Friends remember Coulee City's 'Big Wally'

COULEE CITY - More than memories are left of late fishing guru, Gordon Steinmetz.

Often times, a fisherman, like an illusionist, never reveals his tricks. Often, a father, husband or friend will have a top secret fishing hole they frequent, keeping a map only in their minds like a treasure. Steinmetz, however, a true friend to the Basin and fishing community at large, loved to share.

In fact, he built a business and life on it. Steinmetz had the knack for catching walleye, a notoriously finicky fish to hook, Dave 'Fishin' Magician' Graybill said. "Gordie had an attention to detail and willingness to be innovative," that made him a successful walleye fisher, Graybill said.

As luck would have it, Steinmetz' wife, Marge, had a knack for business, which Steinmetz was always bragging about, Graybill said.

Together, the couple built a successful business, Big Wally's Store and Tackle Shop, where any fisherman or woman, community member or passerby would stop in to see what's new on the shelves and what's up with the walleye.

Steinmetz shared his expertise at his tackle shop. Graybill said conditions for walleye could change throughout a day, and you had to be patient, and keep an ear open to advice. The walls of the shop were covered in contour maps of lakes in the region, and Steinmetz would even draw detailed maps for tried and true fishing holes, complete with names. "He was always had a crowd around him," Graybill said.

Graybill treasures the few maps of Steinmetz' he has.

Leroy Ledeboer, who writes outdoor articles on Washington outdoor sports, refers to Steinmetz as an authority on walleye fishing in Washington. Ledeboer said Steinmetz was a reliable and honest, and "a source I could always trust, a man of real integrity." Ledeboer said many people on their way to Banks Lake would stop to get the latest information on the sport and equipment at Big Wally's.

But, "when the bite was off, that's what he reported," and that's what built a loyal following of avid anglers and life-long friends for Steinmetz, Ledeboer said.

John Kruse, of Northwestern Outdoor Radio, also relied on Steinmetz as a source for his shows. Steinmetz was "always willing to take time to help me out," Kruse said.

Kruse said Steinmetz was one of the pioneers of walleye fishing in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Before Steinmetz, he said, no one was fishing for walleye.

Steinmetz also co-authored a book, "Walleye Fishing Simplified" which is available on Amazon.

One piece of advice Steinmetz told Ledeboer seems to extend beyond fishing. "Always be ready to listen to the other guy, find out what he's discovered because things are always changing."

Steinmetz' family hosted a "celebration of life" Saturday at Coulee City Assembly of God Church.

Ledeboer said there were wonderful photos on the wall of him fishing and with his family, the speakers highlighted how important relationships were to him, and there were so many people, about 100 of them had to sit in an overflow room and watch the service on television. He said it was an accurate representation of Steinmetz' life and the kind of person he was.

More than 300 people were estimated to be in attendance.

According to his obituary, printed in the Wenatchee World, Steinmetz married his high school sweetheart, Margie Leander, on Sept. 19, 1981. Along with Big Wally's, the couple also founded the Annual Big Wally's Spring Walleye Classic Tournament. He retired in 2008 and his nephew, Rick Rovegno, took over the business.

He is survived by his wife of 32 years, six children and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walt and Grace Steinmetz and son, Mark Moobery.