Dunleavy shares fishing stories with Hooks 4 Heroes volunteers and participants during pike tournament

WASILLA — Hooks 4 Heroes volunteers were pleasantly surprised to see Gov. Mike Dunleavy during their pike tournament with local veterans, first responders, and their families off the shores of Hourglass Lake in the Big Lake area.

“We had a great turnout, and fished in the rain. Over 40 people and one special guest, Alaskan Governor Mike Dunleavy attended the event,” Hooks 4 Heroes volunteer Michelle Sturgeon said.

Sturgeon said that numerous Hooks 4 Heroes anglers shared fishing stories with Dunleavy as everyone attempted to catch as many of the notorious and invasive fish as they could.

“As Alakan anglers, it is our job to step in and help protect the fish we love so much. Pike damage habitat for Rainbow trout and many others in our state. Catching pike in a tournament style event and giving our participants a great day on the water was an easy win for everyone,” Sturgeon said.

Northern pike invasion is a real problem affecting many lakes across the Valley and surrounding state. Participating fishers hauled in over 60 pike throughout the day. Their efforts were rewarded with pizza delivered in “true Alaskan fashion” via float plane.

“The tournament was a huge success to help reclaim a pike damaged ecosystem,” Sturgeon said.

Hooks 4 Heroes cofounder Allen Shepherd said that he was very happy to see Dunleavy at the pike tournament, noting that his office will be putting him in touch with the head of veteran affairs in Alaska. He said building connections like that will help their overall mission to lower suicide rates across the Valley and surrounding state.

“This is a veteran first program. This is for veterans, gold star family members and first responders,” Shepherd said. “I’ll take them all. I don’t care.”

Shepherd said they gave a sweatshirt with their logo to Dunleavy who said he would wear it in a public setting soon.

“That would be so awesome,” Shepherd said.

Hooks 4 Heroes is a nonprofit program that provides military and first responders with free fishing trips with supplies and food on hand. The newly formed group aims to work year round to support local heroes with a laid back and positive atmosphere.

“I’m not in competition with any other veteran group out there,” Shepherd said. “Our goal is all the same.

According to Shepherd, the young nonprofit is slowly but surely gaining momentum with a steady increase in overall participation and awareness in the community.

“None of this could be possible without the team I work with… who give their time so willingly,” Shepherd said. “I hope the reason they rally with us is because we stay on mission, and we’re a very transparent organization.”

Shepherd helped found this organization in memory of his late son, U.S. Navy sailor Sealth Shepherd who committed suicide. He said seeing all these people come together through this group has been very encouraging even though he’s still “emotionally beat up.”

“I can’t tell you what it feels like, knowing that my son is looking down saying, ‘damn Dad, I never thought you’d do anything like this,’” Shepherd said. “I had a veteran call me today and he asked, ‘can you take me out fishing? And I said, ‘You know what, we’re going fishing tomorrow.”

Shepherd said it’s been a fairly good summer of fishing and refining their overall efforts. He said they were able to give out plenty of cash prizes and other awards to fishers for catching pike thanks to help from local partners and the hard work of their volunteers.

“We really put a dent in that lake,” Shepherd said. “It really was a great weekend.”

Shepherd said Hooks 4 Heroes is taking a break during the fall and resuming their program with ice fishing during the winter. He said they’re planning to hold one more fishing trip before summer’s over. Anyone interested in participating in their next trip is encouraged to reach out.

“We’ve got guys that are willing to go fishing any time,” Shepherd said.

For more information, call 907-390-7052 or visit hooksforheroes.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com