Walleye Wayne

 “CO-HOST Retired since 2009″ Now on Special Assignment

Wayne Knudson was born and raised in the lake country of Northern Minnesota. The family lived on Middle Leaf Lake in Otter Tail county. Hunting and fishing, with his folks and grandpa, was much more than a hobby. It was a necessary way of life in Northern Minnesota in the 40’s and 50’s.

The family moved to suburban Minneapolis but maintained a summer home on Otter tail Lake. Walleye’s hunting and fishing territory expanded to include Iowa, South Dakota, and Ontario Province.

Walleye’s heroes were the guys who wrote the great outdoor stories found in Sports Afield, Field & Stream, and particularly Jack O’Connor, the shooting editor of Outdoor Life magazine. O’Connor wrote his stories of the great western outdoors from his home in Lewiston Idaho, and was a big influence on Walleye’s decision to move west.

In 1976 Walleye moved his wife Jackie, son Steve, and daughter Sandy to Missoula Montana. This area has a reputation for the finest hunting and fishing in the lower 48. Walleye and Captin Catchin’ started hunting and fishing together in 1987 and have done so across Montana and into Idaho, Washington, South Dakota, Oregon and the Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Walleye and Jackie along with Bull and Maggi, their Labrador retrievers, make their winter home at Florence Montana, in the Bitterroot Valley. As soon as the ice goes off Seeley Lake, at the edge of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, they can be found at their log cabin, summer home, making things ready for the coming fishing and hunting seasons.

Walleye Wayne retired from the Montana Outdoor Radio Show in 2009, but still goes fishing with the Captain when he can fit into his busy retirement schedule.