As fishing guides we have the pleasure of getting to meet new people each summer. Our goal is to help people catch fish, enjoy a day on the water and hopefully "Make a memory". Since we started Leisure Outdoor Adventures we have had the good fortune to share our boats with thousands of customers. Some of those that fish with us are one-time customers visiting Minnesota for the first time, others have become good friends of ours and have fished with us every summer. These relationships are special, and as guides it really is fun to renew this friendships each summer.
Long time client Randy Blake fished with us again in 2017
Last week we hosted one such friend. Randy Blake from Sioux Falls, SD was up fishing with Leisure Outdoor Adventures again. Randy has been fishing with us for many years. We had a great week with Randy and caught a lot of great fish. With that in mind we are going to re-post the article below which was written by Randy in October of 2011.
10/12/2011
For this entry I've asked one of our guest Randy Blake, from Sioux Falls SD, to write a testimony on his weekend with us. I have added a detailed Leech Lake fishing report at the end.
Toby Kvalevog, came very highly recommended by another fishing guide as a top notch fisherman in the Brainerd/ Walker/ Bemidji area. Toby, co-owner of and fishing guide for Leisure Outdoor Adventures has a reputation for catching very big fish. I was fortunate to fish a half day with Toby over the Labor day weekend and he put us on some real nice walleyes and pike. I knew after a half day of fishing that I wanted to come back and fish with him again on Leech Lake, especially after hearing his tales of the big ones boated over the summer and years previous.
2011 - Randy with a great walleye
So, I schemed and planned and worked hard to sneak in one more fishing trip with Toby, and boy am I glad that I did. I had the best walleye fishing of my life!
Although I had fished for walleyes before, most of the time it had been traditional South Dakota trolling with a bottom bouncer, spinner and crawler. I had used a Lindy Rig a few times, but not much prior to this recent fishing trip. Toby is an expert in Lindy rigging and taught me some beginner through expert use of the Lindy rig. He is a master at presentation, and boat control and fine tuning your location on the best part of the piece of structure. I love to learn from the experts and Toby is very helpful with loads of tips and little tricks that can make all the difference.
2011 - A great fall walleye and a good way to start the day.
My personal best walleye before this trip was a 25 inch release, caught 15 years ago. During the course of two days fishing on Leech Lake with Toby, I broke and increased my personal record for my biggest walleye 5 times!
Day One
My friend Mark Peterson from Hackensack MN joined us for a half of that day. We caught and released several very nice walleyes and some good eaters. The day was highlighted by a triple hookup of 5 pound fish out of the same school. Three rods bending deep all at the same time was exciting! The bigger highlight of the day was breaking my PR with a 25.5 inch release! I was very excited and thought to myself that we couldn't possibly do as well on Day Two. Wow was I wrong! Don't underestimate Toby and his ability and resolve to excel as a guide and put his clients on big fish. He goes the extra mile
2011 - At the time the biggest fish Randy had ever caught.
Day Two
We were out on Leech Lake even earlier. After a run, we settled in to fish the spot from the day before. Darn, three other boats were already there. But let me tell you one thing about Toby.......he puts you on THE spot within the spot.....he fine tunes it. Right away I caught a nice eater.....and then IT started. During the course of the day I caught many gorgeous walleyes, upping my big fish best four times!
First I caught a 25 and 3/4 inch walleye and then a 26 and 3/4 incher. Then a few 24 and 25 inch fish. Then another couple of eaters. Then we kept upping the ante.........a 27.5 incher soon was boated. During this time the fisherman in the other boats were not catching fish and they loooked on with envy as to what was going on in our boat. This continues for a couple hours.
Finally, the other fishermen left us alone and we continued to catch fish.
After a slow spell we moved........excellent call Toby! Not long after moving a couple miles to a new spot..... my "ship came in" ........I sunk my hooks into a heavy fish that stayed down and didn't want to come up. I could feel its powerful head shakes down at 19 feet below. Finally, after staying deep and coming up slow, when we did see the fish come to view out of the deep, we both knew that this one was special, it was bigger yet. Toby did a great netting job and the fish was safely boated. The measurements were 30.25 inch length and 17 inch girth. A trophy walleye in anyone's book...AND IT WAS RELEASED!!! It was the fourth time that day that I broke my personal record for a walleye!
2011 - A beautiful Leech Lake walleye caught by Randy
But wait.....it wasn't over! No........I didn't beat that one but I landed a 25.5 and a 27.5 incher and lost a good one. The 27.5 incher fought better than any walleye I have ever had on, making hard runs, stripping line several times and refusing to give up. Until we got to see it we were thinking big northern or muskie, not walleye.
Wow! What a day of fishing! I played with and caught more big walleyes in two days than I ever imagined.
I have hired a number of guides over the years and am a pheasant hunting guide myself, in addition to my day job as a lawyer. So I know the difference between a a good guide and a great guide. I was totally impressed with all aspects of the trip and appreciated the extra effort. Leisure Outdoor Adventure guides have great boats and fishing rigs and tackle. Toby was superior at boat control and use of his advanced electronics. Toby provided great bait...large lively minnows. I found Toby to be very patient and helpful and I learned more about walleye fishing in two days than I have in the past 20 years. And, he never missed one fish with the net. I give him an A+ across the board. I will definitely be hiring Toby again to pursue the big fish.
2011 - Randy with another great walleye
I followed Toby's recommendation and stayed at The Chase On The Lake. We stayed in a studio condo. The facility was great, the rooms clean and spacious, and the food at the restaurant was top notch. I will gladly stay there again and again.
I wholeheartedly recommend fishing with Toby Kvalevog and Leisure Outdoor Adventures. I had the most incredible walleye fishing trip of a lifetime.... I am hooked!
Randall Blake
Sioux Falls, SD
