I still remember the first time I picked up a fly rod that my father had bought me when I was 10 years old living in Central California. Trout fishing was out of the question on the local Air Force Base where my dad was stationed, but that didn't stop me from learning how to fly fish. I strapped the 2 piece fiberglass rod to my dirt bike, with a hand full of K-Mart flies I was off to the local pond. I still remember that first day, fumbling to get the line to straighten out like I dreamed about in the magazines. I didn't matter though; I still was catching plenty of sunfish, bluegills, rock bass and small largemouth bass to put a smile on my face. Ever since then I was hooked.
I was then transplanted to the Land of 10,000 lakes, Minnesota! During the long drive from California, I all I could think about was seeing all that water, especially the big Lake Superior. My parents bought a house in the Lakeside area of Duluth, MN, which I consider the start of the North Shore of Lake Superior. When my grand father pointed out to me that just 10 blocks from our house was a trout stream, it just blew me away. The first two summers in Duluth was playing on the Lester River and Aminity Creek areas. I would pack the backpack, grab my fiberglass rod and head to the river. Starting at the mouth and working upstream, all day long. I learned these rivers like the back up my hand, but gave me the experience on how to decipher a stream and learn trout behavior.
Driver's license time! Got a job, spent the first pay check on you know what, a new fly rod. Now I was able to broaden my fishing range and that's exactly what I did. I primarily fished the North Shore during the spring and fall for Salmon when the Minnesota DNR still stocked them in good numbers. During the summer I spent my time chasing wild trout on the upper sections of the North Shore streams from Duluth to Grand Marais.
I graduated from college with a BS in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota - Duluth and landing my first full time job right in my home town of Duluth, MN. Everything was falling into place. This is where I met a great "steelheader" named Al Lutkevich. He showed me a few things about the awesome Brule River in Northern Wisconsin. I fell in love with this river from then on. Since 1995 all of my trout fishing was and still is done on the Brule River and the Namekagon River near Hayward, WI.
Fishing is my only hobby and now my business, so naturally I did a lot of warm water fishing as well. Minnesota has a lot more warm water fishing available then cold water fishing, so I had to find a way to successfully catch these fish on the fly rod. What a blast, from big pike and musky to scrappy smallmouth bass and top water busting largemouth bass. This has become my latest addiction and passion. Less then an hour away from Downtown Duluth is some of the best warm water fishing in the state and where I concentrate most of my fly fishing time learning all the little nuances of each particular body of water.
I'm passionate about fly fishing and love to share my knowledge of fly fishing to anyone willing to learn. I get along with just about everyone and with two young kids of my own; I know what "PATIENCE" is all about.
Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin have great opportunities for the fly angler, so get out and enjoy a relaxing and fun day on the water fly fishing!
Tight Lines!
Captain Ouitdee Carson
U.S. Coast Licensed Captain
First Aid and CPR Certified
MN / WI Licensed and Insured
Check out my fishing resume