Craig Oyler is a multi-season/multi-species angler who travels across the midwest chasing the next big bite. Craig likes fishing for anything that swims, but Pactola lake trout are by far his favorite. Craig’s passion for educating anglers led him to start Hooked on Hardwater, which partners 60 underprivileged boys from the Rapid City Club for Boys with 60 professional ice fishermen from across the country for a day of mentoring, fellowship, ice fishing, and fun. This interview is from a live storytelling event on Main Street Square in Rapid City, SD. Despite the equipment issues and venue noise, we had a great conversation. Enjoy!

Craig Oyler is a multi-season/multi-species angler who travels across the midwest chasing the next big bite. Craig likes to catch fish, and will keep them on occasion, but has something to say about a fishing trend that is getting way out of hand.

Craig Oyler is a multi-season/multi-species angler who travels across the midwest chasing the next big bite. Craig likes fishing for anything that swims, but Pactola lake trout are by far his favorite. Here he talks about what makes Lake Trout fishing so fantastic for him.

Craig Oyler is a multi-season/multi-species angler who travels across the midwest chasing the next big bite. His passion for ice fishing, and the Black Hills, is second to none. This is why.

Craig Oyler is a multi-season/multi-species angler who travels across the midwest chasing the next big bite. He started guiding his dad's friends when he was 11-years-old, and new right away that he wanted to fish all the time.

Craig Oyler is a multi-season/multi-species angler who travels across the midwest chasing the next big bite. He's had many mentors along the way, and talks about some of them in this short story.

Craig Oyler is a multi-season/multi-species angler who travels across the midwest chasing the next big bite. He remembers the first time his dad took him ice fishing, and remembers is fondly.