This NFL Hall of Fame Legend had fishing as his first love. There’s nothing in the world like having the rod in your hand, working the bait yourself, and the reward of fish on the end of the line, then immediately turning around and cooking the MOST DELICIOUS fish fry recipe.
In search of walleye on the ultimate fishing trip, Luke ventures just west of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin into the Rock River corridor to the Island Bar & Grill and meets up with DNR Wildlife Specialist Bob Nack, DNR Wildlife Biologist Ben Heussner, and special guest, former Wisconsin Badger and Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame football player Joe Thomas. Say WHAAAT?!!
It’s early November and while people are thinking about being on the tree stand, Rock River remains a year-round open season opportunity for a diversity of anglers to catch their pick of catfish, white bass, northern pike, and walleye, to name a few. This unparalleled experience of Joe’s upbringing is embedded into his family traditions, even to the controversial point of going fishing on draft day with his dad. Ready to catch some fish, the group heads out on the boat with co-owner of Rock River Bait Box, Brian Huser.
“I was way into fishing before I was getting into sports.” There’s something distinctive and deeply motiving about the continual involvement within this ecosystem, whether a sports legend like Joe Thomas, or a famous female poet like Lorine Niedecker. For Joe, Lake Michigan every Saturday, that was the ritual in the summer, living the difference of doing the whole process yourself and the reward of a fish on the end of the line. For Lorine, we can only imagine the nuances of growing up in the little cabin now preserved as a historical site, that yielded significance and the downtown mural quoting: Fish, fowl, flood, waterlily mud, my life.
Thanks to the Walleye Initiative which aims to restore the naturally reproducing population, fall fingerlings which are about 7 inches long have grown their annual natural stock from 100,000 to around 800,000 since 2013. Wisconsin has 15,000 lakes and 44,000 miles of rivers and streams producing a richness in aquatic resources and tourism. This means there are more frequent chances of reeling in a hall of fame fish and outings where everyone feels like they’re winning.
Migrating back to Island Bar & Grill to get some food on, Luke and Joe ready their catches of the day for a classic fish fry. When it comes to preparation, consistency is king, and that’s what makes the fish fry - a crispy outside and a buttery, soft, firm, delicious inside that plays so well on your palate. It’s so cool to be able to catch so many different species, all of them great table fare, and experience the depth of textures these meaty winter fish provide. Walleye cheeks, a chef’s treat affectionately known as the crown jewels, have the same quality and consistency as scallops, and are distinct from the rest of the walleye which stands alone as a beautiful canvas you can adorn with almost anything.
The classic fish fry straight from the river is no stranger to the Island Bar & Grill, who does this every Friday. The uniqueness this year-round river to table variety provides highlights how great this fishery truly is and the very special contribution its preservation has in developing the community, breeding excellence, and raising the bar for the caliber of the culinary landscape here in the Midwest.
0:00 This week on WI Foodie
1:21 Nostalgia for Joe Thomas, year-round opportunity for everyone else
4:13 Passing by the little cabin of famous poet
4:35 Might be a river record here, fish on
7:22 Impact of Walleye Initiative and a catching a Hall of fame Northern
10:30 So many different species, all great table fare
13:41 Stop talking, let’s eat… that’s a winning bite right there
15:24 It’s fish fry time! River to table in one hour
18:31 Secretly underrated fish, the elk of the fishery
22:01 Say what? (Outtakes)
Island Bar & Grill, a place to drink, camp, and dock - let’s have a good time, www.theislandbar.com/
DNR Walleye Initiative, dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishi...
Rock River Bait Box, making fishing more affordable, / rockbait4less
Rock River Coalition, protecting the Rock River Basin, rockrivercoalition.org/
For all things Joe Thomas on Instagram and X: @joethomas73
Pro Football Hall of Fame: www.profootballhof.com/player...
UW Badgers Hall of Fame: uwbadgers.com/honors/universi...
Joe Thomas Through the Years, NFL: www.nfl.com/photos/joe-thomas...