Fishing connects us to each other, outdoors
The way we live has changed dramatically over the years.
My grandparents were born before automobiles were introduced. My parents before television. Me before laptops and smartphones.
Your family history is no doubt similar.
But over the generations a few activities have persisted.
One is fishing.
My maternal grandparents fished with my mother on a creek that wound through their dairy farm near Berlin. They typically used a bamboo fly rod.
My mom in turn showed me and my siblings how to bait a hook and fish with cane poles on a pond in Mount Pleasant.
I continue to practice the craft – sometimes for recreation, sometimes to gather food – as often as possible.
It’s a significant part of what I consider a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.
The techniques and equipment have changed over time. But the activity is essentially the same.
Fishing links humans together and also connects them to nature.
In December I was part of an ice fishing outing on Green Bay that included three generations of the same family.
The women, Sharon Herlache Kugler of Algoma, Brenda Maier of Forestville and Kelsey Kornaus of Shoreview, Minnesota, were separated in age by about 60 years but had a common interest.
Kugler, 84, and a native of the Door Peninsula, told me she had been ice fishing the waters of Green Bay since she could walk.
“It was part of living here, part of what we all did,” Kugler said. “I loved it from the beginning.”
She, her daughter and granddaughter were grateful for the opportunity to share a day doing something they all loved - fishing.
Fishing has been part of human activities for at least 40,000 years, according to scientists who have studied the diets of early humans.
If history is any guide, it will be with us for a long time into the future, too.
In advance of Saturday’s recognition of National Go Fishing Day, here’s some Wisconsin fishing facts:
How popular is fishing? Very. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Re
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“You got to realize, we wear this helmet for the players before it,” Gary said. “This is a historical organization. And I want the players to know that, because I had to go respect and do my history on Green Bay and I feel like the more history and the more you dig into it, the more that you have respect for this team and organization and all that plays into that.
“So that’s just my No. 1 thing, man: We’re here to bring ... we’re the championship team. We’ve been here three years in a row, playoffs, we right there. (There’s) something that we missing so we all got to come together and that’s just what I’m focused on.
“(We) got a lot of young pieces here. I just want to make sure that they know the importance of, we’re building a championship team. You don’t have time to correct things, you got to hit it full speed.”
Gary went on to mention a championship team in search of a Super Bowl several more times, to the point he sounded like a lifer and local with a destiny to bring back a trophy; as opposed to the fourth-year New Jersey native he is. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact this defense could carry the Packers to a Super Bowl this season. And with a retooled pass-rushing unit, Gary knows he can be at the forefront of that goal.
“My No. 1 thing is getting us to that division championship, winning, going to the Super Bowl,” he said. “That’s the No. 1 thing. We’ve been there three years in a row, we got all the pieces. It’s just about, you know, putting it all together.”
In his third year, with Za’Darius Smith out for most of the season, Gary ascended. He started 16 games, finished with 47 total tackles, 28 quarterback hits (seventh in the NFL), two forced fumbles and 91⁄2 sacks. And against the San Francisco 49ers, in the NFC divisional playoff game, Gary had four tackles (three for loss), three quarterback hits and two sacks.
Yet that’s not why he has rewatched the tape of that game so much.
“I probably watched it over 20 times, you know, trying to find ways that we could have won,” Gary said. “That just tells you football is football. Sixty minutes is crazy. So you got to go as hard as you can for 60 minutes. But yeah, I’ve watched it over 20 times, which just made me hungry.”
With the way this linebacker corps has been built for the upcoming season, there’s a decent chance Gary will be able to feast. Rookie Quay Walker could legitimately see early playing time, Preston Smith returns and the Packers added defensive tackle Jarran Reed to help clear the way.
“Just knowing our capabilities as a unit and just flashes going through mandatory minicamp and some of the OTAs that we had a chance to rush together, it’s going to be scary,” Gary said. “So once we get our communication down, we’re all on the same page, it’s going to be good.”
If this Packers linebacker unit lives up to its ability, Gary will likely have another standout year. But that’s not why he toiled through the final week of OTAs.
“I want to be the best of my position,” Gary said. “(But) my No. 1 thing is bringing a ring back. So I’m not really into all that, how people are looking at me. I’m (doing) whatever I got to do for this team so we could come back with a ring.”