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Your Guide My name is John Oens and I have been guiding and fishing on Petenwell and Castlerock Flowages and their tributaries for over 30 years. I primarily guide the Wisconsin River system from below Castlerock dam north to above the Nekoosa dam.

Through conversation with my clients, I have learned that many guides simply want to be paid to go fishing. Many guides also short their clients on time and kick them out of the boat quickly so that they can load the next group for the day. This is not the case with me. Aside from keeping you on the fish, my primary focus is to make sure that you are having fun. This means that I deal with snagged lures, broken lines and heavy anchors while you fish. Throughout the day I will share the knowledge that I have acquired about the body of water we are fishing.

I do promote catch and release, however I also enjoy eating certain species of fish. I will be happy to clean and package your days catch if you choose to keep any of your fish. In the event you catch a fish of trophy proportions it is your decision to either keep the fish to be mounted or to photograph and release it to fight another day, after I take length and girth measurements for a possible replica mount.

For your safety, I am a certified American Heart Association Basic Life Support Instructor certified in the use of CPR, AED & Basic First Aid. This means that I am familiar with identifying and providing emergency care for all types of medical emergencies.

What's included

I provide all fishing and safety equipment including rods, lures, bait and tackle. I currently operate two boats. One is a wide G-3 deep-V powered by a 4-stroke 75 hp Yamaha. The other is a 16 foot Alumacraft flatbottom powered by a 25 hp Johnson, which I use to access shallow bodies of water that many guides dismiss.

What to bring

You may choose to bring with you; rain gear, warm clothing, polarized sunglasses, personal medications, personal fishing gear, food and drink. You must have a current Wisconsin fishing license. The responsible use of tobacco and alcohol products is welcome on my boat (excluding me).

Rates

You will find my rates to be below that of my competitors at $225 for up to two anglers for eight hours of fishing. Each additional angler is $50 per angler. For your comfort, two anglers in the boat plus me is optimal. Thank you for your interest in Petenwell and Castlerock Fishing Guide Service and I look forward to seeing you on the water.