Less than a half-mile to the south, Ralph Siroki is using Brainerd Lake as a therapeutic outlet. Fishing rod in hand, he casts his line into the lake every couple of minutes while his girlfriend's son, R.J., does the same about 10 paces away. He just a got a pole the other day. He's never been fishing before. R.J. lives with his father in the Midwest but is visiting his mom this week.
Crappies are silvery sunfish often used to stock small ponds.
He caught five fish yesterday, so he's getting better and having fun. If more kids would fish, there'd be a lot less problems in the world. Siroki has been fishing in Brainerd Lake for two weeks now. One time, he says, he caught 40 fish in one day here. He tosses them all back.