A Celebration of One Incredible Life
About Ron:
Ronald John Lindner, age 86, of Baxter, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 30, 2020, at his home surrounded by his family.
Ron was born in Chicago, Illinois to Arthur & Estelle (Belz) Lindner. He married the love of his life, Dolores Hakes on June 2, 1956, and together they raised their family of 7 children.
Ron was an entrepreneur who was driven by a passion and love for fishing. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War.
He and his younger brother Al were true pioneers in the era of modern fishing and left their indelible mark on the fishing industry for more than 50 years. The brothers brought a scientific approach to angling that helped them evolve into elite tournament fisherman. The pair developed the Lindy Tackle Company and invented the Lindy Rig used by millions of walleye anglers. They went on to create a fishing media empire that began with the In-Fisherman magazine and expanded into radio, television, books and more. Then on to Lindner Media Productions which spawned Lindner’s Angling Edge and an outcropping of subsidiaries.
Ron was inducted into many Sportsman and Fishing Hall of Fames throughout his lifetime.
Ron’s devotion to his faith and his family will never be forgotten.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Dolores; children: William (Kay), Michael Lindner, James (Jorie), Kim (Robert) Slagter, Dawn Lindner, Lisa (Billy) Hoffs, Daniel (Alissa); 12 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; brother. Allen (Mary).
Ron is preceded in death by his parents.
From In-Fisherman
At In-Fisherman, we pause to offer our condolences to the family of In-Fisherman co-founder Ron Lindner.
Lindner passed away on Monday at the age of 86. Lindner is survived by his wife of 66 years, Dolores, and their seven children and numerous grandchildren.
The brother tandem of Ron and Al Lindner were the masterminds behind the creation of the In-Fisherman Communications Network, which launched in 1975. At first, it consisted mainly of a magazine, focusing on multispecies fishing. Eventually, a nationally syndicated television show and radio program joined the mix, along with a series of books and videos, all geared toward introducing anglers to new fishing tactics and equipment.
Later, the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail was launched by the Lindners as a means to promote competitive angling and create marketing opportunities for various manufacturers in the industry.
Ron and Al were the perfect team, both visionaries playing off each other’s strong points. They moved to Minnesota from Chicago in 1968 and opened a thriving fishing guide service known as the Nisswa Guides League focusing on trips in the Brainerd Lakes area. Later, they competed in fishing tournaments before shifting their focus to the creation of In-Fisherman.
They invented and marketed a number of lures that remain fixtures in tackle boxes around the country, including the Lindy Rig. They developed the “Fish+Location+Presentation = Success” (F+L+P=S) formula to help simplify fishing methods across the seasons.
A co-author of several books and owner of multiple patents, Ron was always measuring the pulse of the fishing industry in order to stay a step ahead of the crowd. That was in large part what made In-Fisherman such a popular entity among a hardcore group of anglers. “Teaching North America to Fish Is Our Business” was the In-Fisherman call to action and it served a generation of anglers and industry insiders well.
The Lindners sold In-Fisherman in 1998 to Primedia and later launched a new television show named Lindner’s Angling Edge under the Lindner Media Productions umbrella.
Ron Lindner is a member of several fishing halls of fame. He was a 1991 inductee into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. In 2007, both Ron and Al were inducted into the Normark Hall of Fame, a recognition of their contribution to the growth of Normark’s brands, including Rapala. Ron was also a member of the 2020 induction class for the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
Rest in peace, Ron. Your accolades are too many and varied to be captured here, right now, but will be revisited as we move forward in a fishing world much influenced by your life of service to the cause.
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We love you and miss you already, Ron — and can’t wait to see you again.
