You’ll find more than just fishing celebrities in this list. One can make a significant impact
on the lives of many without ever being well known. It is important to honor all of
those who had a great influence on the great sport of fishing, whether famous or not.
Corporate advances tend to be much more visible to us. For it’s their products that
shape the evolution of the sport of fishing.

Tim Lesmeister has been a full-time freelance outdoor communicator since 1987.
He has lived in Minnetonka, Minnesota since 1981, and began writing about Minnesota’s resources in 1984 for Outdoor Sports and Recreation magazine, with a series of articles, Up Your Odds. He became a regular contributor to that magazine, as well as Fishing Facts, MidWest Outdoors, Outdoor News, and Minnesota Sportsman. He has also been a regular contributor to Bassmaster, Sports Afield, and many other regional and national publications. With his partner Mark Strand, Lesmeister also published Sportsman’s Quest magazine and he also edited and designed Gary Roach’s Breaklines publication.
In 1994, Lesmeister and Strand started the syndicated radio show, Sportsman’s Quest. The Cabela’s-sponsored show aired on 360 affiliate stations at its peak.
From 2006-2016, Lesmeister hosted a live radio show in the Twin Cities, Outdoor Talk.
Television is a big part his turf as well. From 1986-1989, Lesmeister hosted a public-access show, The Metro Angler. He has been a guest on MidWest Outdoors, Adam Johnson Outdoors, Backroads with Ron and Raven, Due North Outdoors, and many other shows. In 1996, he was featured on The Today Show on NBC, camping in the BWCAW during the coldest day ever recorded in Minnesota. In 2008, he appeared with renowned English actor Steven Fry on the BBC hit show, Across America with Steven Fry.
Currently, Lesmeister writes a regular blog for Outdoor News on its website and hosts its daily radio show, From the Pages of Outdoor News. He is a columnist for Outdoor News’s Minnesota print edition.
Lesmeister has been an active member since 1987 and is a past President of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW). He won the group’s highest honor, Excellence in Craft, in 2013. He has been active with the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and is currently Chairman of the Selection Committee.
Since his first piece on fishing was published, Lesmeister has authored more than 3,000 articles, been featured on more than 100 television segments, has broadcast 30,000-plus minutes of radio, and has spoken at more than 250 events on fishing and vacation destinations for fishing. With no plans to retire, he is one of Minnesota’s most celebrated and effective promoters of the state’s famous fishing heritage.