From the summit of Rib Mountain to the depths of Lake Wausau, Marathon County is gifted with an abundance of natural resources. But for many residents – particularly seniors and individuals with disabilities – mobility challenges, health limitations, transportation issues or even financial constraints may prevent them from fully enjoying the outdoors and natural beauty of the region.
There is a growing effort to break some of those barriers, though, as the Minnesota-based nonprofit Let’s Go Fishing plans to open access to Wausau’s welcoming waters by establishing a local chapter this summer.
“We have such a resource here with Lake Wausau, it’s just a perfect spot for it and with the surrounding population base here, it should be just a really great fit,” said Bernie Lakus, president of the new Wausau area chapter of Let’s Go Fishing.
The organization was founded in 2002 in Willmar, Minnesota with the mission of enhancing quality of life through free fishing and boating experiences that foster connection, dignity, and joy. Twenty-four years later, what began as a single community initiative has grown into a multi-chapter organization operating across Minnesota and Wisconsin, serving more than 15,000 participants annually.
The organization specializes in providing fully supported fishing and boating excursions aboard custom-designed, accessible pontoon boats. Each outing is led by trained volunteers who assist participants of all physical and cognitive abilities, ensuring that every guest can safely and comfortably enjoy time on the water. These experiences promote mental well-being, reduce isolation, and create meaningful social connections for individuals who may otherwise have limited access to outdoor recreation.
“It’s about working with people who just don’t have the opportunity to get out and experience the joy of being on the water, the joy of fishing – something they probably lived and grew up doing on a regular basis. Assisted living facilities and senior centers are quite large clients, I know, of the Rhinelander organization,” Lakus said. “But it’s important to expand that also to veterans. We have a very large veterans group here in central Wisconsin and those groups have expressed interest in getting involved.”
Social isolation among older adults and individuals with disabilities continues to be a growing concern, contributing to declines in mental health, physical well-being and overall quality of life. Let’s Go Fishing addresses this need by providing no-cost, inclusive outdoor experiences that restore a sense of independence, dignity, and belonging.
The Wausau Chapter will operate on Lake Wausau, partnering with senior centers, healthcare providers, veteran organizations, civic groups, area schools and local governments to ensure broad and equitable access to the program. Lakus said they plan to offer two trips per day, Monday through Friday, weather permitting. Trips are about 90 minutes to two hours maximum. Once established, the organization expects to offer trips mid-May through September, providing the weather works out.
Lakus is hoping to get guests out on the water by June 1.
“We already have our 501(c)(3) certification, so we are a registered nonprofit and we are currently looking for volunteers as well as donations to allow us to get that boat and to get on the water by this summer,” he said.
But in order to hit the lake this summer, the priority this spring is purchasing a boat. The new chapter is currently weighing two options: they could get a used boat from one of the other chapters, but the boat would need some work and that might delay their start date. The other option is to secure enough funding to purchase a brand new boat from TMC Pontoon in Poskin, which has manufactured boats for other LGF chapters.
“We’re hoping we can work with them and get a new boat ordered,” Lakus said.
Let’s Go Fishing specifies that its chapters must use 30-foot tri-toons, which are boats with three pontoons underneath that provide additional stability and safety.
“They’re outfitted with captain’s chairs for the clients so they’re very comfortable when they’re on the boat,” Lakus said. “They also have to be designed to be handicap accessible.”
Let’s Go Fishing provides guests with required life jackets and fishing gear for angling trips. Boats are staffed by a trained volunteer captain and crew.
“Everything is very much by the book in terms of how we operate,” Lakus said.
In addition to acquiring a boat, the other key challenge the new chapter faces is registering volunteers.
“We have flyers out all over to get volunteers. We are securing volunteers, and we’re hoping to secure more,” Lakus said. “We are a member of the Chamber of Commerce here in Wausau, and we will be at the Business Expo in April at Cedar Creek and hopefully that’ll give us a little more visibility as well.”
Once everything is ready, Lakus said they plan to offer online registration, with a schedule and open times laid out clearly for guests to sign-up for available outings.
“They can get signed up and we’ll be all set,” he said. “They don’t have to worry about bringing anything. If it’s a fishing trip they want to go on, they don’t have to worry about bringing any fishing gear, any life jackets. We provide all of that.”
All necessary fishing gear has already been donated by Chase Outdoors in Rothschild, Lakus said.
“We’re very grateful for that. We can basically provide everything,” he said. “They just have to show up and we’ll get them aboard and take them out for a nice leisurely fishing or boating trip.”
The Rhinelander chapter of Let’s Go Fishing has been integral in helping Lakus organize the emerging Wausau chapter. Lakus, who’s led the charge on establishing this organization, first learned about Let’s Go Fishing through a chance encounter at Fleet Farm in Wausau.
“I met the president of the Rhinelander chapter, believe it or not, we were both at the store looking for spark plugs,” Lakus said. “We struck up a conversation, and we both like fishing. We both started talking about fishing and he said, ‘You know, Bernie, I think I’ve got an opportunity you might be interested in.’ He told me about the program and after a couple of weeks, I got back to him and said let’s give it a shot.”
Lakus first witnessed the goodwill and fulfillment these boating and fishing experiences offer to its guests when he attended a trip with the Rhinelander chapter last summer. Onboard was a mix of boaters and fishers.
“I actually helped one of the ladies that wanted to fish with regards to catching some small perch. She had a blast,” Lakus said “She told me, ‘You know, this is just great because my husband passed away about a year ago and we loved to fish together, but now I don’t have anyone to go with – I don’t have any way to go – and this opportunity is just priceless to me.’ And she said, ‘Is it possible could I go again?’ I said by all means, no problem. Not only did she get a lot of enjoyment out of the trip, but myself just as a volunteer saw that joy in her and it was rewarding to me as well. Volunteers that are involved in the program get as much, if not more, out of the program as the actual guests do.”
Lakus said if the program is successful, it could lead to the purchase of a second boat to meet potential demand. In the future, he hopes Let’s Go Fishing can develop partnerships with other groups, schools and surrounding municipalities.
“What they’ve done over in Minnesota is put a program together called Cops and Bobbers, where they’ll pair up a child that wants to go fishing but hasn’t had the opportunity with a policeman,” Lakus said. “We’ll take a boatload of policemen and children and go out fishing with them. Similarly, with the fire department, we’d like to pair up and build that program and promote it as Hooks and Ladders to get the public interested and let the kids have an opportunity to go out where they otherwise maybe wouldn’t have no one to take them.”
The Wausau Chapter is projected to initially serve approximately 1,000 individuals annually, including seniors, veterans, youth and individuals with disabilities.
Lakus will host a presentation at The Landing on March 19 at 11:30 a.m., with the hope of sharing information on the organization as well as securing additional funding and volunteers. For more information, visit wausau.lgfws.com.
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