people whose lives have been touched by fishing. Now, with the help of Fish Stories, we’ll all get to listen along, from anywhere.
Part of that love for fishing and storytelling came from his own introduction to the sport.
“My dad first took me fishing when I was 2 years old,” he said. “It was a warm November day in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I don’t recall the day personally, but I’ve heard the story a time or two from my dad. He took me to Pactola Reservoir, where we both began learning to fish for trout.
“One of my earliest fishing memories is of the D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery in Spearfish, S.D. To enter the hatchery grounds, you must first cross a bridge over Spearfish creek. The crystal clear water flowing below consistently provoked my curious, animal-loving mind to scan for creatures. I was always able to catch a glimpse of the small, brown trout darting for cover or holding on a seam. It never got old … still doesn’t.”
Not long after moving to Pierre, S.D., Seiner joined a group of fly-tying enthusiasts called the Tuesday Tyers. He was in his late 20s and full of fishing enthusiasm. He said he was ready to prove to everyone just how many fish he could catch, but he soon learned just how little they cared about superficial numbers.
“Seemingly overnight, my life changed from one of a wannabe know-it-all, to a student, mentor and teacher,” he said. “I started hosting fly-tying clinics for children, teaching casting clinics and giving up fishing spots to anyone wanting to catch fish. I began to recognize how important my angling friends and family were in my life, and how much I enjoyed talking with them and hearing their stories.
“I still fished a lot, but the fire that fueled my pursuit of bigger and more had been suffocated by the desire to preserve our resources, traditions and stories. Now, I’m dedicating my life to legacy preservation. If it can help me feed my family, I’ll be the happiest guy in town.”
The beauty and bounty of the state is a big part of the overall experience for Seiner.
“South Dakota has really spoiled me as an angler,” he said. “Trout streams, stock dams and deep water reservoirs in the west; the mighty Missouri River dividing our state in half filled with walleyes, Northerns, white bass and catfish; and tens of thousands of sloughs and lakes in the glacial lakes region in the northeast with any species an ambitious fish lover could ask for.
“Open water, ice fishing, boat, shore — I had a chance to experience it all. It was an addiction.”
“I chatted with Dan Maio, an Australian who fished his entire life until catching one fish that made him want to quit … cold turkey.”
“Whitney Anderson grew up fishing on her father’s commercial boat for 21 years before moving to Seattle to follow her passion for design.”
“I was humbled to sit down with Darlene DeChandt, widow of radio/television personality (and one of my childhood idols) Tony Dean, to hear stories about their life together, and Tony’s rise to legacy status.”
Seiner’s dream is to create an archive for fishing stories. He said that, during the journey to make it to where he is today, he has had the opportunity to meet amazing people whose lives have been touched by fishing. Now, with the help of Fish Stories, we’ll all get to listen along, from anywhere.
Part of that love for fishing and storytelling came from his own introduction to the sport.
“My dad first took me fishing when I was 2 years old,” he said. “It was a warm November day in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I don’t recall the day personally, but I’ve heard the story a time or two from my dad. He took me to Pactola Reservoir, where we both began learning to fish for trout.
“One of my earliest fishing memories is of the D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery in Spearfish, S.D. To enter the hatchery grounds, you must first cross a bridge over Spearfish creek. The crystal clear water flowing below consistently provoked my curious, animal-loving mind to scan for creatures. I was always able to catch a glimpse of the small, brown trout darting for cover or holding on a seam. It never got old … still doesn’t.”
Not long after moving to Pierre, S.D., Seiner joined a group of fly-tying enthusiasts called the Tuesday Tyers. He was in his late 20s and full of fishing enthusiasm. He said he was ready to prove to everyone just how many fish he could catch, but he soon learned just how little they cared about superficial numbers.
“Seemingly overnight, my life changed from one of a wannabe know-it-all, to a student, mentor and teacher,” he said. “I started hosting fly-tying clinics for children, teaching casting clinics and giving up fishing spots to anyone wanting to catch fish. I began to recognize how important my angling friends and family were in my life, and how much I enjoyed talking with them and hearing their stories.
“I still fished a lot, but the fire that fueled my pursuit of bigger and more had been suffocated by the desire to preserve our resources, traditions and stories. Now, I’m dedicating my life to legacy preservation. If it can help me feed my family, I’ll be the happiest guy in town.”
The beauty and bounty of the state is a big part of the overall experience for Seiner.
“South Dakota has really spoiled me as an angler,” he said. “Trout streams, stock dams and deep water reservoirs in the west; the mighty Missouri River dividing our state in half filled with walleyes, Northerns, white bass and catfish; and tens of thousands of sloughs and lakes in the glacial lakes region in the northeast with any species an ambitious fish lover could ask for.
“Open water, ice fishing, boat, shore — I had a chance to experience it all. It was an addiction.”
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