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Steve Weisman: Longtime baitshops leave their mark on fishing in Iowa Great Lakes region

Thane and Tanya Johnson at the entrance to Kabele’s Trading Post in Spirit Lake, Iowa.

When I moved to northwest Iowa in 1978, I was amazed at the incredible fishing history surrounding the Iowa Great Lakes and the many fishing legends that had made the lakes one of the go-to places in the Midwest.
My son, Curt was only two years old at the time of our move, but he already had a passion for anything having to do with the outdoors and loved to tag along. Although I grew up fishing in South Dakota, these lakes were an entirely different deal. So, where do you go to learn? The local baitshops.

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