The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, headquartered in Hayward, Wisconsin, has selected
seven individuals and one organization to be honored with induction into the organization for
their significant and lasting contributions to the sport and heritage of fresh water fishing. Every
year a panel of industry leaders meets to choose from a vast group of nominees for inclusion into
this distinguished body of professionals.
American Fisheries Society
The American Fisheries Society (AFS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve
the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems by advancing
fisheries and aquatic science and promoting the development of fisheries professionals.
Established in 1870, AFS is the world’s oldest and among the most prominent professional
fisheries organizations, representing approximately 6,500 members worldwide. For over 150
years, AFS has served fisheries professionals, advanced quality science, and promoted wise
stewardship of fisheries and aquatic resources. For more information on this incredible
organization visit their web site at – fisheries.org.
Brian Brosdahl – Minnesota
Brian Brosdahl, who is commonly referred to as, “Bro” has been guiding in Minnesota for nearly
40 years and has pioneered new products and techniques for open water and ice fishing. A
panfish and walleye specialist, Bro has fished tournaments professionally and shared his
experience with millions of people. In his yearly travels Bro makes over 100 personal
appearances at shows and store events. In recent years, he has also transitioned to hosting
podcasts for several sponsors and to promote his own guide service. His podcasts include fishing
reports and profiling new lures and techniques. Bro has been a prolific teacher in the fishing
industry. His guiding business, store appearances, seminars, and social media accounts have
educated hundreds of thousands of people and his personal relationship with anglers is legendary.
Carrie Frost – Wisconsin
Carrie Frost was a pioneering Wisconsin businesswoman and expert fly-tier who helped make
Stevens Point famous in the fishing world in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Born in La Crosse
in 1868, she moved to Stevens Point with her family in 1885. She originally began tying artificial
trout flies for her father, an avid fisherman. After experimenting with local materials and
improving on imported European fly patterns, her flies became highly sought after by anglers.
She founded the C.J. Frost Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Company, which grew into one of the
region’s largest fly-making operations. By the time she retired in 1919, the company employed
around 150 people — many of them women — which was unusual and significant for that era.
Her company later evolved into what became the Weber Tackle Company.
Carrie Frost was also an outdoorswoman herself. She loved hunting and fishing and owned a
farm in Waushara County with private trout ponds fed by Wady Creek. Her impact on Stevens
Point’s fishing industry was so important that the city became known as the “Fly Tackle Capital
of the World.” PBS Wisconsin later created an educational feature called “Carrie Frost: Fly
Fishing Boss” about her life and influence. Today, her name still appears around Stevens Point,
including Carrie Frost Drive and Carrie Frost Park.
Don Gablehouse – Nebraska
Don Gablehouse is a recognized leader in fisheries techniques, their standardization,
communicating sport fish population size distributions, and developing visionary programs that
improved the sport of fishing . Gablehouse’s widely cited sport fish population research is
standard curriculum in many fisheries management courses. As the Chief of Fisheries in
Nebraska, he created the first aquatic habitat improvement program. Gablehouse was the primary
driver for the inception and passage of the Aquatic Habitat Stamp in that state. It was the first
effort of its kind in the nation, has always been highly regarded, and is still considered one of the
best programs of its kind. In terms of Communications and Outreach, Gablehouse coordinated
the development of the booklet, Producing Fish and Wildlife from Kansas Ponds, and in 2016
Gablehouse received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Fisheries Society
Jason Lesmeister – Alaska
Jason Lesmeister has been guiding for freshwater fish in Alaska for over 35 years, a career he
began shortly after he graduated from high school. His path to becoming one of the top guides on
Alaska’s legendary Kenai River took a winding path through a multitude of the Last Frontier’s
incredible fishing resources.
Throughout his early movements Lesmeister learned the techniques to find and catch both the
migrating species that came in from the ocean, as well as the fish that spent their entire lives in
the river systems. He also perfected many techniques – that were not commonly used by the local
guides and anglers – that he felt would add to his success when angling pressure created a tough
bite. Lesmeister is an innovator and his fish catching abilities were second to none on the
resources he was working on. Lesmeister is unique relative to other guides in Alaska. Most have
focused on one resource while he spent his early years moving around this huge wilderness
learning all that needed to be learned about the many resources he encountered. Not only in how
to master the ability to harvest from them, but also what it would take to protect them. He
believes he is still learning new skills each year and will continue to volunteer to always keep the
beauty and pristine nature of the resources in Alaska intact and available to all who wish to enjoy
the rich allure of the Last Frontier.
John Myhre – Wisconsin
John Myhre has been a fishing guide on Wisconsin waters for over 45 years and is now into
guiding the second and third generations of many clients he has hosted over the years. Many
days are spent on the water educating the anglers who have joined him in his boat. Myhre
believes fishing should not only be fun but it should be a learning experience. In fact he always
asks people at the end of a guide trip if they acquired any new knowledge and the response has
always been a resounding yes.
Myhre had produced and hosted the popular Wisconsin Northland Outdoors Radio shows,
producing new shows 52 weeks every year and he has not missed a week in over 35 years.
Myhre’s productions promote fishing, enjoying the outdoors, education, and he supports many
clubs and organizations. Over the years Myhre has conducted many seminars and spoke at sport
show and clubs. He is an active member of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers and
the Outdoor Writers Association of America and has been with both organizations for over 30
years. Myhre has written hundreds of articles for various outdoor publications and has been a
guest on several television shows.
Rob Neumann – Minnesota
Rob Neumann has authored or coauthored over 100 scientific publications, technical reports, and
various other fishery-related papers and presentations, has overseen 28 state and federal grant
proposals, and also has been published in popular media outlets. Neumann was inducted into the
American Fisheries Society Hall of Excellence (HOE) in 2022. It is the highest honor given by
the Fisheries Management Section to recognize fisheries management professionals who have
made outstanding and cumulative contributions to the advancement of fisheries management; to
emphasize the accomplishments, dedication, and principles of those honored in the HOE; and to
honor and describe the fisheries management profession.
In 1995 In-Fisherman magazine published Nuemann’s first article on ultrasonic telemetry of
northern pike in South Dakota which was part of his doctoral research. A year later, he took a job
at In-Fisherman as Managing Editor where he continues his work in many aspects of the
editorial process of print and on-line publications while contributing to television programming
as well. At In-Fisherman, Nuemann has written many influential articles on the biology and
management of various fish species, explaining in colloquial terms the concepts he and other
fishery biologists and managers had been developing. For many years, Neumann coordinated and
wrote one of the oldest and most popular In-Fisherman columns, Bits & Pieces, which presented
short summaries of recent fisheries findings relevant to anglers. An avid angler, Rob has
dedicated his multi-faceted career to furthering the science of fisheries management and its
understanding and appreciation by the general public and the angling public in particular.
Brad Wiegmann – Arkansas
Brad Wiegmann has worked diligently as an outdoor writer, photographer, podcast/YouTube
channel host of The Fishing Guide Podcast, was a past president of Missouri Outdoor
Communicators, past president of NWA Bassmaster, founder of the fishing pole/PDF jacket
loaner program at FUMC and is the editor of the award winning website
www.BradWiegmann.com. Not only is Wiegmann a prolific outdoor communicator, he has been
guiding since 1989 on Beaver Lake. During his time as a fulltime fishing guide Wiegmann fished
as a co-angler in BASSMASTER and FLW Outdoors tournaments qualifying for six FLW
Everstart Championships. Wiegmann was the first co-angler to be featured on the FLW Outdoors
television show, Berkley Co-Angler Close Up, and was one of the few anglers to ever be featured
in BASSMASTER magazine in two different destination pieces. Over the years, Wiegmann has
written for Fishing Tackle Retailer, FLW Outdoors, American Bass Angler magazine, Midwest
Outdoors, Game and Fish magazine, Lurenet.net, ODU Magazine, FLW Outdoors magazine,
CrappieNOW and CatfishNOW.
The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum is the international headquarters for
education, recognition and promotion of fresh water sportfishing. Our mission is to develop and
maintain the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and its museum for the preservation and display
of historical artifacts of fresh water sportfishing. We strive to conduct and maintain a program
for the recognition of persons, organizations and institutions that have made significant and
lasting contributions to the sport and heritage of fresh water fishing. Furthermore, we conduct
and maintain a program for qualifying, compiling and publishing all fresh water sportfishing
records . Additionally, we maintain a library that disseminates information and acts as the
clearing house for historical and contemporary publications for the fresh water sportfishing
industry. The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame institutes programs to foster, maintain and
improve the environment for future generations through promotion and education.
Visit our web site: www.freshwater-fishing.org
