The Flying Fisherman

Everyone has their heroes. I think for my brother and I the one that stands out is Gadabout Gaddis, the flying fisherman. You can see his fishing vest and some of his other crap in the Musky hall of Fame in Hayward, WI. He had a pontoon plane and flew from lake to lake and when he was done you could bet there weren’t any fish left. I think the fish leapt into his boat because they knew once he started fishing, they were doomed anyway.

Gadabout was ten foot tall clad in waders, fishing vest and hat. He even wore the outfit to bed so he was ready to get back out on the lake at Oh-dark-thirty. Gaddis didn’t go to the lakes; the lakes came to him because he was the ultimate fisherman. You see all those fishing bums on TV that think they’re champs – Gadabout ate those punks for breakfast.

We even had our secret Gadabout Gaddis cast where you whipped the pole in an upward arc, the lure would fly straight up about 50 yards and then land right at your feet. We could only hope to emulate him as the shadow he cast was long. When jesus was going around looking for fishermen Gadabout didn’t join him, he gave him lessons on how to fish. That’s why jesus was able to feed the multitudes with fish.

He was so devoted to fishing his last words were, just cut me up for bait and put my crap in a museum boys. Though he is gone now and the fish populations are coming back in a lot of the lakes, his legend lives on in our hearts. This one’s for you Gadabout!