Chip Leer's Wildside Podcast

Troy is an adventurous angler who shares his excursions on social media.  A lifetime of travel when he’s not hosting TV with his family’s media company, Lindner Media. Troy’s adventures include captivating stories from the United States, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and throughout the Orient.  Troy shares his hard-learned tips to simply fishing and capitalize on every opportunity no matter where life’s travels take you.  He voices his personal perspectives on easing access to fisheries while protecting resources world-wide. 

Short:  A career in the fishing industry requires many hats and Capt. Ross discusses how to stay viable in this competitive industry.  Over his career he has guided anglers on open water and ice, sold boats, hosted TV programs, written for magazines and newspapers, hosted radio, written book and now is a podcaster. 

After multiple deployments in the middle east and a decorated military career, his final assignment prior to retirement for Col. St. Sauver was Post Commander of Camp Ripley in Minnesota.  It was here his ideas for bringing veterans together to share outdoor experiences hunting and fishing were developed and his life’s mission of helping veterans help each-other is realized.  Today the retired Colonel is co-host of American Hero’s TV and he works tirelessly with countless numbers of military support organizations impacting thousands  of military around the world.  His story is the story of heroes.

Conversation with a world-class marathon champion who’s life tracks thru farm accidents, drug addiction and suicide of his son. An inspiring story of how Dick has faced emotional adversity and somehow exudes positivity every day.

Pro Angler John Balla breaks down the National Walleye Tour’s season per event and unveils alarming statistical averages that potentially change tournament strategy in the future.  As a tournament angler the info is a key to success, as a fan of tournaments, you may never view them the same.

Despite being one of the youngest pro-anglers on the National Walleye Tour, Korey Sprengel is the winningest pro-angler in National Walleye Tour with 5 wins and now 2020 Angler of the Year title.  Korey talks about the mental mind-set necessary to have become the most consistent pro over the last 8 years.  In depth discussion how he prepares for events, learns new water and finds winning fish on tournament days.

2020 NWT Champion Jason Przekurat shares all the inside details on his record-setting win on Lake Erie.

Two of the most coveted titlesin walleye tournament fishing are up for grabsto be decidedon Lake Erie. The National Walleye Tour Championship Champion and the 2020 Angler of the Year. It’s huge water with an epic walleye population and variables to find and catch the biggest fishis daunting. Walleye expert and tournament statistician John Balla joins Chip Leer in a round-table discussion with the winningest walleye pro on the NWT and current AOY points leader Korey Sprengel and Ohio native, pro angler Ryan Buddie who finished2ndthe last time NWT visited Lake Erie. Discussion includes how to dissect this massive water,where to find the biggest fish amongst migration and tournament efficiency. Probable presentations and fish weight expectations to win, pre-fishing for variable weather conditions and more. Listen for thehunger in the voices of these anglers as both are on the cusp of accomplishing a life-long career goal. Buddie looking for his first NWT win and Sprengel’s desire to capture the AOY title that has eluded him.

Joe Carter is a professional walleye angler competing at the highest competitive level the sport offers, The National Walleye Tour. The NWT is the NFL, NBA or NHL of fishing, it does not get any bigger. He is also black, which in walleye tournament fishing makes Joe and Joe’s experiences quite unique. In this podcast you hear Joe’s personal experiences 1st hand-in vivid detail of what he endured to learn how to fish as a black man in a predominantly white sport. Stories of rejection from fellow anglers, fishing clubs and online fishing partners who refused to get in the boat with him once they met him in person. Joe shares very personal human stories of growing up black and the challenges that face young people of color that a person that is not a minority may have trouble comprehending. Examples of police and border patrol harassment, being singled out and assumptions made by complete strangers most likely based on skin color. Other times- verbally accosted because of skin color. A chilling revelation of what he endured to become the family man he is today. Joe also shares how thru fishing he has made new friends, crossed perceived or real social and economic classes to help race understanding. How fishing raises humanity to a new height as despite differences, anglers share a passion and thru that passion there is insight into understanding each other better. Joe’s day-job is a 6th grade school teacher living in a small Iowa town. He has a bi-racial family that is as driven to succeed in sport, two kids playing D1 athletics, life and human relations as he is. Listen-up and we all will learn from Joe. His ability to find the positive among negative is one of his many gifts. How he uses his faith in God when stressed and avoids anger to find resolve.

Chip sits down with John Balla and 2-time NWT Angler-of-the-Year Robert Blosser for an in-depth discussion on the 2020 NWT Angler-of-the-Year race. With only the NWT Championship remaining, the race is going down to the wire!

Chip Leer joins the most recent winner on the National Walleye Tour, Cody Northrop, for an in-depth discussion on the locations and tactics he used to capture his first NWT win on North Dakota's Lake Sakakawea.

Chip joins angler-of-the-year leader Tommy Kemos and North Dakota pro Jacob Ell as well as John Balla in an in-depth discussion of the upcoming NWT tournament on North Dakota's Lake Sakakawea.

Chip sits down with outdoors educator, communicator and wildlife enthusiast Joel Nelson for an in-depth discussion of all things outdoors including late summer panfishing.

Chip visits with 2020 National Walleye Tour Sault Ste. Marie Champion Peter Schaefer to get all the blow-by-blow details of his first NWT victory.

Chip and Pontoon co-host John Balla visit with NWT Pros David Kolb and Dave Atkinson about the upcoming NWT event in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan.

Korey Sprengel talks walleye fishing with Chip Leer. Sharing detail for detail techniques used to best the best at the recent, July 2020, Oconto, WI, based National Walleye Tour event on Green Bay. Trolling in-line spinners was presentation of choice, and as you can imagine, his approach to this technique is very much his own This NWT win, #5, places Korey in a league of his own with 9 top 10's and 18 top 20's in NWT's short 29 event history. That's $450,000 + in NWT winnings alone. Korey also shares details about fishing great lakes current, how to approach new water and find largest fish in the system and tournament strategies.

Chip Leer talks with the PRO'S. Insight and predictions into 2020 National Walleye Tour's 1st event of the year on the Bay of Green Bay, Oconto, Wisconsin. Pro Angler Dean Arnoldussen, who has won more than $500,000.00 on GB along with Pro Pat Neu, 2X winner on GB with a PWT and FLW under his belt, join walleye pro and Chip's co-host from The Pontoon, John Balla. Recorded LIVE one week prior to the NWT season opener on Green Bay, July 23-24, 2020

The crew discusses the NWT season opener and Thomas makes a BIG announcement!

Thomas witnesses a natural disaster and the guys talk about the effects of COVID19 on the fishing industry.

The Pontoon crew talks all things tournaments and youth fishing.

Mitch Kezar is one of the best and most respected outdoor recreation sport photographers in the world with a career going strong for over 50 years. He is also quite the story teller and loves to share tales of his pursuits. Twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in spot news photography, Mitch has shot beneath the frigid depths of Lake Superior for National Geographic Magazine, trailed presidential candidates for Time and Newsweek magazines, spent days in high country shooting ads for snowmobiles, traveled with natives across Africa and ridden trains across China with peasants and chickens - all in search of the perfect image. Outdoor industry's largest clients call upon Mitch to capture the story including Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, Sporting Classics and many other hunting and fishing industry publications. Corporate clients rely on Mitch for brand recognition including Remington, Cabela's, Leupold, Bushnell, Nikon, Vista Outdoors, General Mills, Garmin, and many others. He also founded the world's largest library of outdoor images specializing in hunting and fishing, Windigo Images. Mitch is a fanatic about wildlife conservation and protection of our natural resources. It's entertaining and education as we explore the Wildside of Mitch Kezar.

An avid outdoorsman, elite-level athlete, family-first man, who has found himself living the dream. That childhood dream became reality when drafted to play in the NFL for the Detroit Lions. We talk about commitment, drive, and determination. What it takes to be a world-class athlete in sport and how Frank envisions success. An enjoyable discussion of life-lessons learned, the hard knocks one needs to take to be successful on and off the field, and a straight-forward honest discussion about the emotional difficulty of losing a parent suddenly at a young age. Mental strength is as important as physical. In this podcast, we look at how time outdoors provides a mental break to the very physical world that is, the life of an NFL player. Not much discussion about X’s and O’s, but the chalk-talk reveals insight into the man and what it takes to be mentally and physically tough, tough enough to succeed at whatever you desire. Official Biography: About Frank Ragnow: Frank Ragnow is an Offensive Lineman for the Detroit Lions. A first-round draft pick in the 2018 NFL draft, he’s entering his third season in the league and was voted the Most Improved Player in the 2019 season. Frank is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys fishing, with his favorite spot being his rustic family cabin in Canada. His adventures in the outdoors are told through his YouTube channel Grizzly Man Outdoors, which he hosts with his brother Frank. The two of them share their fishing and hunting experiences through episodes filled with tips and entertainment as they chase their dream of having their own fishing show one day. Frank grew up in Victoria, Minnesota, and after graduating from Chanhassen High School played college ball at the University of Arkansas.

Jeff Gustafson and Kate Gustafson This is one of the interviews I have most looked forward to when contemplating the start of this podcast. The combination of sport and mind strength that’s required to excel at individual sport, and this podcast dissects just that with the Gustafson’s. Siblings who have pursued passion sports to elite levels. Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson as a professional angler competing at the highest level possible, BassMaster Elite Series. Kate Gustafson, a former D1 College Hockey player turned endurance runner with results such as Top 25 at the Boston Marathon and an indoor world record on a Treadmill. What drives individuals to excellence, start here with this interesting web of conversation that discusses importance of mentorship, parental guidance, athletic idols, confidence and belief in yourself. Jeff Gustafson Links http://www.gussyoutdoors.com https://www.instagram.com/gussyoutdoors/ https://www.facebook.com/gussyoutdoors https://twitter.com/GussyOutdoors Kate Gustsfson Twitter: @atrueworld (https://twitter.com/atrueworld ) Brooklyn Track Club https://www.brooklyntrackclub.com Mile2Marathon: https://mile2marathon.com/coach/kate-gustafson/ Boston Marathon Finish https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/runs-races/encouraged-by-motivational-signs-kate-gustafson-tops-boston-marathon-open-division/ Podcast --Journey from Hockey to Marathon Runner http://citiusmag.com/kate-gustafson-citius-mag-podcast-coaching/

Steve and I discuss an article he has just written and released along with Ron & Al Lindner of Lindner Media about the effects of Barotrauma on freshwater fish and the potential harm anglers are causing fish catching & released from them from depth.  It’s an eye-opening fact-filled discussion about what we thought we knew and what we need to know.  How as anglers we can protect the species we love to chase and can we safely pursue them in deep water.   We get first-hand thoughts from the original  “scientific-angler”  on climate change, changes in our fisheries and angler habit transformations over his distinguished career.  He also provides us some glimpse into the mind of a true bass head and what drives this pursuit.  Away from fishing, Steve provides us how he balances his life and the pride alongside his Hall of Fame career.  It’s a good mix of science and personal life that you will never see on TV, nor learn from written word.  I’m sure you will enjoy the Wildside of Steve Quinn….

Rarely do you get a perspective as we gain in this episode with James Lindner.  Growing up surrounded by innovative cutting-edge anglers on the forefront of the outdoor media wave.  What was it like growing up Lindner, what drives a man who has literally had opportunity to fish all over the globe? Insight on what it’s like to drive the ship at Lindner Media one of the largest outdoor media production companies in the world.  We explore how he views technology and how it has helped or hindered the outdoor experience.  His viewpoints on high school and college fishing.  What do we have left to learn as anglers and so much more.  Join us as we peal back a layers and learn who James Lindner is and his unique perspective of sport fishing. I’m sure you will enjoy the Wildside of James Lindner. Find James here: Website:  lindnermedia.com Facebook:  james.lindner.fishing

Dan has been fighting his entire life….. Fighting to find himself, driving to build a fishing guide business, driving to launch a TV Show and driving funds for his non profit fishing tournament, Fishing to end Hunger. Now Dan finds himself in the fight of his life as he faces a Cancer Battle head on. We have a great and open discussion about his feelings about fishing for a living and cancer. Join me and let me introduce you to Walleye Dan, this is Dan Eigen’s Wildside.   TV Story about Dan’s Cancer Battle: https://www.fox9.com/news/family-community-rallies-around-minnesota-fishing-guide-walleyedan-amid-cancer-battle Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/we-have-your-back-dan Fishing to end Hunger Fishing Tournament https://www.fishingtoendhunger.com

When I sit down with Steve Pennaz there is so much to discuss it’s hard to find a place to start.  In this podcast you will learn just how deep Steve’s passion for fishing is and how his drive to catch fish is accentuated by his strength of character. Steve has achieved national recognition for his ability to motivate anglers to take action.  Built through the development of North American Fisherman to over 550,000 members or his volunteer involvement in organizations motivating anglers to fish or protect natural resources as in is latest involvement in MN-FISH Foundation.     We talk about the outdoor industry, catching fish and a glimpse behind the curtain into Steve’s personal life away from the spotlight.  His faith, his family and what it’s like to raise a child with down syndrome.  It’s a multi-layered in-depth reveal into one of the most interesting people in outdoor media.  I’m sure you will enjoy the Wildside of Steve Pennaz.   Website:  www.lakecommandos.com   Facebook:  @manvs.lake   Links from Interview:  www.mn-fish.com

This is the very first episode of Chip Leer's Wildside Podcast!  This episode features special guest, Professional Fisherman, John Hoyer.  John Hoyer is a very accomplished competitive fisherman, he is now a two time National Walleye Tour Champion.  Not only is he a walleye champion, but also an accomplished multi species angler. In this episode we learn about John's background, his upbringing, and the story of his life.  Chip and John talk about more than just fishing, the duo dive into life and what it means to them. We learn about John's take on the fishing industry, his stories on the water, and what it's like to be in the top spot on the highest levels of competitive fishing.