About Us

The Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club is a non-profit organization and the largest fishing club in the State with an annual membership around 275 individuals & families. With a focus on introducing youth to fishing, the club has also built its reputation on the encouragement of catch and release fishing.

Mission Statement

To recruit youth to the sport, encouraging connection to the outdoors and fishing as a lifelong passion.

Vision Statement

To contribute to the environment and our communities by improving the quality of local fisheries and promoting involvement through educational and recreational activities.

Hard Water Tournament Perch Caught on West Okoboji
 

Club Founder

Founder Jim McDonnell

Jim McDonnell

(1937 – 2012)

“Enjoy every sunrise, keep a tight line and may your aim be straight.”

 

The club, originally founded as the Iowa Great Lakes Muskie Club by Jim McDonnell in 1967, transitioned in the early 1970s to become the Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club as it is known to this day. A fishing guide on the Iowa Great Lakes for over 40 years and a high school teacher and girls’ athletic coach in Royal, IA, Jim’s passion was educating and introducing kids to the outdoors. Known as the Fishing Professor, Jim was the club president from the beginning until his passing in 2012.

Jim headed up conservation efforts such as panfish limits on the lakes, slot limits for walleye, and protecting the Bulrush habitat on Big Spirit Lake. Today, the club continues to head up conservation efforts for our local fisheries and focus on introducing and encouraging kids to the sport of fishing and the outdoors. Along with the McDonnell family, the club helps sponsor the Jim McDonnell Memorial Scholarship. Multiple $500 scholarships are awarded annually to local students entering environmental or teaching fields.

Awards & Accolades


1972 – Named Overall Release Champion by Muskie, Inc.
1976 – Named Fish Conservationist of the Year by Iowa Wildlife Federation.
1977 – Authored “Explosive Fishing Techniques.”
2012 – Inducted into the Iowa Girls Athletic Union Hall of Fame.
2020 – Inducted into the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.
Watch the Minnesota Bound feature.

 

Current Leadership

Officers

Click on a photo to learn more about our club Officers.

President Terry Thomsen

Terry Thomsen Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: All of them!

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: Storm Lake

Q: Hard water or open water?
A: Open water – You can be more mobile and it’s lots warmer.

Q: Biggest fish caught?
A: 30” Walleye and 41” Muskie – Both from Lake of the Woods

Q: How did you come to join the club?
A: I was a friend of Jim McDonnell and he urged me to join.

Q: What makes our club special in your opinion?
A: The fact that we all share a favorite sport and our desire to help kids become and remain fishermen. We all have the goal to leave our resources in a better place for future generations.

Q: Who should join the club?
A: Anyone who has children. Once someone joins, they need to experience the things this club does. Seminars, kids events, etc…

Q: Offices held?
A: Vice-President 2012 – 2018. President 2018 – present.

Terry Thomsen

President

Vice President Scott Severied

Scott Severied Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: Spirit Lake

Q: Hard water or open water?
A: Open water

Q: Biggest fish caught?
A: 29” Walleye / 38” Northern

Q: How did you come to join the club?
A: 1986 or ’87. Best friend talked me into it.

Q: Offices held?
A: Vice President 2018 – Present.

Scott Severied

Vice President

 
Secretary Barry Kruse

Barry Kruse Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye / Smallmouth

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: West Okoboji

Q: Hard water or open water?
A: Open water because of the mobility factor.

Q: Biggest fish caught?
A: 57lb Paddlefish

Q: How did you come to join the club?
A: I was a member in the late 70’s through the 80’s. Then rejoined when walking roadside clean-up in 2009.

Q: Offices held?
A: Secretary 2016 – present.

Barry Kruse

Secretary

Treasurer Dean Jacobsen

Dean Jacobsen Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: Spirit Lake

Q: Hard water or open water?
A: Open water because that is where I have the most experience. However, I did invest in some ice fishing equipment this Christmas so this could be a tie in a couple years.

Q: Biggest fish caught?
A: 46” Muskie casting for Walleye at the Highway 9 bridge on East Lake Okoboji.

Q: How did you come to join the club?
A: I was asked to join after fishing a couple of time with Terry Thomsen. Then I was “tricked” into becoming Treasurer by Terry & Kendall Mead. I’m glad the trick worked because I enjoy the club very much!!!

Q: Offices held?
A: Treasurer 2015 – present.

Dean Jacobsen

Treasurer

Board Members

Click on a name to learn more about our Board Members.

Walleye catch on stringer

Kelly Cook Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: Big Spirit Lake

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 1988

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 2017

Paul's Walleye catch

Paul Daniels Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Smallmouth Bass

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: East Lake Okoboji

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 2012

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 2019

Russell's Salmon catch in Alaska

Russell Sweet Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye and Panfish

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: West Okoboji

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 1986

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 2020

Rick Petersen's Walleye catch

Rick Petersen Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: The one the fish are biting on.

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 2012

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 2018

Gary's Smallmouth Bass catch

Gary Biederman Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Crappie and Walleye

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: Spirit Lake

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 1985

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 2012

Larry's catch

Larry Slota Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: Spirit Lake

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 1990

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 2012

Kendell's Walleye catch

Kendell Mead Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye and Perch

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: Spirit Lake

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 1974

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 1975

Rick's Walleye catch

Rick Krebsbach Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: Spirit Lake

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 2010

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 2020

Denny's Smallmouth Bass catch

Denny Phillips Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Fish

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: Spirit Lake

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 1976

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 2012

Orville's Largemouth Bass catch

Orville Belken Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye, Perch, Crappie and Smallmouth

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: All of them! Wherever the fish are biting.

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 1968

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: Early 1970s

Darwin's Red Snapper catch

Darwin Johnson Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: West Okoboji

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 1981

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 1986

Camp Autumn Largemouth Bass catch

Adam Lybarger Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: All of them! But Bluegill and Catfish if I have to choose.

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: Camp Autumn / Spirit Lake

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 2019

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: 2021

Nathan's catch

Nathan Albrecht Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Favorite Species is a close one between the Spring walleye on Spirit or chasing summer gills on the ultra light rods on West Lake.

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: My favorite NWIA lake to fish is Spirit Lake. When the walleyes are going, that lake is phenomenal. It’s also not the busiest of lakes when the fishing is good. By the time fishing really picks up for those gills on West, it’s a zoo come weekend time.

Q: When did you join the club?
A: I joined the club in 2019 I believe. I was at a bank event talking to Dean Jacobsen who first introduced me to the club.

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: January 2023

Nathan's catch

Lance Lundbeck Q&A

Q: Favorite species to target?
A: Walleye & Bluegill

Q: Favorite NWIA lake to fish?
A: West Lake Okoboji

Q: When did you join the club?
A: 2005

Q: When did you become a board member?
A: September 2023

 

 Accomplishments & Ongoing Community Support

* Indicates annual support.

 
Inserting PIT tag in Walleye.

Funded Environmental Projects


Emerson Bay: Fishing cleaning station.
Big Spirit Lake: Walleye tracking tags and collars (pictured).
Lower Gar: Electronic fish barrier to keep invasive species out. Additional barrier to keep fish in.

 

Organizational Support


Iowa Lakeside Lab: Water testing kits.
*Camp Autumn: Distributed cedar trees to enrich fish habitat (pictured). Donation and maintenance of rods and reels. Help organize and put on Annual Ice Fishing Tournament & Fundraiser.
*ISU Extension: Volunteer labor & management of kids’ fishing events.

 

Legislation Support


License fee increase.

Working on fish habitat at Camp Autumn.
 
Display at the Okoboji Blue Water Festival

Event Participation


*Adopt-A-Highway: Hwy 71 (Fostoria)
*Okoboji Blue Water Festival: Raising awareness of the importance of water quality in our area (pictured).
*Fish Fry: Various local bait shop open houses.
*Wings & Wetlands: Clay County Conservation Board

Photo credit: Okoboji Blue Water Festival

 

Monetary Contributions (since 2016)


Triggs Boat Landing: Monthly electric bill.
Little Sioux Valley Conservation Association
*Jim McDonnell Scholarship Fund (pictured)
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
Camp High Hope
Oneota Conservation Association
Dickinson County Conservation Board: Ainsworth Orleans Boat Ramp improvement project.
Steve Reighard Memorial Scholarship

Awarding Jim McDonnell Scholarship to Melanie Harson
Awarding Jim McDonnell Scholarship to Alexandra Olson

Iowa Great Lakes

Click on each picture for lake information and amenities from Iowa DNR.

Spirit Lake

Acres: 5684.00
Maximum Depth: 22.5 ft.
Fun Facts: Largest natural lake in Iowa. The Dakotah Indian name for the lake was Minnewaukon. Early French traders named it Lac D' Esprit after the Indian legends of an evil spirit who dwelled in the lake.
State Records: Fresh Water Drum Caught 10/1/62 – 38.5”/46lbs. Muskellunge Caught 8/21/00 – 52” / 50.38lbs.

Spirit Lake

Credits: Iowa DNR - 1, 2, 3 | Wikipedia | Northland Tackle

East Okoboji

Acres: 1835.00
Maximum Depth: 21 ft.
Fun Fact: Longest natural lake in Iowa.
State Records: White Bass Caught 6/3/19 – 21.7” / 5.11lbs.

Credits: Iowa DNR - 1, 2 | Iowa Great Lakes Association

Center Lake

Acres: 220.00
Maximum Depth: 17.9 ft.

Center Lake

Credits: Iowa DNR

West Okoboji

Acres: 3847.00
Maximum Depth: 138.9 ft.
Fun Fact: Deepest lake in Iowa.
State Records: Northern Pike Caught 2/1/77 – 45” / 25.31lbs. Smallmouth Bass Caught 9/1/90 – 22.75” / 7.75lbs. Tiger Muskie Caught 8/1/89 – 47” / 27.13lbs.

Credits: Iowa DNR - 1, 2, 3, 4 | Wikipedia | Northland Tackle

Upper Gar

Acres: 36.00
Maximum Depth: 8.1 ft.
Fun Fact: Smallest of the Iowa Great Lakes Chain.

Credits: Iowa DNR | Iowa Great Lakes Association

Minnewashta

Acres: 118.00
Maximum Depth: 15 ft.

Credits: Iowa DNR

Lower Gar

Acres: 251.00
Maximum Depth: 6.9 ft.

Lower Gar Lake

Credits: Iowa DNR