BENTON — Denny Hutchinson has been taking part in Hooked on Heroes fishing trips and tournaments since 2017, starting out as a co-boater.
“I did that for two years, and I liked it so much, I kind of got hooked on it,” Hutchinson said. “The group of guys that does it are great. … They really taught me everything I know about it, and I learned a lot, and I eventually bought my own boat, and I have since gotten into tournaments that aren’t necessarily veteran-related.
“It is a great program.”
Hooked on Heroes, which was started in 2015, is a nonprofit organization that takes veterans on a one-day fishing trip. The organization was founded by Roger Goodwin.
“It is just an opportunity to give back,” Goodwin said. “There are veterans and soldiers here that people just forget about. This is my way of giving back to these men and women, to show them I actually care and appreciate what they have done.”
It does not cost anything for the veterans. Goodwin said the only thing the veterans have to supply is their fishing license, but he said the organization can even supply that if needed.
“We do fishing trips, mostly bass-fishing trips,” he said. “My boat captains and I are tournament fishermen, so primarily, we do bass-fishing trips.
“We do offer crappie trips and catfishing trips as well.”
Goodwin said it is an opportunity for the veterans to speak freely, and they “don’t have to worry about being judged.”
“What we hear the most is how grateful they are to have someone take the time out of their busy life and do something for them, for free,” Goodwin said. “On a day when we could be working, or whatever the case may be, it is all about them that day.”
Hutchinson has fished and hunted since he was little, but never in a competitive environment, he said.
“I grew up fishing in ponds or from the banks, but the veterans tournament is laid-back, but it is also a competition at the same time,” he said. “Or I’ll fish in some of the smaller tournaments, where I’ll get my butt kicked.
“When you are out there on the water, you aren’t thinking about anything but catching a fish. All the stress, from day to day, is gone because [fishing] is all you are thinking about.”
Hutchinson served from 2000 to 2008 as a Marine Corps reservist at Camp Robinson.
“When you go to these things, veteran tournaments are so much different than a regular tournament because they are like family — just haven’t met them yet,” Hutchinson said. “They have experienced some of the same things you have. It’s almost like a family reunion, and you haven’t even met these guys before.”
Goodwin was born and raised in Benton, graduating from Benton High School in 1993. He served in the Arkansas Army National Guard from 1990 to 1994, going to basic training right after the Gulf War.
“I’m a tournament fisher here, and I just felt this is the best way that I could give back,” he said. “That’s where I had my most connections.
“Fishing is something you can do year-round. It gets cold and hot, but it is still something that can be done year-round, something that is easy to plan.”
Goodwin said one of his most memorable fishing trips was two years ago.
“We took an Air Force veteran, and one of his dying wishes was to go fishing with us,” he said. “He was a Vietnam veteran and had cancer. A lot of members of the Air Force came down and met him — it was a pretty good deal.”
Goodwin said having someone choosing to go fishing with his group as a last request is “very humbling.”
“Of all the things they could be doing, they chose to let us take them out for a day,” he said. “It makes you feel sad, but at the same time, you feel proud and honored.”
Duke Gunnell, who served in the Army from 1986 to 1990, fished at one of Hooked on Heroes’ tournaments. He said his favorite part was the camaraderie among the veterans.
“It is a social thing more than anything else — getting to spend time on the water with your buddies. … Everybody who has served has gone through something or another,” Gunnell said. “That’s just the way it is, so it is fun to talk to to other veterans.”
He said Hooked on Heroes is a great program.
“A lot of veterans wouldn’t get to go if it wasn’t for that program,” Gunnell said. “It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and all the veteran has to do is show up and go fishing — that’s a pretty sweet deal.”
He said some of the veterans who go are disabled.
“They wouldn’t be able to go fishing unless someone else put in the effort,” Gunnell said. “It’s just awesome for the guys who show up and offer their time.”
For more information on Hooked on Heroes, visit hookedonheroes.webs.com or call (501) 249-2386.
Staff writer Sam Pierce can be reached at (501) 244-4314 or spierce@arkansasonline.com.