Category: Interviews

Industry Profile: Paige Olson

4/22/2014

There is a romantic notion about working in the “industry.” I know I’m not the only fly fishing desk jockey who thought “if I could do it all over again I’d be a professional trout bum.” Then I read the article on Gink and Gasoline “Buster wants to be a fly fishing guide” and realize if it is truly a romantic notion, the honeymoon may be short. Perhaps it’s more an admiration for folks who are professional (regardless of industry) and love what they do. I met Paige Olson once in passing outside a local diner en route to the stream, and I know her only by reputation. She’s been a staple in the River Falls, WI community for a long time and operates the Kinni Creek Lodge and Outfitters in the heart of town. Far from being a trout “bum”, Paige has a degree in Natural Resources Recreation and Tourism and a Masters in Adventure Education and Wilderness Leadership. Clearly married to outdoor recreation she’s made it into an amazing green career. Below is my conversation with the “Soul Proprietor” of Kinni Creek Lodge and Outfitters:

I noticed you listed roller skating in your bio care to elaborate? Spend time in the roller derby? Car hop?

My uncle owned a roller skating rink and we lived right behind the building. The kids that worked there had roller skates on me before I could walk. I worked at our family roller rink from the time I was potty trained until my uncle retired around the time of my high school graduation. It was my first job in leisure and recreation.

Since then your career in recreation has taken you all over the country; Colorado, Idaho, Arizona etc how did you end up in WI?

I was born and raised in River Falls Wisconsin and that is where most of my family still lives.

River Falls "the city on the Kinni" for those who aren't familiar what makes this region so special?

We are situated on the Northern-most river of the driftless area which is abundant with class one and class two trout streams filled with Brown, Brook and Rainbow trout.

How has the fishery changed over the years?

The fishery here has continued to grow stronger and healthier over the years. The Kinni has 6000-8000 trout per mile and has not been stocked since 1974.

There’s some talk about possibly removing the dam in River Falls, thoughts?

We are most concerned about the river, the fish, the wildlife and entire ecosystem. As long as they are all safe, we don’t give a dam.

Kinni Creek Lodge and Outfitters just turned 15, congratulations! A lot change over the years?

Wow, I’ve seen a lot of changes over the past 15 seasons that is for sure. I began as a 3 room bed and breakfast and had six canoe rentals. After that, the fly fishermen began coming to stay and they wanted guides. When I added the guides, the guides wanted a fly shop. The canoeists wanted kayaks, and the bed and breakfast guests wanted to rent the whole lodge as a cabin. We also now offer a Fly Fishing Lodge package that includes three meals a day plus your fly fishing guides for a half or full week.

Seems like a natural progression to add guides and a fly shop, did you fly fish prior?

I was a spin caster all of my life until I opened the lodge and outfitters here.

You have a free Saturday to do anything, how do you spend your day?

Every day is a Saturday to me. Playing outside, talking to guests and fishermen about the fun they are having. But a “free” Saturday? I work 7 days a week for 8 months of the year, so winter is my weekend.

I noticed New Zealand among the list of offerings on the site. Not a bad way to escape the WI winters. How did you get into guiding in kiwi country?

Cliff notes: I grabbed my 24 pound backpack complete with fly rod and solo tent and went to the airport.

What are some of the differences between fishing the driftless and New Zealand?

The driftless is located in the Mid-West of North America. New Zealand is located in Heaven. ‘Nuff said.’

Tell me about your fly fishing schools. (Looks like you’ve some amazing classes even specialized courses in Euro Nymphing and Tenkara).

I have an outstanding roster of guides that teach my fly fishing schools here at our Kinni Campus. We keep the class size small so that each student gets individual attention. We try to place each student in the appropriate class level where they will be most comfortable learning the skills they desire. The classes fill quickly each year too.

What’s the best part about running a lodge/guide service?

Meeting people from all over the world!

Parts of the work you don’t like?

Know-it-alls.

Broad Casters, how did that get started?

Funny you should ask! I had a couple of buddies sitting around the campfire at the fly shop one night, drinking beer naturally, and the idea came up that we should have a ladies only club. I volunteered the name “Kinni Hookers” which stuck for many years until my new webmaster thought better of it for internet reasons. So I re-named the ladies club the “Broad Casters” and the rest is history!

So if you find yourself in Western Wisconsin or even the short drive from the Twin Cites be sure to look up Paige at the Kinni Creek Lodge and Outfitters. I’m fortunate to fish the waters she calls home, but I may need to look into winters in New Zealand!

Connect with Paige at Kinni Creek Lodge and Outfitters at http://www.kinnicreek.com or be social here:

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Artist Profile: Joel DeJong

4/10/2014

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Hammer Creek Fly Fishing is coming up on its one year anniversary and a logo was long overdue. Perhaps crossing Joel DeJong on various social platforms and admiring his work was the subliminal nudge I needed to put one together. Joel creates incredible pieces with a specialization in fish and fly fishing. The bridge between admiring art and crafting a logo came when I saw his Facebook icon tying together his social media and personal website (Hexfishing.Com). Joel’s work on custom logo design includes a growing number of small businesses and blog owners, a list I’m happy to be a part of. In short order he understood the feel of the site and what I wanted to accomplish with the logo. It only took a couple revisions to get to the final design and I’m really excited about how it turned out. Through the process I learned that in addition to art and fly fishing Joel is full time airline pilot. Given the incredible diversity of talents I thought he’d make an interesting subject for an interview blog. Read the conversation below and enter to win one of Joel’s amazing works of art.

How did you get into fly fishing?

I started fly fishing over a decade ago when I discovered how many wonderful trout streams there are in the southeast. I did a lot of hiking at the time and was always running across secluded streams teaming with trout. I’ve been a fisherman since I can remember and always wanted to learn the art of fly fishing, so one day I just decided it was something I was going to do.

So if you have a free Saturday to fish anywhere for anything, where would you be?

I have a long list, but I love the Chattooga. It’s where I learned to cast and I head there for a day or two whenever I can.

How about bucket list locations/species?

I would like to do more salt angling – Bonefish, Tarpon, Snooks, Redfish, that sort of thing. I'd also love to hook into those Amazon Peacock Bass, and of course Alaska – any species would do, and Mongolia – that would be epic. I have so many that come to mind it’s hard to narrow it down.

Maybe your day job will take you to Mongolia someday. That said, would you ever hang up the wings to fish and paint full time?

Ha, I don't think so. Flying is one of those things I have worked toward my entire life. With nearly twenty years of flying experience under my belt it’s a job I still love to do. That being said, if anybody would like to hire an artist / fly fishing pilot to take his Gulf-stream to exotic locales and fish then I might seriously consider a change in jobs. Feel free to forward any job offers to yours truly.

What about the company plane? Can you stop off at fishy locations?

I wish. They tend to frown on that sort of thing. If I could, there might be quite a few upset passengers that wanted to go to New York but ended up at some podunk landing strip in western Montana. Then again there is always that one guy that might just appreciate the diversion.

Since you are “that guy” do you pack a fly rod on trips just in case?

As much as I can. I usually pick up a license online for the state I plan on spending some time in before I leave home. I've been a number of places like Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Washington, Montana and numerous other states, but anytime I see I am going to be in the upper part of Michigan I pack my stuff. You just can’t pass up opportunities to fish those legendary waters.

I’m sure peacock bass would make for an amazing piece as well. How did you get into art?

I've always had a love of art and appreciation for those that have mastered it. When my wife and I got married we didn't have a lot of money to decorate our small apartment so it really came down to necessity. Stare at blank walls or paint something to put on them. It was also a good way to for me to unwind and test my skills. Eventually I had friends asking for some of my paintings and then complete strangers. From there it was the encouragement of others and willingness to test my limits with new techniques that keeps me going.

Favorite subject to paint?

That’s an easy one – FISH. Any gilled species will do.

So when you’re out fishing can you turn it off streamside or is everything seen as a potential subject?

It’s funny because until I began seriously painting I never believed much in the so called artists eye - where an artist can see things differently than most people - but it’s true. I have come to see shapes and colors in nature from a completely different point of view It’s hard to turn a thing like that off and even if I could I don’t think I would. It adds a dimension to things that I might have previously overlooked.

Favorite medium?

Watercolors. Guys like Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth were an early inspiration for me. What those guys could do with watercolors and a simple brush was amazing. It’s what I started with and it’s what I love to work with. I've tried other mediums and often find myself exploring different styles, but I always go back to watercolors. Water is just a natural way to paint fish.

Do you have a favorite piece?

I have a portrait I did a number of years back of my little girl on the beach that hangs in my dining room that I really love. You won’t find any pictures of it on my site and an art critic would probably critique the heck out of it, but it holds more for me than the lack of skill it took to paint.

Your website is HexFishing.com, why Hex Fishing?

I get that question more than you know. Originally I took the name from the big Hexagenia Mayfly and shortened it because, well, Hex just sounded cool A few years ago I was making a nice six sided (hexagonal) fly rod case in addition to my art and at the time the name just seemed right. When I stopped making the rod cases I just couldn't give up the name. By then I had fallen in love with it. Occasionally I will run into a diehard fly fisherman streamside that looks at my Hex Fishing stickers on my jeep and simply asks 'short for hexagenia right?'. I smile and nod because there is no explanation necessary. That’s a guy that gets it.

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