Veteran’s Enjoy Fishing, Comaraderie and So Much More

Last year, Lance and Tammy Peterson started organizing an event to take veterans fishing up at Arnesen’s Rocky Point on Lake of the Woods, he never imagined it could end up so great.  Peterson’s good friend was the first MN soldier killed in the Gulf War.  Last year, this is how it all started.  “To the Arnesen’s, I want to thank you again for letting me place this stone by the flag.  This was my dream to honor my friend Steve Benzlin the first MN man to be killed in the Gulf War in 1991.  I grew up with him in a small town of 400 people. To have all the help from people I didn’t know is so humbling.  I can’t in words describe how I felt seeing a dream of mine come true.  It totally exceeded my expectations and blew me away,” explains Peterson from Wood Lake, MN.  Although Peterson was the organizer, Peterson’s wife Tammy and a number of volunteers have been working on this event planning and pulling together to make this event special for veterans this past weekend for the second straight year.

44 veterans from were provided a fishing trip to Lake of the Woods with everything provided through the Cottonwood, MN Area Sportsman’s Club, a division of the Hayward, WI Fishing Has No Boundaries group.

Veterans arrived at Arnesen’s from as far as Ohio.  In addition, the program honored two veterans from Canada.  Once at Arnesen’s on Thursday night after a well received and emotional introduction, everyone had a chance to meet, have dinner and get to know each other.

Friday after breakfast, veterans had the chance to fish The Walleye Capital of the World.  A number of volunteers brought their own personal boats to take veterans out fishing.  And fish they did, catching good numbers of fish with the big fish of the weekend coming in over 30″, a true Lake of the Woods trophy.  After fishing, participants were treated to a fish fry.  Volunteers, over 60 in all, helped to cook all of the fish, take veterans fishing and organize a number of other behind the scenes tasks to make this event successful.  By the sounds of it, this wasn’t their first rodeo, the meals were delicious and the event came off wonderfully.   After some quality group time around the campfire, folks headed off to bed to rest up for another action packed day on Saturday.

There are a variety of veterans events that are held up at Lake of the Woods.  Caring people pull together to honor, recognize and celebrate veterans.  And of course, healing, we all hope, takes place.  No matter how many veterans events that are held, there are veterans that are getting missed and benefit from events like this one.  Not being a veteran, one thing I am coming to realize is although they are home, for many, the battle rages on.  They still need support, recognition, and care.

A big thank you to everyone involved in this SW MN Veterans’ event this past weekend at Arnesen’s.  Whether you volunteered, helped plan, took veterans fishing, donated product to the event or simply recognized a veteran for their service, thank you!

To learn more about Lake of the Woods, check out the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

To find a guide, charter boat or lodging, check out our lodging page.