The United Special Sportsmen Alliance (USSA) hosted its 20th annual Great Lakes fishing trip in Port Washington, Wisconsin, with participation from twenty families across three states. The evening before heading out fishing, the families enjoyed a dinner at the Port Washington Yacht Club and received free fishing rods, tackle boxes, T-shirts, and snacks on the boat. The next morning, twenty dedicated captains, along with first mates and their special families, set sail at dawn on Lake Michigan, with many families eager to learn about and experience Great Lakes fishing for the first time. The air was filled with excitement as the boats cut through the calm waters, with the sun rising in the east, which cast a golden hue over the lake.
Fletcher, who is 9 years old, and Coleton, who is 18, went fishing with their dad, Chase, alongside Captain Tony Teunissen and Captain Evan Nelson. Fletcher proudly exclaimed, “I caught fish, and I also caught the biggest one — a king salmon!” Coleton added, “I had so much fun! It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve ever had, and it was certainly the best fishing trip I’ve ever been on. There was a lot of action, and we hooked multiple fish simultaneously. The highlight was reeling in a king salmon, which I had been hoping to do. It took about twenty minutes to land it, and it was an incredible fight.”
Captain Teunissen said, “Twenty minutes after we set our lines, things got pretty crazy for the next hour and a half. We had five or six fish on the floor, and there were fish on multiple lines. The conditions were perfect—a beautiful day out on the lake with plenty of action. It was a fantastic way to create memories like that.” In total, their family caught 19 fish. When asked about the best part of their day, Captain Nelson added, “The smiles on the kids’ faces when the fish hit the deck were the greatest part. Our last fish was a king salmon that Colton caught, and it was his goal for the day to catch one after seeing his brother catch his king earlier. We saw the fish coming out of the back of the boat, but Colton didn’t notice until it was in the boat. His excitement at catching the king salmon he had been looking for was really cool.”
William, 11, went fishing with his parents and Captain Eric Fleischman. He excitedly shared, “I caught ten fish, and I got to drive the boat fast. My favorite part was catching the fish.” His mother, Toni, added, “This was William’s first time on a boat and his first time fishing from one. He really enjoyed the entire experience, and one of the fish he caught was a huge salmon weighing 17 pounds. I think today was amazing, and I highly recommend it. I’m thrilled that they offer these opportunities for kids like my son.” The joy in her voice was evident, reflecting the warmth and happiness of the event.
Annette, the mother of 13-year-old Sophia, shared, “I have two daughters: my oldest, Sophia, who has cerebral palsy, and her 11-year-old sister. They are outdoorsy and love fishing on smaller lakes, but this fishing trip on Lake Michigan was the first. We went out on the boat this morning, and I thought they might be sleepy, but they were surprisingly wide awake. We caught 17 out of 20 fish, starting off strong, experiencing a slow period, and then picking up again at the end. Watching my girls fish with their dad on Father’s Day weekend was amazing. It was their first time catching bigger fish, making it a special experience. Captain Jeff Zinuticz and his first mate were fantastic. Our Captain even let Sophia drive the boat back, guiding her along the way.”
Jaden, a cheerful ten-year-old who uses a wheelchair to get around, shared his fishing experience with his dad and Captain Todd Wrolstad. He enthusiastically said, “I caught eleven fish today!” When asked if he thought he would catch a fish, he nodded and confidently replied, “Yes!” His determination to catch fish was evident, adding to the day’s excitement and anticipation. Describing one of the fish he reeled in, Jaden said it was wet and stretched out his arms to demonstrate its size, saying, “It was this big!” He specifically mentioned that it was a king salmon and explained, “When I was reeling it in, it was very strong and put up a great fight.”
Thorn, who is 10 years old, went fishing with his mom and Captain Dale Backhaus. Thorn said, “As soon as we got into the boat, we took off. We drove past the lighthouse, and the captain pushed the engine to full power, making us zoom ahead! Once we had all the fishing rods set up, I felt a tug on my line. I started reeling it in, and the fish struggled to break free, but we managed to bring it into the boat. Shortly after, while I was holding up my first fish, we needed to tend to another line. The captain put the fish down, and I quickly ran to grab the other line, starting to reel it in. The captain got the net right away, and we caught that fish too. Just a minute later, we heard the reel going ‘zzzzzzzzzzzz’ again, indicating we had another catch. After that, some of the other boats moved out of the way, and it was silent for a while with no fish biting. Then, we caught two rainbow trout. Overall, I caught a total of six fish, and the best part of the day was reeling in the king salmon. After each catch, I would say, ‘You’re my friend now, and you’re going to taste good.’ I really like my captain a lot; he taught me so much about fishing, and he is a lot of fun!”
Chase shared, “My favorite part was watching my boys, Fletcher and Colton, experience the thrill of reeling in the fish. We had many smiles, great captains, and engaging conversations on the boat, all on a beautiful day.” He also encouraged other parents to give it a try, stating, “We didn’t know what to expect, but it exceeded our expectations.”
Matt Birno, the event coordinator, said, “All week, the forecast predicted the winds to be a northeast blow, which makes conditions rough on the lake. Luckily, God must have been looking down on us, and He calmed it down. We only had one-foot rollers in the morning, and it’s pretty much glass out there right now. Everything worked out perfectly.”
The boats started returning to the dock around 11:00 am. The captains and their families then displayed their fish for photographs, and everyone celebrated and shared their catch. After that, they all enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by the Port Washington Lions Club, followed by a group picture.
We want to express our gratitude to Matt Birno and Andrea Feucht for their exceptional efforts in organizing this event. Our sincere thanks also go to the captains, first mates, and volunteers whose dedication and hard work contributed to making this event a tremendous success.
Additionally, we appreciate the hospitality and meal service provided by the Port Washington Yacht Club, Port Washington Lions Club, and the Port Washington State Bank Community Center.
We extend our thanks to the WI DNR, Boat Doc, the City of Port Washington, Random Lake Rod & Gun Club, Good Oak LLC, Great Lakes Sport Fishermen Ozaukee Chapter, and other generous donors for their continued financial support.
Congratulations to all the families, captains, and first mates for catching those impressive salmon and creating memories that will last a lifetime! A heartfelt thank you to the Lord for answering our prayers and calming the waters. God bless!
If your family is interested in attending the 2026 fishing event, please contact the United Special Sportsman Alliance at (800) 518-8019 or [email protected].