Dan Galusha
Dan wasn’t very successful in the sales part, and by 1978 decided to pursue writing, by starting DAN’S FISH ‘N’ TALES® as a column in a small weekly newspaper. It eventually grew to an award winning magazine column. After being a guest on Virgil’s CHAMPIONSHIP FISHING SHOW, in 1984, the electronic media bug bit. Dan started hosting fishing segments for other outdoor shows and local newscasts. This lead to the award winning DAN’S FISH ‘N’ TALES® portion of WQPT’s LIFE & TIMES (PBS).
At the same time Galusha was hosting the radio version of DAN’S FISH ‘N’ TALES, which won five media awards. So far, Galusha feels his top television achievement is the production and hosting of the PBS documentary, THE WORLD OF VIRGIL WARD. This show captured him another AGLOW Crafts Award.
Dan used his communications skills to help form Bass Wranglers, Inc., which was a family oriented bass tournament group. He also successfully competed in the events, placing in the top five year-end champions each year. Seminars are another outlet, either as a solo or with fellow Bassin’ USA Pro Staff member, Johnnie Crain.
As for actual fishing awards – at this time he has 152 state fish awards, 16 World Records, 5 World Angling Achievements, 6 Midwest Outdoors Readers Choice Awards and 2 Ozark Mountain Region fishing awards. He is only one qualifying fish away from being an Arkansas Master Angler. By the way, the majority of the awards, and all of the bass, are in the catch-and-release category.
Dan hopes to work on a new DAN’S FISH ‘N’ TALES® television series, that will entertain and teach in a manner which will encourage beginners to become interested in the sport of fishing. He also wants to find a new outlet for his radio program.
Some of Dan’s TV shows can be viewed on his YouTube channel, including the show he filmed with Virgil in 1984 on Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas, the first place winner in the 2008 AGLOW Awards regarding fishing with mulberries, and a clip from The World of Virgil Ward, which is a short interview with Virgil on how he won the World Fishing Championship in 1963.
Field Test & Pro Staff Affiliations
Bass fishing information about largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, tournament bass fishing, fishing tackle and equipment, and fishing destinations, reports, guides, techniques, magazines and books and a whole lot more.
Manufacturer of Tru Turn, XPoint and Daiichi hooks.
Manufacturer of flasher and LCD depthfinders, and underwater cameras.
Manufacturer of jigs, spinnerbaits and soft plastic lures
Norman Lures – http://www.normanlures.com
Manufacturer of crankbaits.
Manufacturer of Jiffy Power and Hand Ice Drills.
Manufacturer of the new collapsible Pro Tech, catch-and-release landing
net, livewell net, live bait containers, and protable ice shelters.
Manufacturer of Rat-L-Traps
Manufacturer of ice fishing jigs, glow jig recharging lights, and the new
Finesse Plastic.
Manufacturer of fiberglass bass boats
FISHING FACTS – www.fishingfacts.com
ADVENTURE SPORTS OUTDOORS – www.asomagazine.com
IOWA SPORTSMAN – www.iowasportsman.com
Accomplishments & Achievements
CURRENT TALLY OF FISHING
163 State Awards
16 World Records
5 World Angling Achievements
2 Ozark Region Awards
MEDIA AWARDS
3 AGLOW Television Fishing
6 AGLOW Radio Fishing
1 AGLOW Radio Hunting
2 AGLOW Magazine Fishing
6 Midwest Outdoors Readers’ Choice
2011
Nominated by Ron Stallings of TTI-Blakemore for the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, and notified of Induction into the Hall of Fame as a “Legendary Communicator” for 2012.
Started writing for Iowa Sportsman.
Started writing and uploading articles for Navionics apps.
The new official Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales® website was published on April 20th at www.dansfishntales.com.
The Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales® You Tube channel starts broadcasting with Fish ‘N’ Tales, one episode of Championship Fishing with Virgil Ward, and an interview segment with Virgil from The World of Virgil Ward Documentary.
2010
Re-confirmed pro staff status with Stanley Jigs, Bill Lewis Lures, Custom Jigs & Spins and B-Fish-N
Re-nominated for Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame
2009
Caught a 48 pound flathead catfish on a Sebile FlatShad, with 12 pound test line, which qualified for another World Angling Achievement.
2008
1st Place in the AGLOW Awards for television fishing with a show about fishing with mulberries.
2007
Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales® television show came back on the air at WQPT-PBS
Became a member of Team Vexilar
2006
June 21st a personal record of 3 state award bass was caught on a single day, using a black/blue Stanley casting jig with a black Auger Frog trailer. Photos of each of these bass made covers of magazines (Midwest Outdoors and Fishing Facts), a TTI Hooks catalog cover, and one is the official photo used in the Hall of Fame for the 2012 induction as Legendary Angler.
2005
Started work for the Scott County Iowa Conservation Department in seasonal park/forestry maintenance.
2004
1st Place in the AGLOW Awards for radio fishing and 3rd place for radio hunting.
The passing of Virgil Ward brought out The World of Virgil Ward documentary for another period of airing on PBS stations.
2003
Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales® came back on the air on WRMJ-FM102.3 in Aledo, IL
2002
Applied for Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales trademark.
Nominated for National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame (selection decision to be announced later in 2002)
Nominated for Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame (selection decision to be announced later in 2002)
Appointed to the Gene Larew Tackle Pro Staff.
2001
Worked on the Rock Island Conservation Club rules committee to establish new rules and regulations for the Club’s lakes, in order to promote a lunker bass fishery, and improve all around fishing.
MC and seminar speaker for the Quad City Conservation Alliance Outdoor
Show in Rock Island, IL
2000
Elected to the Rock Island Conservation Club board of directors.
1st Place Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Crafts Award in the Magazine Fishing Division
2nd Place Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Crafts Award in the Television Fishing Division
MIDWEST OUTDOORS Reader’s Choice Award
Started writing for Fishing Facts
Shot the TV pilot for new version of Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales
1999
1st Place Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Crafts Award in the Radio Fishing Division
MIDWEST OUTDOORS Reader’s Choice Award
Aired The World of Virgil Ward, a PBS TV documentary.
Wrote for Bassing America during this year.
1998
3rd Place Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Crafts Award in the Radio Fishing Division
Wrote assigned articles for Angler Sport.
1997
1st Place Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Crafts Award in the Radio Fishing Division
Started production on The World of Virgil Ward, a PBS TV documentary.
Illinois Sports Outdoors, now Adventure Sports Outdoors, started carrying the Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales column.
Signed to TTI Companies revised 5-Star Pro Staff, representing Daiichi,
XPoint and Tru Turn Hooks.
1996
2nd Place Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Crafts Award in the Radio Fishing Division
2nd Place Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Crafts Award in the Television Fishing Division
2nd Place Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Crafts Award in the Magazine Fishing Division
Joined the Rock Island Conservation Club
Started Team Fish ‘N’ Tales as a seminar trio with Johnnie Crain and Don Banning.
Wrote for Outdoor Guide during this year.
Wrote for Tennessee Valley Outdoors during this year, but the articles are still appearing on their web site.
Wrote for Quad City Sport Connection during this year.
1995
Began entering outdoor media competition for writing, radio and television.
2nd Place Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Crafts Award in the Radio Fishing Division
Started the Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales portion of the Life & Times program on PBS
The first annual Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales Casting Contest, which now takes place every August during the Rock Island Conservation Club’s “Open to the Public” Picnic.
Started writing for Southeast Iowa Outdoors, now Big River Outdoors.
Wrote for On Deck boating magazine.
1994
Hosted the fishing segments for a season of Iowa This Weekend on the Iowa Public Broadcasting Network (PBS)
1993
Hosted Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales bass and ice fishing videos produced by HQ Video.
Articles were published in the Illinois/Iowa Fish & Game Finder.
1992
Hosted fishing tips segments for WHBF sportscast
1991
Hosted the Dan’s Fishing Tips series on WQAD sportscast.
1990
Participated in the Golf Pro Fishing Day for the Quad City Golf Classic in Moline, IL.
Hosted Dan’s Fishing Tips, aired during breaks in TNN and ESPN outdoor programming on Cox Cable.
Appointed to Techsonic Industries’ (Humminbird depth finders) R&D
engineering field test staff.
1989
Hosted 9 segments, and 5 fishing tips for Midwest Outdoors TV
1988
Started the Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales radio show
Participated in the Golf Pro Fishing Day for the Hardee’s Golf Classic in Moline, IL, for which golf pro took first place.
1987
Placed 3rd in the Bass Wranglers’ Year-End Grand Champion race
Started the Dan’s Tourney Tales magazine column in Midwest Outdoors which lasted until 1995.
1986
Placed 5th in the Bass Wranglers’ Year-End Grand Champion race
Hosted and produced an instructional video for C&H Products’ Sportsman’s Odor Away Soap.
1985
Conducted and competed in first season of Bass Wrangler Tournaments.
Placed 5th in the Bass Wranglers’ Year-End Grand Champion race.
Appointed to the J.L. Trabue sale representative group’s pro staff (Shimano, Storm Lures, Norman Lures, Humminbird, Owner and Bagley).
First bass seminars, which started at the Princeton, Illinois Fair
Grounds.
Started writing for Great American Outdoors, until it went out of
business.
1984
Started organizing Bass Wranglers, Inc.
Bettendorf News started publishing Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales
Guest on Virgil Ward’s Championship Fishing TV Show.
Appointed to Tru Turn Pro Staff.
1983
First fishing trip with Virgil Ward.
1982
Caught first World Record – a tiger musky
Wrote for Gone Fishin’ during this year
1981
Appointed to the Skyline Pro Staff.
Midwest Outdoors begins publishing articles under the Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales columnhead.
1980
First time Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales was published outside of Illinois
Started writing articles for Midwest Outdoors
LakeRiver Times, in Bull Shoals, AR starts carrying Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales.
Started writing for Bass News, the publication for the International Bass Association, Southwest Bass Association and Midwest Bass Association.
Appointed to the Bill Norman Lures Pro Staff.
1979
First time column was published as Dan’s Fish ‘N’ Tales
1978
First newspaper column in the Milan Mirror.
1977
Appointed to Team Ryobi, for working with the engineering department on research and development of fishing reels.
1973
Started working as a sales representative for Mr. Bass Lures.