Let’s Go Fishing looks to hook whopper of a crowd at fish fry on March 8

Reel in a sizzling hot dinner at the Let’s Go Fishing Eden Prairie fish fry from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie.

The annual fundraiser has become a favorite tradition that baits local folks’ stomachs and nets their appetite to do good. All proceeds support Let’s Go Fishing Eden Prairie‘s mission to provide free fishing trips for seniors, hospice patients, veterans, youth, and disabled individuals.

The menu includes fried pollock, a cold-water fish from Alaska, hush puppies, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, water, coffee, lemonade, and cookies. There will also be a wide array of silent auction items, raffle prizes, and a wine pull featuring more than $1,100 worth of red and white wines.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to have a great meal, catch up with many community members, and support an amazing cause,” said Tina Palmer, a Let’s Go Fishing Eden Prairie volunteer who helps with communications, marketing and fundraising. “Every dollar attendees spend at the event will benefit the thousands of people served every year, not just in Eden Prairie, but throughout the metro area.”

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The cost is $18 for adults, $7 for youth ages 6 to 10, and children 5 and under are asked to provide a freewill donation. The event is all-you-can-eat, so even those with a whale of an appetite won’t leave hungry. Cash, checks, and credit cards will be accepted.

This year, the event moves to St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 13600 Technology Drive, where a larger community room will help accommodate the 700-plus attendees. Palmer said the church generously donated the space, allowing for faster service and a more comfortable experience.

Fish Fry is key fundraiser for Let’s Go Fishing

Formed in 2012, Let’s Go Fishing Eden Prairie is the largest chapter of the statewide organization, which has 19 affiliates in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Entirely volunteer-led, it currently has 125 members.

Each year, the Eden Prairie chapter provides up to 4,000 people with fishing and boating excursions on Lake Riley, including many seniors in group homes.
  
Palmer said many who take the fishing trips say it’s their first time fishing in years. “One of the great things about (Let’s Go Fishing Eden Prairie) is that our pontoons are equipped with the ability to host people who are in wheelchairs, meaning we can provide great experiences they won’t likely be able to find elsewhere,” she said.

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Because Let’s Go Fishing Eden Prairie is entirely volunteer-led, there are no paid staff, meaning every dollar raised from events like the fish fry goes toward providing these trips. That includes boat maintenance, fuel, bait, life jackets, water, and more.

“As you can imagine, with hundreds of excursions every year, the cost is significant,” Palmer said. The fish fry is the Eden Prairie chapter’s largest fundraiser and typically covers half the funding needed for a year on the water. Last year’s event, the first all-you-can-eat meal since the pandemic, served more than 650 meals and raised about $10,000.

The chapter also partners annually with Eden Prairie police for Cops and Bobbers, where officers take kids fishing and teach basic techniques like hook baiting and fish removal. Last summer, the group launched Hooks and Ladders, pairing local firefighters with youth for a similar day on the water. 

To learn more about how to get involved, donate, or sign up for a trip, visit Let’s Go Fishing Eden Prairie’s website.