When professional fisherwoman Nicole Jacobs was a little girl, her favorite thing to do was to get out on the water and go fishing with her dad. Jacobs learned a lot from her father on those fishing trips, but it wasn’t all about how to land the big ones.
“Fishing wasn’t just about catching fish,” Jacobs says. “My father passed on life lessons … about God and putting family first and how, with that, anything is possible.”
And now that she is fishing professionally, Jacobs wants to be an ambassador for the sport as a family activity. “My biggest advice for others is to make it about the kids … if they want to fish for 10 minutes and then spend the rest of the time swimming or playing with the bait, let them … it is about time spent together.”
Lake Minnetonka is home base for Jacobs and when asked where her favorite places to fish on the lake are she says, “All of Lake Minnetonka is a treasure to fish. Different areas of the lake are better at different times, so I don’t have a favorite spot.” She does say that she enjoys spring fishing after a Minnesota winter. “The way Tonka is laid out there are so many spots you can fish in the spring,” she says.
If you are thinking about getting into fishing … or back into fishing … this summer, what advice does Jacobs have for you?
Keep it simple: Don’t go out and buy a lot of expensive equipment. She has a Nicole signature spin-rod combo available at WalMart for under $40.
You don’t need a boat to fish Lake Minnetonka. “There are so many fun areas and fishing piers and docks to fish from,” she says.
But if you are using a boat she really wants to encourage you to be safe and have respect for your fellow boaters. “If you want to fish close to another angler or a recreational boater, just ask if it’s okay … show that courtesy. And recreational boaters, please be mindful of where anglers are fishing and give a decent amount of space.”
The thing she emphasizes is that fishing is about time spent. “You just need patience and a smile,” she says. “It will take time … and eventually you will catch a fish!
Facebook: Nicole Jacobs Fishing
Instagram: @nicolefishing
