March 31, 2022 at 12:55 p.m.
Let's Go Fishing group to hold kick-off event April 15
Let's Go Fishing group to hold kick-off event April 15
The group owns a 14-foot pontoon boat, which is kept on Boom Lake in Rhinelander. For a decade, the organization has made the pontoon boat available for groups of veterans, kids, seniors and residents of area group homes. Chapter president Mark Schroeder said a $25,000 donation started the chapter back in 2012.
The boat is manned by a captain and first mate from Let's Go Fishing. Groups can chose between fishing trips or sight-seeing excursions on the boat. The boat is available from May 7 to Sept. 30, and there are many dates still open for the 2022 season. Each trip is two hours long, with two trips possible per day, Monday through Friday. Trips can be scheduled at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m.
The organization is headquartered in Minnesota with a mission of "bringing nature's healing and well-being to seniors, veterans and the disabled." Chapter president Mark Schroeder said the group is looking to expand their services beyond seniors and disabled residents this year. They would like to do more kids fishing events and other events such as the invasive species monitoring trips they have done with the Oneida County Land and Water Conservation Department in the past. He said the group would also welcome families looking to have intergenerational trips on the lake. The group is always in need of volunteers and board members. Volunteers assist individuals in getting ready for their trip, putting on life jackets and getting people acclimated to the boat. They also help bait hooks and teach guests how to use the fishing equipment provided by the chapter. During sight-seeing excursions, members of the group provide information about the sights and sounds around the lake and on the river. The chapter is run strictly on donations, making the kick-off event important to the group. Many local businesses have also gotten involved, purchasing a sign for their business that is then displayed on the Let's Go Fishing pontoon boat.
Trips can be scheduled by going to the Let's Go Fishing website, lgfws.com. Look for the Hodag Chapter page. The Hodag Chapter can also be contacted by email at [email protected] or by calling 715-219-5436.
Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].
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