Over the weekend of January 20, Maine Game Warden Pete Herring of Gorham helped organize a small ice fishing event held on the Otter Ponds in Standish. The event was focused on service veterans in the state, giving them and their families a new experience to look forward to in the winter.
“Veterans don’t have a lot of venues to go to in the winter, we thought ‘what better sport to teach these guys than ice fishing?’ ” Herring said. This was the early thought process that pushed him to look to his superiors in the service, who backed the event one hundred percent. Many local companies helped support this event, which is in its second year, by donating everything from fishing bait, food, and other facilities.
Photo courtesy of Peter HerringGame Warden Carlton Richardson shuttles a group of ice fishing participants during the January 20 event at Otter Ponds.
On top of that, Herring himself rigged a sleigh to transport veterans who have suffered more severe injuries, and may not be able to get down to the pond on their own. “They call me their winter Uber Driver,” he said jokingly.
Of the 47 brook trout that were stocked the night before the event, it was estimated that approximately 15 were caught by the fisherman across the small pond. While many of the veterans thank Herring for the work he puts into this event, he insists that they have it backwards.
“This was me thanking you,” he said to them. “This is [their] day, it’s about [their] sacrifices,” he insisted.
The event more than doubled in popularity since last year, and is expected to keep growing, especially considering that many of the veterans this year were ready to sign up for next year before they left the ice. Herring planned another small event on March 3, in which he focused more on veterans with more physical disabilities.