SigMT

SIGNATURE MONTANA | 29 Joe Henry and Bob Smith are both former guests who have become frequent volunteers. "I love to fish, but I like to watch other people catch fish, too," says Henry. "It doesn't bother me if I'm not the one reeling it in." Tito Rodriguez retired from the police force around the same time as John, both leaving their posts as lieutenants. From the inception of Fishin' 4 All, Tito has been John's right-hand man. On the water, their camaraderie is evident as they seamlessly fall into a natural rhythm on the boat. John tends to the fish finder, calling out the depths of the fish as the sonar marks them, while Tito expertly baits the guests' poles and ensures they are correctly positioned. ey stick with old-fashioned bait tactics, threading a worm on a hook with an added secret weapon: a quick spritz of crawfish spray on the nightcrawler. "A lot of people tell you that it doesn't work. ose people are wrong," Rodriguez says with a smile. As crawdads begin to emerge in the lake, the trick is to match the hatch in both color and scent. Holter Lake has an abundance of heavy hiers to chase, including Kokanee Salmon, Rainbow Trout, and Walleye. John and Tito, seasoned navigators of these waters, know their favorite spots intimately. ey can oen identify the fish on the line without seeing it, calling out the type by how it hits the hook and the fight it puts up. Today, Walleye are the target, but the Rainbow Trout are biting more aggressively. "Walleye like to be on the boom," says Sowell. "If they're feeding, you're catching them. If they're not, you're not." Tito Rodriguez and John Sowell are constant companions on the water. "He's not perfect, but he's my friend. So good enough," jokes Rodriguez. Sowell likes to keep it grassroots, one boat, one trip at a time. Sowell calls out the depth of the fish on the fish finder while Rodriguez helps the fisherman get in position.

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