Sarley: Don’t turn down a chance to fish Lake Geneva with the best guide around
I know that I promised to finish my story about my first tournament, but I’m saving it for next week. I just had an experience that I’d like to tell you about.
My good friend and hall of fame angler Spence Petros called to ask if I’d be interested in spending a day on the water with Jim Tostrud. Sign me up.
Tostrud is the absolute best guide that I have ever had the pleasure of fishing with. Tostrud knows Lake Geneva better than anyone in either Illinois or Wisconsin, and that I guarantee you.
We launched at 6 a.m. and set out for smallmouth using plastic worms on drop shot rigs. We got a few, but nothing to call the taxidermist about. We switched to hunting huge bluegills using half nightcrawlers impaled on a small jig. Oh my gosh, we got into the biggest gills I have ever encountered in my life. They were huge and kept on coming and coming.
How was the outing? Tostrud posted on Facebook: ”What a treat, it was like having two little boys in my boat. Giggling as the ultralight rods bent with big panfish pulling drag. Telling stories about so many fishing trips from the past. A true trip to remember with my fishing brothers.”
I won’t argue with the guy we call “JT.” Petros has caught many huge fish in his vaunted career, but I am not sure he has had more fun. Petros and I have had our share of physical setbacks in recent times, and we are both very grateful to be getting out on the water at all.
I have got to tell you why Tostrud is the best of the best when I talk about fishing guides. He catches fish, of course. That’s the job, isn’t it? He is a great guy and he is someone you’d love to spend a day in a boat with.
He is kind and patient. I think he would be absolutely perfect to take your kids out with. Tostrud takes his time to explain what he is doing and allow his clients the opportunity to catch fish the next time that they come to Geneva. Tostrud is a devout Christian and I cannot say enough about the man’s character.
Tostrud’s website is jimtostrudfishing.com. Make sure you check out the picture of the 14-plus-pound walleye he caught during the day with the Lady of the Lake tour boat right next to him. Unbelievable. Check out the massive 52¼-inch muskie that Tostrud landed on 6-pound test line. Impossible.
You will be shocked to look at Tostrud’s other webpage, wildlifevisions.net. Wildlife Visions features Tostrud’s other profession, that being an accomplished professional artist. Tostrud paints all sorts of outdoor artwork and also art from other genres.
In 2024 Tostrud was inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame, with the distinct honor of being the first American Outdoors Artist of the Year in Springfield, Missouri.
Tostrud’s art has been celebrated far and wide, and he has supplied the work for the Great Lakes Trout and Salmon Stamp, the Wisconsin Inland Trout Stamps and the Wisconsin Turkey Stamp. Tostrud’s art has appeared in national magazines, outdoors publications and even on the covers of books. Tostrud even produced and starred in his own television show for 24 years.
If I had to make a wish for this year it would be able to get out on Geneva with Petros and Tostrud one more time. Tostrud books up quickly, so I don’t know if I’ll get on his schedule.
• Daily Herald Outdoors columnist Steve Sarley can be reached at sarfishing@yahoo.com.