Fishing Provides This Blind Angler with a Vision of Hope

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Published: 13 February 2026

Hometown: Kalamazoo
Occupation: Stay-at-home dad
Favorite species and biggest fish of that species: Muskie and pike. Biggest tiger muskie, 47 inches.
Favorite Michiana lake: Austin Lake.
Hobbies when not fishing: Spend time with family and tying muskie and pike flies (with big magnifying glass).
If you only had one lure and why: Rapala Original F11, hands down. It catches a variety of fish everywhere.
Favorite rod and reel: G. Loomis 902 and Daiwa SS 1600 spinning reel for bass; 10 wt. fly rod with triple density fly line or flipping stick with 59-pound braid for muskie.
Best tip to give a new Michiana angler: Pick a lure you have confidence in and keep casting.

Sportsman Spotlight

By Louie Stout

The next time you feel bad because you must work and can’t go fishing, think of Sky Baker.

The next time you struggle to tie a knot, think of Sky Baker.

He has the same passion for fishing that you do. In fact, not long ago he was fishing a lot of team tournaments and doing well.

That all changed in 2018 when he started losing his vision due to an auto immune disorder.

The former millwright and RV Company plant manager is now legally blind, isn’t able to drive and will likely lose complete vision in the coming years.

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Beaver Tail for Panfish? Powell Says it Works

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Published: 11 February 2026

By Louie Stout

If you’re not getting panfish to bite your traditional ice fishing baits, think outside the box.

That’s what Chuck Powell has done and feels he’s stumbled onto a lure additive that gets him a few more bites.

Well, he didn’t exactly stumble onto it. He read once about ice anglers who were doing well by adding a piece of beaver tail to their jigs instead of more traditional larvae bait.

It was a perfect fit since Powell is an avid trapper with several beavers stored in his freezer being prepared for market.

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