07/08/2026
We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend, Tom Neustrom. Tom was far more than a legendary professional fishing guide—he was a mentor, an inspiration, and a true ambassador for the sport he loved so deeply. While he dedicated his life to sharing his passion for fishing with others, he always looked forward to spending time at Dogtooth Lake Resort with his friends, where he could relax, laugh, and enjoy the incredible fishing he cherished. We are truly thankful he was able to spend one last week with us this past June catching the trophy walleyes he loved to do each year. Tom’s legacy will inspire anglers for generation to come. He will be greatly missed at Dogtooth Lake Resort, but he will always remain a part of our story and our memories on the lake. R.I.P Tom and thank you for everything you have done for us over the years 🙏
Forty years ago," recalls Tom Neustrom, veteran fishing guide and avid multispecies angler, "my dad taught me to look for dark water adjoining weededges, indicating a drop-off to deeper water. We focused our efforts along the boundary where broadleaf cabbage weeds mysteriously dissipated into open water, and caught loads of walleyes. But once we discovered the effectiveness of Doll Fly Jigs dressed with hair or feathers, tipped with a half-crawler, it was all over. I've been a jigger ever since."
Neustrom, like many anglers who learned to fish in the weedy natural lakes of the Upper Midwest, also discovered that points, pockets, and turns along those edges concentrated walleyes and other gamefish in predictable areas where you could tickle the fringe of the weeds for relatively active walleyes.
"I think the fish take a half-crawler better, and that they often rip you off when attempting to fish a whole crawler in weeds. Most anglers just want to get bit, and a half-crawler does the job. If you want to target bigger walleyes and switch to plastic tails, 3- to 4-inchers also catch a lot of fish and stand up to the abuse of fishing in weeds; you don't lose your bait as often. Larger tails—5-inchers—may catch you a few bigger walleyes but, in the end, I think they reduce your number of bites.
"The downside is," Neustrom continues, "I think it requires a better-skilled angler to fish plastics to their full potential.”
