Staff
Adam Johnson
Adam Johnson - Aquatic Biologist, Host, Pro-Staff
In a time of specialization, Adam is a generalist. He's as comfortable jigging a walleye through the ice as he is boating a bucketmouth or manhandling a musky. He's as at home fishing the big water of the Canadian Shield as he is poling through the brush and submerged timber of a Louisiana backwater. And, he will outwait a buck, chase pheasants, or jump grouse while he's waiting for the next hot bite.
Adam is widely a published outdoor writer with articles distributed to over 100 outdoor publications monthly. His stories routinely appear in such noted journals as Midwest Outdoors, Dakota Outdoors, Outdoor News, and many more across the U.S. and Canada. He is a featured writer for many outdoor websites and has appeared on ESPN, FOX SPORTS NET NORTH, KSAX, KSTC, KSTP television and more. Adam shares his secrets in his free e-newsletter.
To contact Adam Johnson, send an E-mail to: Adam@Adamjohnsonoutdoors.com
Tim Lesmeister
Tim Lesmeister - Director of Communications, Host, Pro-Staff
When it comes to telling stories there are few with as much to talk about as Tim Lesmeister. Tim has hunted and fished around the globe, and has documented these trips with his camera and keyboard. A full time freelance outdoor writer and photographer since 1987, Tim has taken his readers to France to hunt Huns, to Alaska to harvest halibut, and England to chase carp, tench, perch and trout, and across the U.S. to hunt, fish, and enjoy what the outdoors has to offer.
If it's worth doing in the outdoors, Tim will take you there. And there will be a great story to tell when you return.
To contact Tim Lesmeister, send an E-mail to: Tim@adamjohnsonoutdoors.com
Gary Roach
Gary Roach - Fishing Pro-Staff
Gary Roach, known to many as the venerable "Mr. Walleye", is considered to be the most versatile angler ever to wet a line. He has dedicated his lifetime to guiding, promoting and teaching anglers how to catch fish all across North America.
Roach was inducted into the Fishing Hall of Fame in 1988 and in 1991 won the coveted Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) "Angler Of The Year" award. Gary is a two-time Cabel's/In-Fisherman PWT Champion making him one of the leading all-time money winners in the history of the sport of competitive fishing.
Kolt Ringer
Kolt Ringer - Fishing Pro-Staff, Youth Fishing Education
Kolt Ringer is a multi-species angler and Upper Midwest guide. As a guide, Kolt specializes in fishing education and youth fishing opportunities. Ringer has been featured in many magazine and newspaper articles and writes on the value of educating our youth in the art of sportfishing. Kolt is a substitute host on Outdoor Talk Radio and a regular guest on Adam Johnson Outdoors television.
Mark Courts
Mark Courts - Fishing Pro-Staff
Mark Courts is a touring walleye pro that began his competitive fishing career in team events with his father, John Courts. The pair won a North American Walleye Anglers event on Mille Lacs Lake, MN. He continues to fish professionally on the Professional Walleye Trail and the FLW Walleye Tour. In his FLW Outdoors career alone, Courts has notched five top-10 finishes. In 2005, Courts placed in the top-10 two times, including a seventh-place finish on Bull Shoals Lake and a fourth-place finish on Devils Lake. In 2006, Courts claimed victory at the PWT Regional held on South DakotaÕs Lake Oahe.
Karen Savik
Karen Savik - Fishing Pro-Staff
Karen Savik is one of the few women who have chosen to compete in the male-dominated professional bass circuit. Not only does Savik go toe-to-toe with the top anglers on the FLW Bass Tour, she is a host on North American Outdoors television. Savik shares her knowledge periodically with columns in popular fishing magazines and newpapers, and is also the author of a book on bass fishing in the Midwest.
Jason Lesmeister
Jason Lesmeister - Alaska Guide, Hunting Pro-Staff
The fish and game of Alaska called to Jason Lesmeister shortly after he graduated from high school and he answered. Lesmeister has been guiding in the Alaskan wilderness 15 years and has scored on many record-book animals for his clients. Snow geese are also a passion that gets Lesmeister's attention every year when he takes to the fields of Nebraska and South Dakota, guiding clients for this prolific bird. When it comes to big game, salmon or trout in the bush of Alaska there are few that are as knowledgeable as Jason. And if you wish to experience the best of the bigger waterfowl, Lesmeister can make that happen. He is a popular guest on Outdoor Talk and distributes a syndicated column on hunting in Alaska.
Bill Slaughter
Bill Slaughter - BWCA Guide, Camping/Outdoors Pro-Staff
Bill Slaughter was born and raised in Ely, MN on the edge of what is now the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. He has been guiding in the "B-Dub" since he could carry a pack and a canoe and there is very little of that popular wilderness region he hasn't set foot on. Slaughter starts his canoe guiding operation right after ice out and after the lakes freeze over he's back trekking into the B-Dub with dogsleds. There is some outstanding walleye and pike fishing in the region where Slaughter guides and he knows how to get you there. Slaughter has been featured in numerous magazine and newspaper articles, and is a regular guest on Outdoor Talk and Adam Johnson Outdoors television.
K.C. O'Dea
K.C. O'Dea - Executive Producer, Host
Raised in the Big Horn mountains of Wyoming, K.C. has hunted and fished most of his life for elk, mule deer, pronghorn, trout, and a wide variety of western U.S. species. K.C. has hosted a number of radio programs from California to the Midwest and moved to Minnesota in 2000 to cover the outdoors and politics. After quickly realizing that anglers are far more truthful than politicians, K.C. now concentrates his full effort to producing radio and television programs documenting AJO adventures. K.C. brings deep experience and an everyman approach to AJO programming.
To contact K.C. O'Dea, send an E-mail to: KC@adamjohnsonoutdoors.com
Casey Dingels
Casey Dingels - Video Production, Editor
A south-central Minnesota farm boy, Casey has spent his life in the outdoors. After studying the ins and outs of video production, Casey joined the AJO staff in 2005. When he's not on the water or in the field shooting video for AJO, he's on the water or in the field. After a day in the outdoors, Casey likes to put his feet up and tune in the Twins or Minnesota Wild, his favorite sports teams.
Sarah Lynch
Sarah Lynch - Media Relations
A psychology degree gives Sarah the background she needs to work with the AJO staff. Out of school, Sarah went to work managing communications and media relations for AJO and has been on the staff since the inception. When she's not on the phone or pecking away at her computer Sarah likes to lounge in the boat and gather rays, waiting for a tug on her line. You'll find Sarah hovering in the background, chatting with the media, and pushing the team to get things done!
Brad Hanson
Brad Hanson - Waterfowl Pro Staff / Guide
Brad has had a passion for hunting in general and bird hunting in particular since he was a youth hunting the all over the northwest counties of MN. There are many fond memories of hunting waterfowl near the Thief Lake Refuge or chasing the field areas for Sharptail or Ruff grouse in the woods at his Grandfather's farm. Brad has been co owner of Great Northern Waterfowl Adventures guiding hunters near the Fergus Falls Minnesota area for over ten years and a senior member of Avery Outdoors pro Staff for over seven years. In the years since being a guide Brad has hunted from Manitoba to Texas and almost every state in between! He has chased geese, ducks as well as every upland bird available!
Brad currently lives near Rollag, MN but travels the whole upper Midwest extensively through out the spring and fall seasons watching the movement and habits of game birds trying to figure one more trick that will fool that bird into shooting range!
