gordon p

Name: Gordon William Patriarca

Age: 53

Family/pets: Just my girlfriend Lynette

Occupation:  School of Rock is now basically a full time gig for me. I had a fair amount of work as a studio bassist in 2011. Less live playing then the years when I was doing 2-4 gigs a week.

Home town: I had lived my whole life within the Chicago city limits until my girlfriend Lynette shanghaied me to Glenview a couple of years ago!

What do you consider your home water? Hmm, Well my family has owned property on a small (232 acre ) lake near Rhinelander Wi. since 1950. This is where I spent all my summers as a kid and learned to fish. Now, I would consider the Wisconsin River and several others ( Menominee,Little Wolf,Embarrass, etc ) to be my "home waters"

What was your most memorable day fishing? Wow, way to many days on the water to name one. I will say though, that the 2 days I fished with fellow ISA member Paul Trybul last July were outstanding. We caught some nice smallies, I caught a nice Muskie, we floated, waded, anchored ( Paul's idea ) and thoroughly worked the river. Plus the weather was absolutely ( mid-70's temps, low humidity,high puffy cumulus) perfect. Did I mention that this was the trip Paul won at the Blowout?

What magazines do you subscribe to? In-Fisherman and Bass Player !!

Who taught you to fish? My maternal grandfather Dominick Shatkus. He was the one who bought the lake property, it was a resort from 1959 to 1966. He was an excellent fisherman and a true character, irreverent, gregarious, salty, a prankster, open-minded, a reader, and a man not afraid of a strong drink or two ! I miss him dearly.

What's your "go to" smallie lure? In the rivers with strong crayfish populations, it's hard to beat a tube. Last year I started using hula grubs ( thanks again Paul T. ) with good success. I had a couple of years where 80% of the fish I caught were on unweighted Senkos. This year I want to try swim jigs and do more topwater stuff which I used to fish more often.

How did you learn about the ISA? Can't remember for sure. The Internet maybe.

What are your other hobbies? Reading

What famous person (dead or alive) would you like to take fishing? Mark Twain, Tom Waits, Phil Lynott, Sean Connery, Rudyard Kipling, James Brown, Sir Issac Newton, Thomas Jefferson

What are your musical tastes? Well I'm a musician and a bit of musicologist--- got a couple of hours, we'll talk. EVERYTHING.............................. ok, no smooth jazz ( real jazz-yes ) or Opera

What do you watch on TV? As little as possible!! OK, I like the HBO stuff, Deadwood, Rome, and the Sopranos. WTTW occasionally too.

What is your fishing style? Used to be "run and gun" now I slow down. I do a lot more wet wading while canoeing. Since a lot of my fishing ( not all ) these last several years has been during work trips, I don't get on the water till mid or late afternoon. If I am floating 3-6 miles of river I have to adjust my speed to try to be off the water by dark. I mostly shuttle myself with my bike. If I leave the bike at the take-out ( which I used to do ) I run the risk of biking back to my car on county roads in the dark. I have miscalculated and done this many times!! Now I leave my car at the take-out, and bike back to my gear and canoe at the put-in. I lose some time at the beginning, buts it's nice to see my car at the end.

What's your favorite aspect of the ISA? Meeting all the like-minded souls, and helping in the conservation events. I want to do more of that this year. The Bulletin is cool too, good info in there.