He started a fishing tackle business more than 60 years ago in his parents' basement and went on to cement the "Lindy" brand as a pillar in the North American fishing industry.
Ronald John Lindner, 86, of Brainerd, described himself as a daydreamer but worked obsessively throughout his career as a salesman, fishing guide, inventor, educator, storyteller, outdoors pioneer and ambassador for his sport. He had a burning passion for catching walleyes and a Midas touch in business.
The Chicago native who forged a lifetime partnership with his kid brother, Al, died Monday from illness while in the arms of his wife, Dolores.
"Fishing and faith was his whole life," Al Lindner said. "It consumed his entire being."
The brothers Lindner built a family empire around the Lindy Rig, a simple live bait setup that incorporated a sliding, shoe-shaped sinker. Coupled with the Lindy Worm Blower and other gadgets, the inventions were at the heart of a tackle company the brothers sold decades ago to the Rayovac Corp.
They moved into the fishing education and entertainment business, eventually selling their In-Fisherman multimedia empire to a New York firm.
When their noncompete agreement expired four years later, the Lindner family launched a sophisticated, still-thriving production company focused on fishing-related advertising work, promotional films, videos and the TV show "Lindner's Angling Edge."
Professional fishing guide Tom Neustrom of Grand Rapids said Ron Lindner helped change the course of walleye fishing in Minnesota and elsewhere. Neustrom said Ron and Al influenced a generation of fellow guides in the Brainerd-Nisswa area during a period in the 1960s and '70s that "moved the needle" on tactical approaches.
