By Steve Weisman

Congratulations and a tip of the hat are in order for outdoor communicator and educator, Bob Jensen. After an outdoor career of over 45 years, Jensen is ending his full-time outdoor career. Reflecting on his decision, Jensen says, “I won’t be writing articles on a regular basis anymore. If/when I find a topic that might be of interest, I will submit it. I don’t go fishing as much as I used to, and I’m running low on fresh ideas for fishing articles. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to produce hundreds of television and radio shows, articles, and seminars about fishing. Early on, I promised myself that I would get out before I got stale. I may have been stale when I started this fishing journey, but I know I’m stale now. It’s time for me to step aside and let someone else share their fishing stories and fishing ideas.”

A native of Sheffield, Iowa, Bob Jensen began fishing as a young boy and a year after graduating from high school in 1976, he moved to Brainerd, MN and attended a vocational school, studying sporting goods sales and marketing.

However, being in the middle of the hotbed of fishing in Brainerd and then Walker, MN, his love for fishing led him to seek a career in the fishing industry, first as a Camp Fish instructor in northern Minnesota. Camp Fish was a fishing school for youth and adults and at the time was owned by the In-Fisherman, back when Al and Ron Lindner owned In-Fisherman.  According to Jensen, “Al and Ron spent quite a bit of time at Camp Fish then, and as a result, I got to fish with them a lot. I always relished those days on the water, as they were usually marathons. We would fish one lake for a while, then travel to another one and another one. It wasn’t uncommon to fish several lakes a day. I was always impressed with Al and Ron’s ability to ‘read’ a lake.” Jensen found them both to be great educators and true pioneers and innovators in the fishing world. They definitely had a profound impact on Jensen.

Jensen was also a guide and tournament angler in his early years.

Jensen guiding in the early years

At that time, he would spend over 200 days annually fishing throughout the Midwest. “I fished the original Cabela’s/In-Fisherman (NAWA) tourney on Mille Lacs, the Professional Walleye Tournament and some of the Cabela’s/In-Fisherman circuit tournaments, fished a number of the MWC tourneys when they first started, fished the Manion Circuit and have also fished a number of local and regional walleye and bass tournaments.”

As he spent his time on the water, Jensen developed an interest in sharing successful fishing techniques with others, and he began his career as an outdoor educator: as a columnist, book author, radio personality, popular fishing seminar presenter and award-winning fishing show host/producer.

In the mid-1980’s Jensen co-authored four top-selling books on walleye fishing with Gary Roach and Randy Amenrud including Secrets to Jigging for Walleyes, Secrets to Finding and Catching Walleyes, Live Bait Fishing For Walleyes and Crankbaiting for Walleyes.

Jenson on the cover of Live Bait Fishing for Walleyes.

Reflecting on that time, Jensen says with a smile, “With Secrets to Jigging for Walleyes, we collaborated on the content of the book, and I organized the text and photos. I wrote the book, on my typewriter. It took six months to complete the book. We self-published, and we printed off 10,000 copies.”

In less than six weeks, all 10,000 copies had been sold, and they had to make a second printing. Jensen notes, “It went so well that we decided to write another book. Before the second book, however, I entered the computer age. It took six weeks to complete the book. I am not a great one for change, but there is little doubt that computers and digital photography have made life so much simpler and productive.”

In the late 1980’s, Jensen formed Fishing the Midwest Fishing Team, a comprehensive fishing promotion team including himself, Jim McDonnell, Marty Papke, Mike Frisch and Scott Soderquist. According to Jensen, “McDonnell and I were in Iowa, Papke was a guide in Wisconsin and Frisch and Soderquist were from Minnesota. Even though we were from different areas, we communicated well as a promotional team.”

Moving to television

In 1989, Jensen started his own television series entitled Fishing Iowa, airing on network stations for three years.

During the Fishing Iowa years, Jensen also spent time on the seminar circuit

This was followed by the Outdoor Sportsman television series, which aired through 1994. This was a combined fishing and hunting show with Todd Amenrud doing the hunting side, and Jensen sticking with the fishing side. Then in 1995, Jensen began the highly acclaimed and long running weekly fishing show, Fishing the Midwest with Bob Jensen

Jensen with a big walleye caught during one of the Fishing the Midwest episodes

For over two decades, Jensen’s Fishing the Midwest with Bob Jensen was one of the Midwest’s longest-running and highest-rated television fishing shows. Jensen produced and hosted over 300 full-length fishing television shows that appeared on network affiliates and cable carriers throughout the Midwest. During Jensen’s tenure, the show received over 30 awards for “Excellence in Outdoor Programming” presented by a wide range of outdoor organizations.

In 2014, Jensen was joined by longtime Minnesota fishing guide and fishing educator Mike Frisch in co-hosting Fishing the Midwest television. Jensen eventually sold Fishing the Midwest television program to Frisch, who continues to produce the award-winning program to this day.

Jensen also co-hosted and co-produced the Pro-Mo’s Secrets series of walleye-technique videotapes.

Jensen honored in 2017

More accolades came in 2017 when the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame came calling, and it was in that year that Jensen, was selected for induction to the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.

At that time, Jensen joined over 300 individuals and organizations that had been enshrined in the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame since its inception1980. Located in Hayward, WI., the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame is the international headquarters for the education, recognition and promotion of freshwater sportfishing.

Upon his selection, Jensen had this to say about his being included in the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. “I’m truly honored to be inducted into the Fishing Hall of Fame. I’m so fortunate to have been able to fish and explore so many waters across the Midwest. The biggest reward to my career in the fishing/marine industry though is the opportunity I’ve had to work with so many really good people. It’s the people that have made the past 30-plus years so enjoyable,” Jensen added.

A complete outdoor career

Jensen is also the author of fishing columns and “how to” fishing stories that have been published nearly 200,000 times in general circulation newspapers, outdoor newspapers and outdoor magazines. He has also written and hosted The Outdoor Minute radio show, which airs 50 times a week in Jensen’s home state of Iowa and has been on the air, in various forms, for well over 20 years.

In addition, Jensen has also presented nearly 1,000 fishing seminars at sports shows and other outdoor events during his career.

As he moves on to other things in life, aside from the occasional fishing/outdoor column, Jensen gives this piece of advice. “I always ended my television and radio shows with the suggestion ‘Be nice to one another.’ It’s not that hard to do. Be patient at the boat ramp. Don’t brag about catching a five pounder unless it weighs at least three pounds. With that, be nice to one another, and I’ll see you at the lake!”