Woods and Water: Bob Becker’s Adventures in the Northwoods

Transcript

Introduction

Today, we’re diving into the life of a man whose career spanned the wild jungles of South America to the dog shows of American radio, and of course adventures in the Northwoods. His name? Bob Becker.

Who is Bob Becker? To start us off today, I am going to delve into some of his biographical information, as he is a fascinating person who dedicated his life to adventure and exploration in the wilderness. One of his many projects included a weekly newspaper series titled “Woods and Water.” Throughout the series, he traveled to the Northwoods often to learn about the region, fish the many lakes, and journey by canoe throughout the Manitowish chain while documenting his experience. 

In this episode, I will cover five articles from his Woods and Water series that explore the Northwoods in the 1920s. Bob Becker was a very influential media figure during the rise of radio in the 1930s. He always had a high endorsement of the Northwoods on a national scale and exposed the beauties and wonders across the country through the media.

But before we hear the five vignettes on his time in the Northwoods, let’s first explore who is Bob Becker?

Bob Becker graduated from Beloit College in 1912 and soon after joined the zoology department of Chicago’s Field Museum. His work quickly took him far from the Midwest—deep into the Amazon Basin, where he spent over a year and a half collecting birds and mammals.

He trekked through Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia, facing boa constrictors, remote villages, and the vast unknown of the Amazon jungle. These weren’t just field trips; they were full-on expeditions, the stuff of adventure stories. And in fact, Becker turned them into adventure stories.

In the 1920s, Becker chronicled his adventures both nationally and internationally at the Chicago Tribune. One of his columns, titled “Woods and Water,” circulated in newspapers across the country. In these stories, Becker often details the best fishing spots far and wide. Many of which can be found in the Northwoods. His career in journalism switched from print media to radio in the 1930s, often known as the Golden Age of Radio. At the start of the decade, 12 million American households owned a radio, and by 1939, this total had exploded to more than 28 million.

Becker’s first foray onto the airwaves came on March 8, 1931, on Chicago’s WGN. The program adapted one of his newspaper serials, To the Land of the Takatu. It wasn’t dramatized at first—more like an extended interview. Three Chicago-area Boy Scouts joined Becker at the microphone to ask about his travels. Listeners heard tales of strange animals, mysterious plants, and dangerous adventures.

The series continued for several weeks, both on-air and in the Chicago Tribune. That summer, the stories were collected into a book entitled To the Land of the Takatu published by Reilly & Lee. Becker was proving he could bring the Amazon into American living rooms.

But Becker didn’t stop there. In October of 1932, he launched his most ambitious project: The Devil Bird.

This radio adventure series dramatized the story of Commander Grant Dailey and three Boy Scouts—Red, Skibo, and Dana—as they searched for mysterious jungle artifacts in the Andes. The series drew heavily from Becker’s own explorations.

Paul Fogarty, a WGN staff announcer, took on the starring role, performing not just as Commander Dailey but also as the Scouts, their guides, aviators, and even tribal chiefs. The program aired six days a week, and soon, it had a sponsor: Horlick’s Malted Milk.

The popularity of The Devil Bird exploded. Fans could join the Trail Blazers Adventurers’ Club, receive membership certificates, and even decode secret radio messages using a code book Becker provided. In the golden age of radio, this was interactive storytelling at its finest.

And Becker’s adventures weren’t just entertainment. During this period, he was honored when a new species of bat he discovered, Eumops bonariensis beckeri, was named after him.

But Becker’s career took a surprising turn. After The Devil Bird left the air in 1933, he shifted his focus to a very different passion: dogs. He was already writing a popular newspaper column called Mostly About Dogs, so the move to radio was natural. Beginning in 1936, Becker hosted Dog Club of the Air, later retitled Dog Chats.

For eleven years—yes, eleven years—he talked to listeners about training, raising, and loving dogs. Sponsored by Red Heart Dog Biscuits, the program often opened with dramatized tales of loyal pets and their owners. In one surviving episode, a dog named Lassie goes missing. At first, her owner fears she’s been stolen, but in a twist ending, it turns out Lassie was simply chasing a rat and ignoring her frantic owner’s calls.

It wasn’t high drama, but it struck a chord with audiences. For a man who had once battled jungle heat, Becker was now a household voice for America’s dog lovers.

Bob Becker was never a full-time radio professional. But his fifteen-year presence on the airwaves was remarkable. From tales of jungles and lost civilizations to everyday advice about man’s best friend, Becker proved how newspapers and radio could connect adventure, imagination, and everyday life. 

Becker brought that adventure and imagination to his column from the 1920s titled “Woods and Water,” which details adventures in the Northwoods. The following five articles are from Becker’s column “Woods and Water.”

 

Some Good Places To Go Fishing

Chicago Tribune

May 9, 1923

 

Only a few weeks now, and the muskie fishermen will be getting busy in the lakes of northern Wisconsin. One of the places that many muskie fans visit on opening day is the Manitowish Waters, located in the southwestern parts of Vilas County. This is a great stretch of lakes, which for years has been yielding some excellent fishing.   

This string of waters offers some pretty good muskie fishing, as well as furnishing all kinds of walleyes and both small and big mouth bass to play with. And one can get about any type of fishing. There are deep weed bars where the muskies hang out; lily pads and grassy holes from which the bass shoot forth to grab one’s lure; and deep holes, sand submerged stumps where the big pike can be found.

These lakes, in spite of all the fishing they get each year, are still full of fish. The resort owners up that way plant thousands of fry every year, and by doing so, they have been keeping the fishing right up to snuff. 

Another good place for muskies, and one to which quite a number of Chicago men go each year for opening day, is the Chain Lake country near New Auburn, Wisconsin. 

 

Another Canoe Trip with Fishing on the Side

Casper Star Tribune (Casper, Wyoming)

June 3, 1923

 

When you stop to figure out the popularity of canoeing you realize that this sport is really one that has been sort of “bred in the race.” It formerly was the only means of travel and communication here in the middle west and in the days of the French explorers the canoe was worth its weight in gold. 

Many a river in this country that is a favorite today for the canoeist was first explored by men in a crude yet beautiful canoe. So in looking over the history of the use of this type of watercraft you find plenty of romance surrounding it. There was romance and thrills a-plenty in the old days when traveling in a canoe. But you can still find “them things” today if you want to hit the flowing road in some parts of this country. 

Wisconsin, famous for the canoe history it has made, is rich in water routes over which you can wield your paddle. You can reach them either by automobile or railroad. One of the old favorites is a float down the Wisconsin River from Conover. If you want a comparatively easy jaunt with a minimum amount of portaging this is the route you’d better try. You can ship your canoe to Conover and there buy your grub. Putting in at this town you can float and paddle over a mighty pretty stretch of water which offers good fishing. It is not a case of loafing along on sluggish water, either. If you like to get a kick out of canoeing by shooting rapids you will have an opportunity for a little of this excitement on this trip as there are a couple of swift stretches that will make you keep your eye on the ball. 

However,  if you know anything about canoeing, you can embark on this trip without a guide, as the Wisconsin River between Conover and Rhinelander is not a stretch that has a lot of rapids demanding expert guiding and handling of a canoe. This trip can take most any amount of time you choose. If you are a real water dog and like to loaf along fishing nearly every likely looking spot better plan on taking a couple of weeks for this jaunt. Anyway, who wants to hurry on a canoe trip? When you have to wield a paddle as if you were going to a fire it’s more work than fun. Nothing like having lots of time for a water trip. Then when you hit a particularly inviting spot for camping and the fishing is good– why, you can take it easy, go fishing and let the water in the river roll by. 

A different type of canoe trip, one which consists mostly of paddling over placid lakes and with more portaging, is that jaunt from the Lac du Flambeau to Horsehead Lake. You can ship your ship to the Lac du Flambeau station, get a haul from there to the lake of that name and you are ready to start. Or you can ship your canoe to (why in gar) Winegar and finish up at the Flambeau. This route between Lac du Flambeau and Horsehead Lake is a dandy, takes you through part of an Indian reservation, means traversing nineteen lakes and offers fine fishing. 

You pass through some pretty wild stretches, too. But to make the entire jaunt means five portages. Not many, to be sure, but one of them, Swamp Lake to Trout River, is a pretty long one. But there are many variations in routes in this section so that you can canoe without many portages. For instance, you can start at Horsehead instead of in Lac du Flambeau and work down through Armour Little Crab, Crab, and Round lakes, the through Rice Creek on into Island Lake. For this jaunt ship your canoe to Winegar, Wisconsin. Here you are in the Manitowish Waters and through this connected chain of lakes, you can get all the cruising and fishing you want without a long portage such as must be made from Swamp Lake to the Trout River.

 

That New Wisconsin Fishing Regulation

Chicago Tribune

July 16 1923 

 

Fishermen who usually spend their vacations in Wisconsin have not been backward about expressing themselves regarding the new regulations governing angling in that state. Apparently, they are not very keen for one item in the new laws. The raise in price of the license from $2 to $3 is considered fair enough, but as for that one coupon business–not so good, according to the fishermen. Here is the way H. F. Walliser sums it up:

“You know, I have been going to Wisconsin for twenty-eight years, staying about six weeks each summer, besides taking about one week during the Fourth of July period for a little get-acquainted trip. The license fee you wrote about [ $3] is all right, and I think it is not too much for the pleasure one gets out of it, but the one coupon attachment is bad. What are you going to do with the fish on a six weeks’ trip around a number of lakes, if you cannot ship them? Most of the fish caught lay on the ice in the ice house until they spoil. Let’s try Minnesota for a change; what do you say?”

Well, we can’t say anything, H. F. because it’s the law and I suppose the lawmakers felt this was a good conservation measure.  

 

Here and There Outdoors 

Pittsburgh Post

August 5, 1923

 

A day with a guide while fishing is always an interesting experience, whether the fish are biting or not. The other day, we were taking a crack at several of the lakes in the Manitowish string near Manitowish, Wisconsin, and old Bill Averill was our pilot. He’s quite a character, and if you ever fish this fine stretch of lakes, you want Bill to take you out. 

When we met him, we thought he was 50 years old. Active, handy with a motor or car, he doesn’t look older than that. When he admitted that he was 77, we could hardly believe it. And Bill guides more from the sheer love of the outdoors and fishing than from necessity. That he has a real heart for the outdoors was shown after lunch. We had on hand several slices of bread and a couple of doughnuts.

“These are for the birds,” said Bill and he got up to spread out the feast for them. Cutting off the tops of a couple of saplings, he slipped the doughnuts over some twigs and then proceeded to arrange the bread in a similar manner. Some bird or chipmunk is going to be mighty surprised to find that kind of grub growing on trees, but that thought didn’t bother Bill. He says he always feeds the birds when he’s out on trips.

The muskies haven’t been hitting much in the Manitowish waters during the hot weather recently. While fishing Clear Lake, we could see the big fellows in the clear water, cruising around like battleships. Toss any kind of bait or lure in front of them and they merely nose it or look it over. However, a 30-pounder was landed a few days ago by using indigenous tactics. A two-pound sucker was used as bait, and after being attached to the end of a heavy line, it was turned loose. This old 30-pounder grabbed it, and after a fight, it was curtains for the muskie.

Reports from the lakes and streams just across the line in Canada indicate that fishing has been good in spots and off in others, just as you would expect in July. This region sees an increasing number of American fishermen every year, as there is some wonderful fishing up there. Well,  here’s hoping the big ones don their fighting togs by the time we reach the Lake of the Woods this month.

This is a wilderness region for you, with miles and miles of water and acres and acres of virgin forest. With a guide, a fellow could browse around in the many bays and pockets of that big lake and fish to his heart’s content day after day without seeing a single soul. It would be a trip for both scenery and fishing, such as you find in the Superior National Forest of Minnesota, but without the portages included in a trip through the latter.

There is a C. P. bungalow camp just out of Kenora on the shore of the lake where a fellow can outfit for a jaunt through the Lake of the Woods. And the best of it is this: If a fellow likes that region, he can buy a little five-acre island from the Canadian government and settle down up there. The crown guarantees the title and will sell you a five-acre island for a ridiculously small sum. 

 

The Glassy Eyed Wall Eye is a Night Prowler 

Pittsburgh Post

April 27, 1924

 

Although the trout, bass, and muskies may occupy the center of the fishing stage for the majority of anglers, the walleye (or walleyed pike, as it is commonly called) is not without its boosters, as this member of the perch family is quite gamy and affords plenty of sport for the lake or stream fisherman. 

The walleye is widely distributed, so anglers in both Canada and the United States have had a chance to get acquainted with it. The fish has many names, including yellow pike, blue pike, walleyed pike,  and Jack Solomon. In Canada, it is known as dore or pickerel. The color of the walleye varies in different localities, which in some cases is responsible for its different names.

The walleye is the submarine of the fish tribes, as this fellow likes to cruise around in water of good depth, only coming in the shallower parts of a lake or stream during the spawning period or at night when it is eating time. Along toward dusk is one fine time to fish for them, as they are on the move for food, and then a live minnow dangled in front of a hungry walleye is sure to bring action. Some of the best walleye fishing we have ever seen came last summer when we were on the French River in Canada. We didn’t leave camp until 6 o’clock and by the time we reached the pool where the big ones were known to loiter, our fishing place was in the shadows cast by the setting sun. In 15 feet of water we worked our live minnows, which soon stirred up things a-plenty. Within a few minutes, we had a dozen good-sized walleyes, the twelfth fish weighing an even five pounds. 

On another occasion, a cloudy, foggy day, when we were fishing the Manitowish waters, our guide, the chief, led us to a sandy bar in one of the lakes in the Manitowish string for some fun with the walleyes. Again, conditions were just right, as the fish sure did grab our lures in fine style…. 

Thank you for listening to this episode of Discovering the Northwoods. For a special look into a surviving recording of Bob Becker’s radio show Dog Chats, check out our show notes. In addition, there you will find images, resources, and all five original newspaper articles. 

 

Original Articles

Some good places to go fishing

Another Canoe Trip with fishing on the side

That New Wisconsin Fishing Regulation

Here and There Outdoors

The glassy eyed walleye is a night prowler