Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

Make no mistake, Dusty Minke has it pretty good right now. Not only does he love his job working for North Country Marketing, but he also has a hobby that is treating him awfully well. The Forest Lake Boater is fishing in the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, and he recently won the last two tournaments. After finishing in 36th place during the seasonís first competition, Minke put together his back-to-back run and now sits in second place in the overall standings of the Minnesota Division.

ìYeah, itís been an unbelievable summer,î Minke says.

The summer has been so good for Minke that he will actually shorten his fishing vacation to Alaska so he doesnít miss the Super Tournament in Red Wing on July 22-23.

Whatís at stake is a spot in the top 35 which would earn Minke a trip to Escanaba, MI for the FLW Walleye League Finals in early September. Minke would have to fall out of the boat not to remain in one of the prime positions, but wants to make sure he keeps his spot.

Keep in mind, this is his first year fishing in this league so he didnít expect the lofty status at such an early stage.

A Family Affair

Minke started fishing because that is what Minkes do. From his grandfather to his father, and from his uncle to his brothers, the Minkes spend their time on the water in search of the ideal fishing hole.

For approximately 20 years, Minke has subscribed to Walleye In-sider Magazine. One gets the impression that heís been preparing for these tournaments all of his life.

When Dusty was young, his mother would take the boys to Forest Lake nearly every day, and every summer meant a vacation centered around fishing. But the key was that they never vacationed at the same lake twice.

Minke and his father would dissect the water and by the end of the week they knew exactly where to drop their lines.

Part of the fun as well as the challenge of fishing for Minke is getting acclimated to a new location. The same skill applies for Boaters in competition: find where the fish are biting.

ìThat is exactly what you have to do when youíre fishing at tournaments,î Minke says.

ìThereís always fish biting somewhere on the lake and thatís what keeps me going,î

This week Minke will head to Alaska where he will relax with his Dad, his brothers, and his uncle, fishing yet another new region. Minke canít imagine a nicer way to spend his free time.

ìI couldnít pick a better crew to go up there with,î he says. ìWe always say that no matter if the fish are biting or not, we know weíre going to have a good time.î

If a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work, it all makes sense. Minke has it pretty good right now.

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Forest Lake Times
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Forest Lake, MN 55025
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