The Trifecta

article by Dan Chason

OVER THE YEARS IN MY CAREER IN THE OUTDOORS, I have met fellow enthusiasts who were good duck hunters, good turkey hunters, good dog trainers, good anglers and all around good woodsmen. I have met very few who were outstanding at more than one. I always prided myself in being a pretty good angler and transitioned to a pretty much full-time crappie fisherman when I left the pro bass tour and television world for the challenge of crappie fishing back in 2002. When I hosted our TV show, I tried to keep our show current and always tried to surround myself with pros in any genre’ that was timely. I could carry my own fishing, deer hunting or duck hunting but met my match the first time I ever laid eyes on David Wisenor.

The first time I met David, I had launched my boat into the 162 acres of private water where I had bought a house. I was on my very first trip and enjoying the serenity of having the lake alone, when a truck pulled up on the road behind me and asked me who I was and what I was doing on this lake. I was quite surprised as I knew I had every right to be there but after some conversation, met the man who became my friend and neighbor, David Wisenor.

It was kind of live and let live for the first few years but a mutual respect developed between the two of us. I would routinely run into David on the lake and soon found out, he knew some crappie secrets that I didn’t know. The proof was in the pudding as I would have a dozen or so crappie and thought I had smoked them…only to find out David had 25 to 30 fishing right behind me. I have to say that challenged my manhood and abilities.

I was okay to bow to the local lake king as it is not the first time I have had my clock cleaned on the lake. But what really got my attention was the first time he invited me over to see his dog training operation. I was totally impressed.

David runs Mossy Bayou Kennels. Now dog trainers are a dime a dozen. Anyone with a decent lab can boast about being a “trainer” but what I saw really blew me away. I have raised labs my whole life. I have competed in UKC trials and can spot an imposter a mile away. But when David brought out a 14-week old puppy running 300 yard lines, it got my attention.

By trade, David runs the Tim McGraw Sports Complex in Richland Parish. He spends his whole life working daily in the pruning of tomorrow’s superstars. Whether it is getting the fields ready, cooking game time treats or counseling an over-jealous parent, David is a fixture in the youth baseball programs of Richland Parish.

When not chasing kids, David’s passion is his faith (at Start Baptist Church), his family and those impressive labs. He is rarely at home in between the ball field and running field trials with his group of labs. But when he finds an afternoon to slip away in the summer, you will find him in an old rusty aluminum boat chasing crappie, or on an area lake snatching bucket mouth bass with his son, Justin. I always believed that you can judge a father by his son. Justin is a notorious cabinet maker with Woodland Cabinets, and his work can be seen in the premiere homes across North Louisiana. But the two are in their comfort zone when they are alone in the flooded timber and fields chasing green headed ducks.

When David talks about Justin or his daughter Rebecca, his face literally lights up. His wife Angie and he have raised two kids who not only are highly successful, but are still grounded in the family business and rooted deep in Richland Parish. David’s take on dog training when asked is very simple. The biggest mistake he sees over and over is that the owner tries to advance their dog too quickly. David says that a dog is like a kid. No two of them are alike and the training has to mimick their desire. I saw it in person as the prettiest black lab I have ever seen was working on single casts while its littermate was working long distance on multiple bumpers. The other biggest mistake is when the owners want to start their pups too early, or they bring a dog with problems caused by the owner. The key, according to David is consistency. The same command, the same way with never a harsh discipline and huge praise when done correctly.
In fishing, I asked David what his secret was, as he certainly had shown me that when it comes to crappie, he can replace Wally Marshall with the name tag of “Mr. Crappie.” I have seen David catch them in the rain, cold, high water, low water, hot water and water that I would not even fish.

David loves to add some personal effects that most of us overlook. The first is that he is a die hard “road runner” fisherman in the spring. After that he matches the hatch. Grass shrimp are the most prevalent next to crawfish colors and in the fall it goes almost entirely to a shad pattern. He claims that most fisherman spend too much time on exposed cover as he looks for manmade brush, grass and very subtle drops in the water depth to find his crappie. He claims that fishing pressure is his least concern as the crappie bite the best on a falling barometer on the ledges and that is where he concentrates.

All I can say is that I’ve seen it in person. In the old days, our forefathers had to be proficient in various kinds of harvests whether it was birds, deer, fish or the ability to find critters in any conditions. I can say from first-hand knowledge, I do know one man who will never go hungry. His ability to cross my favorite areas of expertise make him a man that I admire and share the same perspectives. Like the Luke Bryan song, “Hunting, Fishing and Loving Everyda,” David Wisenor is living the dream.