When Tom Neustrom was 12 years old, an elderly Swede named Hans showed him his first fishing jig.
"He said, 'It's a piece of metal. It has no action. You have to make it dance,'" Neustrom said. "I'll never forget that."
Neustrom, 60, has been making jigs dance ever since, and on Monday, the long-time Grand Rapids fishing guide was inducted as a "Legendary Guide" in the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward.
He joins other legendary anglers such as Al and Ron Lindner, Gary Roach and Babe Winkelman who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
"I'm very happy," Neustrom said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "You're very humbled by it."
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Neustrom guided on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin for three years before settling in Grand Rapids, where he was a sheriff's deputy as well as a fishing guide. He has been guiding for 30 years. In the Grand Rapids area, he fishes for walleyes, northern pike and other species on Big Winnibigoshish and many other lakes.
Neustrom is known for his innovative jigging techniques and for his efforts to educate his fellow anglers. He has published more than 600 columns in Deer River's Western Itasca Review and the Grand Rapids Herald Review newspapers. He has written for In-Fisherman magazine since 1985.
He is a member of the Walleye Advisory Committee for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and a regular at the DNR's annual roundtable meetings. He puts on many seminars a year for his fishing sponsors and currently is teaching a fishing class in Grand Rapids.
"Tom is one of the few people I know who is extremely passionate and devoted to the sport of fishing," said Scott Glorvigen, a professional and tournament angler from Grand Rapids. "It's not about him. Tom is passionate about making opportunities for everyone who fishes."
Neustrom grew up in Chicago, and his parents -- both anglers -- vacationed in Wisconsin's Eau Claire Lakes area. That's where Neustrom met Hans, a caretaker at a nearby resort.
"I used to pester him all the time when he was doing his chores," Neustrom said.
Neustrom remembers the yellow "Doll" jig that Hans taught him to fish with half a night crawler. Over the years, Neustrom refined his jigging techniques for various situations.
"He's really promoted 'heady' fishing, bringing science into fishing," said Ben Kellin of Ben's Bait in Grand Rapids. "And he's well-rounded. He's not stuck on one body of water. He'll go out and jig northerns on Pokegama [Lake], and that's not something everybody is willing to do."
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Neustrom has a lot of repeat customers in his fishing clientele, which he finds rewarding.
"It's being able to fish with people for many, many years and almost grow into their families," he said. "With a lot of customers, I'm on the second and third generation of their families. After you build the confidence and trust with them, it's like fishing with a friend, not a customer."
"He's an ambassador," Kellin said. "And he'll spread his fishing reports. He's never shy about telling you where and when and how he fished."
"We call Tom a guide's guide," Glorvigen said. "He's the best of the best. He truly cares about his clients, teaching and educating them. It's not about catching a limit. It's about educating and giving the client a great experience so he or she can go out on their own."
