The Griz: The Last Great Fishing Legend of the North

There will never be another Midwestern folk hero quite like the Griz.
Read the full story at outdoorlife.co...
Video by Jake Dahlke

[@TargetWalleye]

*A true pioneer to the walleye world. 🙌 Thank you Griz, and thanks to all who helped create this masterpiece*

[@riverrat988]

Great show. Absolutely a legend

[@JohnNye-r3l]

When I was a kid I read Outdoor Life and received their fishing and hunting library as a gift. In the walleye section there was a picture of Griz in his truck camper. I read that section to memory. A few weeks later I caught my first and largest walleye on the Susquehanna. One last fishing trip the day I shipped out in the Navy. 32”. Never weighed it. We ate it. I knew those fish were there and I was so happy to figure out how to catch them. I am an avid fisherman for all species, but the best advice I ever got was from this man through Outdoor Life. I am 55 today and I still get giddy thinking of that walleye. Thanks for the advice and the memories.

[@nellietolb420]

As a young river rat in the 80s we heard of him and saw him a few times while fishing. He was a mystic legend back then . Thanks Grizz !

[@doncatchpole]

Enjoy hearing about The Griz. Good stuff.

[@jessicaludescher737]

I can say from experience The Griz is every bit as cool in-person as this short depicts him. Legendary is the only suitable way to describe this man.

[@george8214]

My dad and I fished with The Griz about 20 years ago in Minnesota. He is a fishing machine, for sure.

[@brianwilliams5026]

When I was younger we use to stay at Judds resort on big Winnie. We were in my pickup camper and the Griz was there he stopped by our camper and we talked a bit and he is such a great guy and he gave me and my buddy some of the jigs he made I will never forget that!! He is a true legend!!!

[@mikewill9693]

Great story. The level we all wish we could be at.

[@msau1212]

Had the pleasure of fishing with The Griz and my dad recently and it was the best day of fishing and a memory I will cherish forever. Hope to do it again and I recommend who loves fishing to go spend a day on the water with him. A true legend. 238 ain't a fisherman's tale😊

[@braddavenport1540]

I had the honor of ice fishing with the Griz 3 different times we caught fish each time and had a great time!! Thanks Griz!!!

[@sammyvh11]

Fishing is life! God bless America

[@benschmokel6350]

When this guy gives you a tip…you listen. He’s dropped more gems of fishing knowledge on me for free going in and out of my local bait store than you could imagine. He has done it all when it comes to fishing in Minnesota. Certified legend!

[@BrianN-dy1id]

Fished the St. Croix with Griz in 1998. We pulled up on a crowded point and he found a little spot he wanted that nobody was parked on. He jerked up 3 pound walleyes so fast it made your head spin. I also caught a 40 lb flathead there. Best fisherman I ever had the pleasure to spend a day with.

[@jimlahey3919]

Wonder if the other boats were on the good walleye? I hate getting on a school of those little ones

[@TheCawalstrom]

Some of us go fishing. The Griz goes catching. Legendary is an overused term in most cases but when applied to him it's very appropriate. Cool video to highlight a real outdoorsmen.

[@ntf543]

The Griz! As a kid who grew up in a family that doesn't fish, I listened to you on bear facts and fish tales on Bob country and eventually got to know you over at blue ribbon bait. You have given me pointers and tips that have helped me and I draw from now at 26 years old. Thank you for what you you have done knowingly and unknowingly. You are one hell of a man!

[@francisbombardier6490]

Can't help it. I've watched this numerous times and still love it. This man is a real fisherman. No advanced electronics just a real sense and feel for the fish. A true gift. P.S. if AL Lindner speaks highly you better listen. God bless . 👍

[@francisbombardier6490]

Thank you for this video .....exceptional individual and a great production. Again thank you for showing this. This is what fishing is about. 👍

[@DennisSchmidt-k2z]

I first met Mr. Grizz in the early 80's when I was a smart mouthed kid living on South Center lake, I was heading out ice fishing near my Grandmas home and he asked me "Hey kid, how's the ice?" to which I replied "Cold , wet... and very hard if you fall on it." (I was about 13) He cocked his head a bit...then burst into laughter.... Now I'm in my 50's and have just learned I live just down the street from him lol!... Life is indeed strange.

[@biscuitgaming9582]

you aint gonna quit fishing until you put me in the plain box... legendary

[@fidiusjwhoopie]

"PINE" Box

[@jimlahey3919]

Every fishermen will tell you that. Millions of them. I’ve heard it hundreds of times from older folks. Also, it’s pine box.

[@ittoutdoors]

Jim Edlund just told me the "Griz" story while at AGLOW in Bemidji this week, now this!! Can't wait to meet ya Griz!! Thank you. Great piece!!

[@Mooja12]

I had one real life brush with The Griz. A few years back under the Prescott bridge. I had just arrived and was approaching the start of a downstream drift starting at the St Croix park point when another boat ZOOMED right in front of me and began the same drift I was going to do. Two passengers in the boat. The Griz in the rear. What I believe was a paying customer in the front. When I recognized him I waved and said Hello. He just stared back. He left a lasting impression on me that day....

[@FlacoSix5one]

Me and my buddy had a very similar experience. We were on Pool 2 of the Mississippi fishing for Flathead Catfish. We could see him downstream a ways working his up towards us. He had what we figured was also a paying customer in the boat. As they came slowly motoring by, we give a wave and head nod. He just stared us down and kept on going lol. I've seen him a couple times since on pool 2 and also pool 4. I don't acknowledge him at all if I see him now. One hell of a fisherman though.

[@NeilBlenker]

Awesome video! I met Griz and Jack Morris for the first time at Terry's Boat harbor on Lake Mille Lacs. I also talked to him at the Sportsman's show. He is truly a legend!!

[@gregpetersen8214]

The best video I've watched all year. Awesome!

[@rejaproudmore5206]

I grew up hearing about the Griz from my Dad who fished by him all the time on the river and I got to see him for the first time on the St Croix in my early teens. First time I saw the rip jigging in action and it has been part of my repertoire since. This video is great and it was nice to learn more about him and his history. Hopefully I’ll get to see him again out there on the St Croix working his magic.

[@greencutsguelphlandscaping7980]

Get this man on 39HRS season 3

[@zachmcdaniel3811]

Thanks to the grizz I have a trophy walleye fishery not even 15 minutes away thanks to him I can catch 8lbers all year an have a blast

[@JayLee-od8ob]

60 days on the water then 1 day off only to know you have another 30 days coming up. How's things going today Dick? Oh fine Terry you wanna go fishing? Absolutely amazing story God bless.

[@erich44magnum]

I have fished Pool 2 and redwing, milacs for years always seen the grizz just wackin fish. Always said I wanted to fish with him someday. Finally got my chance. 7/5/2013 on Milacs out of Terry’s boat Harbor. It was a great day, chilling with the GRiZ. I brought my walleye wiffer map. to have him autograph it at the end of the day he wrote “good fishing from the Grizz”and the date. I have it framed in my wheelhouse. On the wall. It truly was a great day of fishing with the legend. The Grizz.

[@chadbooth4371]

Top notch video right here boys!

[@fidiusjwhoopie]

I had the pleasure of surviving a day on Lake Mille lacs with the Griz, great memories, my goal was to try and catch the first fish before the Griz, i was able to do it because he didnt have his line in the water yet lol. I think we caught like 75 or so walleyes that day,epic, I learned alot, he is a sneaky guy, he would keep his graph turned so you couldn't see GPS coordinates, if you said hey Griz is this such and such flat? He'd tell me its s different one, very sneaky, cant blame him I guess

[@michaeln2386]

Griz, Sternberg, Terry, Frankie, Roach, Schara, Al.....can't make a better list of MN fishing legends than that.

[@Burkefishingoutdoors]

Absolute legend 🤘🎣

[@Nyquist_Outdoors]

He is a legend

[@mikemcclusky8244]

Legendary! Great video

[@jimmyb.5285]

sounds like he's read Buck Perry and Spoonplugging ! Linders started with spoonplugging !

[@hairyyeti21]

legend, no doubt

[@michaelsiengo1]

Awesome

[@mikeygermsheid4643]

The 🐐

[@Richard-du7yj]

I miss fishing and fishermen who never got off the water. Social media has kept people inside. More fish for me.😊

[@justinspannbauer8204]

Guy lives down the road from me!

[@toddmartindale]

I get on um lol!! one hell of a fisherman

[@eduffy4937]

Damn even got old Frankie dusenka in the intro!

[@dabprod]

My kind of guy.

[@RoryLynott]

Rippin' big walleye lip!

[@mikedudka103]

I like how he still uses an ugly stick

[@tymesho]

Your title is misleading,... I'M STILL AROUND!, lol. It's cool that others hold this regard for him though.

[@andrewthompson9811]

Can anyone tell me the name of the song at 6:25 I'm sorry I've asked before. Please and thanks

[@RhaStudios]

damn we need to start following people like this instead of Kim K

[@chuethao2637]

A true legend. I knew and work with his best friend Greg schorn

[@coryherr4553]

The fred bear of fishing. Learn and observe

[@chulo6302]

You'd think for someone in the fishing industry for that long he'd be a little less grumpy.

[@Yuhmuthasaho]

Griz’s mom was a 10! Daaang ol son

[@eduffy4937]

Notice the gear: plain old ugly stick and a cheap Daiwa accudepth reel. Nothing fancy

[@tiredredneck8159]

It's like looking in a mirror...one day...

[@francisbombardier6490]

All those fish and NO forward facing sonar. Tells you something. Use your instincts and enjoy the sport.

[@DogWhoFilms]

I just don’t make them like they used to

[@craignelson3243]

First time I saw Griz fishing was on Big Winni off of Stony point a long time ago. We were picking up a few walleyes rigging and throwing jigs out. He was hammering the eyes with his snap jigging technique that we had never seen before. We didn't have to watch him too long catching all those eyes before we started imitating him. Of course we couldn't do it as good as him but we definitely started catching a lot more walleyes.

[@headflat449]

It's all about time on the water. Anyone can be this good. You don't need live bait to catch fish. We catch more and bigger fish on artificial lures.

[@jimlahey3919]

No one knows who you are

[@JasonSmith-oo2vo]

Your experience is your's. Other people may have different opinions. Upload some content and testimonial accounts of your exploits and prove your point. Otherwise you're just another guy telling tales on the Internet.

[@jesusjose1377]

Absolutely love this short documentary.

[@Sureashellisntgoingtobemyemail]

Great video!