If you’re a registered volunteer please check your email for this important information:
Guests can click on the “Taking a Trip” tab on this website. For our returning volunteers you know what to do. We’ll review these procedures on May 20th at our Cast Off Training at Craguns. See you email for details on Cast Off 2026!
Please call to RSVP per the invite below:
Meet your new LGF Brainerd schedule coordinators: Tina Foster and Shawn Hansen.
Tina Foster: Community Coordinator for Outreach BLA. Tina has extensive background in volunteer engagement and event management. Tina will serve as the primary scheduler for LGF and will start taking calls and emails in May.
Shawn Hansen: Executive Director for Outreach BLA. Shawn will serve in the back-up position to Tina, ensuring that between the two of them, the LGF scheduling position will be fully staffed and ready to assist volunteers and clients.
Outreach BLA is looking at adding a part time staff person to their team and heard about the LGF Scheduler position opening. By working with LGF, Outreach BLA will slide some tasks from Tina’s workload onto a part time staff person, freeing up some time for Tina to help LGF with coordinating volunteers and clients.
Per Shawn Hansen from Outreach BLA: “This is an opportunity for 2 non-profits to work together. LGF is phenomenal in what they offer to allow people to have access to pontoon rides for fishing and nature tours. Outreach BLA is strong in working with volunteers and event management. This is a win-win for both agencies”.
All of us at LGF Brainerd extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to David Brown and his wife Libby for their dedication to our chapter for these past seasons. As President, David was proactive in the decision to acquire a second pontoon in order to expand our service to a grateful community. His guidance kept us on course and helped us achieve our many goals.
At this time David will take a step back from his board position but will remain an active LGF volunteer with Libby. “Thank you” does not begin to cover the gratitude we have for their dedication to our chapter.
Along with this update, we are proud to announce your 2026 LGF volunteer board positions:
Julie Kletscher – Interim President
George Olson – Interim Vice President
John Grandin – Treasurer
Karen Vogt – Secretary
Kathy Dufour – Event Coordinator
Ron Plinske – PR, Web, Social Media
Mike Daly – Equipment Coordinator
Steve Oslos – Member at large, past VP
We welcome George and John to the LGF board and thank them for stepping up to serve you and our guests. As “Interim President and VP”, Julie and George will hold these offices for the 2026 season. These positions will be up for election for 2027 and beyond.
As volunteers, thank you all for your energy, your passion and commitment to our guests, our volunteers and the community!
Stay tuned for a 2026 LGF event calendar update to be posted soon.
As we plan ahead for our 2026 season your Brainerd LGF Board has made the important decision to do away with lead tackle! We know our wildlife can be harmed greatly by the ingestion of lead from fishing tackle. This affects Bald Eagles, Ospreys, the Common Loon, Otters and any other birds and animals that ingest lead by eating fish that have succumbed to swallowing lead. Try as we might, we release most of what LGF catches on our trips. Rarely, we may have a fish break off with the lead tackle still attached. A floating fish is easy prey for Eagles, Ospreys and others.
We so appreciate being part of a great giving community! So many area businesses gave gifts so we could raffle them to our deserving volunteers at our annual appreciation dinner. Every volunteer and their guest went home with a fantastic prize. Dinner was prepared by The Pillager Lions and it was delicious!
If you’re shopping at any of these area businesses please let know how much you appreciate their support for our LGF volunteers!
Businesses donating prizes, In no particular order;
Copper Creek Garden Center – Nisswa
Holiday Gas Station – Mill Ave
Cash Wise Liquor – Baxter and Brainerd
Tutt’s Bait and Tackle
Emily Meats
Rosalinni’s Pizza Brainerd
Valerie Ann’s Family Foods
5Rocks Distillery
Slice on Oak
Blue Oyster Restaurant
The Old Open Window
The Bridge Tavern
The Green Lantern Bar & Grill
Coco Moon Coffee Bar
The Wild Bird Store – Brainerd
Gravel Pit Golf Course
Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake
Ya-Sure Kombucha
Ernie’s on Gull
Eagles Landing Golf Course
Zorbaz on Gull – Lakeshore MN
Main Street Ale
Ye Old Pickle Factory
Spirits of Nisswa
Highway 3 Marine
Nisswa Marine
The Center – Brainerd
SPR Sports
Dear Loree,
As our 2025 season comes to a close we want you to know that your spirit is with us on every fishing trip, every nature tour and at every chapter function and board meeting this summer. Our chapter would not be as strong as we have become without your dedication to bring us back from the covid years and beyond. You taught us our guests come first and foremost and set the bar for us to reach for and exceed. We miss you immensely and think you’d be proud for what we achieved this year and will move into 2026 with energized spirits while remembering your drive and devotion for all of Let’s Go Fishing.
Sincerely,
Your Let’s Go Fishing Family
LGF Brainerd is PROUD to support our veterans. Another great day on the water with hero’s from Reuniting After War’s reunion weekend on Gull Lake. Our crew, Scott, George and Ron shared some time on the water with some of our country’s finest. Sharing fishing stories with buddy’s that haven’t seen each other for twenty years. This work of RAW, specifically Mary Brigita Henry, is heroic and we’re so thankful to have a few hours with them. Safe travels back home heroes!
82°F
