Pro Angler is 'Fishin' With a Mission'

Daryl Christensen was a man who seemed to have it all. Like most guys growing up in a small, rural town in Wisconsin, he spent most of his early years hunting, fishing and trapping. After two years in the Army in the late 1960s, he returned home, got married, bought a house and settled into the routine of working, fishing and hunting - but not necessarily in that order.

As a young newlywed, life was tough. I had ten jobs in ten years, mainly because I didnt like working for anyone, he said, and added, Socializing meant heading to the tavern after work and staying there until it closed at 2 am.

Daryl had a dream, to become a professional fisherman. Bass tournaments were starting up at that time, but it was an expensive pastime. I had a wife and five kids, couldnt keep a job and spent too much money socializing. I knew I had the talent to catch fish, but alcohol and poverty left me with low self-esteem and little hope for the future.

Nonetheless, against his familys protests, he bought a boat and started guiding, fishing in tournaments and doing some outdoor writing. After six years he had built a successful guide business, had won several bass tournaments and published more than 500 articles on hunting and fishing. The following season, he took things to the next level, quitting his job to become a full time professional walleye tournament angler.

Little did I know how much my life would change by making that de ...