Peas and Carrots, Parsons and Kavajecz
K.J. Houtman 08.05.13
Oh, to be a long-lost cousin at this family’s gatherings. Phenomenal fisherman Gary Parsons has three sisters and two of them are married to also legendary anglers: Keith Kavajecz and Mark Romanack. Mark hosts the television show Fishing 411, and is probably most well-known as co-author of the trolling bible, Precision Trolling. Parsons and Kavajecz, well-known winners in the walleye fishing tournament world for 30 years, own and run The Next Bite, a television and web-based media company. Just think of the skill and talent around the dining room table at Thanksgiving! Which came first, though, the family connection or the skill?
“Gary is the nicest, most approachable guy that will share so much information with anyone who asks,” said Mark Boyd, 17-year employee of The Next Bite. “Not only is he extremely skilled but he’ll talk your ear off and share so much information with folks. All they have to do is ask.”
A professional dentist with a thriving practice and a darn good living in Wisconsin years ago, Dr. Gary Parsons hung up the high-pitched drill and the blinding light looking down patients’ mouths and traded it to look for hooks down walleyes’ mouths. With fishing his living since the ‘80s, he now drills down the water column.
He hasn’t looked back. Turning a passion into a profession is a dream-come-true for many a serious angler.
“Don’t pinch me, I don’t want to wake up from this dream,” said Parsons when asked about his life and career. To many of us, it is the ultimate profession. “It has been nothing short of phenomenal all these years. With this last win, it has been a cool feeling to have a lifetime career like this.” Parsons took first place at the AIM Oconto tournament on Wisconsin’s Bay of Green Bay in mid-July.
Not only did Parsons find a way to improve his life from a very comfortable living as a dentist, more than nine employees now depend on Keith and Gary’s fishing and promotional success at The Next Bite. Their professional fishing and promotion careers span 30 years! It has been a big responsibility.
Parsons met Kavajecz, a brainiac computer geek, before it was cool to be typecast like a character from The Big Bang Theory. Back when computers were new, Keith worked for IBM in Rochester, Minnesota. Keith dated and then married Gary’s sister, Lynn. When the guys fished together they were unstoppable. They dominated the Masters Walleye Circuit back in the day with many wins, including both Team of the Year and Championship in 1988.
“Those were exciting times,” shared Keith Kavajecz, thinking back to the beginning of it all. “We realized early on we had to look at it as a job, even though it was a job we enjoyed doing. We’ve spent our whole career telling people how to catch fish, never holding anything back, and I think that’s been the key to our success.”
Kavajecz and Parsons share a 50-50 role in being creative thinkers when it comes to new products and R&D for their promotional partners and sponsors. Both saw the power of the Internet in fishing promotions and product marketing long before everyone else. In fact, the two have always been on the cutting edge of whatever is coming next. “Keith has all kinds of creative ideas. He’s a wonderful partner to kick ideas around with,” shared Gary. “He is brilliant and creative.”
The two have influenced the design and functionality of many products that today’s anglers might take for granted: walleye/multi-species fiberglass boats, line-counter reels, many rods, jigs, Slow Death Hooks, planer boards, all-weather gear, and artificial baits—particularly developing the minnow-shape for GULP! as well as the impressive Flicker Shad from Berkley.
If the young guns at Oconto considered Parsons an old dog, he showed them all a few new tricks with a yet-to-be-released bait from Berkley. What’s all the hullabaloo about?
“It is the best bait, by far, that I have ever used in my life,” shared Parsons. “I have never seen a bait that will catch fish this well.” Of course, you and I want the skinny. “I can’t say anymore, but the proof is in the results. It’s all in the action, that’s all I can say. Everyone will want this bait.” It will be out in 2014 according to Parsons.
Continued innovation emerges from this family. “After years in the working with Mark, Keith, and I, Apple has just approved the app for your iPhone for Precision Trolling,” shared Gary, noting that it isn’t available for purchase quite yet. “The Droid version is coming soon, too. It will be convenient to have all that information in an app, and the ability to purchase just some of the lures if that’s all an angler is using.” Always cutting-edge thinking going on with these guys.
But wait, there’s more! Another generation has arisen, a young angler who sat his entire life at the Thanksgiving table—and in the boat—with phenom-fishing dad and uncles. However, I’ll have to chase that story down another week.
Editor’s note added September 27, 2013: The Precision Trolling app is now available on the iTunes store here.
K.J. Houtman is the author of the award-winning Fish On Kids Books series, chapter books for eight- to 12-year-olds with adventures based around fishing, camping, and hunting. Her work is available at Amazon and local bookstores. Find out more at fishonkidsbooks.com.
Houtman writes books embracing the great outdoors for children and adults. Available as paperbacks and e-books at Amazon, they are: A Whirlwind Opener (#1), Driving Me Crazy (#2), Spare the Rod (#3), Duck, Duck Deuce (#4), Born to be Wild (#5) and A Second Chance (#6) as well as K.J.'s Reflections Under the Big Pine with Bill Miller, a non-fiction devotional for adults.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the Fish On Kids Books series – Houtman has a wonderful talent. I'm engaged in the life of Gus and when one book ends, I want to find out what he is up to in the next.” Sharon Rushton, Outdoor Writer and author of No Paved Road to Freedom
“From cover to cover the best series of chapter books I've seen in years. These books are wholesome with a focus on adventure. Wish I had them when I was a kid. I'm still a kid at heart and prolific reader. These are my kind of books.” Larry Rea, host, Outdoors with Larry Rea, Memphis, TN
“I’ve read them all and think these books are great.” Jim Zumbo, professional hunter and outdoor writer
