U.S. Air Force veteran Beth Seemann caught several catfish during the 2024 catfish outing
with Disabled Veterans Outdoors in Sandusky Bay in Ohio. (Courtesy of Beth Seeman)
Veterans Find New Hope Reeling in One Catfish at a Time
By Anietra Hamper
Catfish outings reward disabled veterans with camaraderie, changed mindsets, and respect, while enjoying the outdoors together.
Growing up around the lakes of Minnesota, U.S. Air Force Veteran Beth Seemann developed a love of fishing at an early age.
“I was three years old. I had a baby fishing pole and I cast it out and my parents said, ‘ok, hold that now,’” said Seemann. “I reeled that in, and I was like, I’ve got a fish! I’ve got a fish! From that point on I always wanted to go fishing.”
Seemann, who now lives in Fredericktown, Ohio says fishing has remained the one constant throughout her life. She refers to it as her ‘happy place,’ but being 90-percent disabled, Seemann doesn’t get to enjoy fishing as much as she used to. Her 12-years in the Air Force unloading heavy cargo took its toll on her body physically but she still finds healing light every time she thinks about casting a line in the water.
“Fishing takes you to a different place. All of a sudden, you’re not focused on your disabilities. You’re not focused on not being able to do this, or not being able to do that. You’re focusing on what you can do,” said Seemann.
Seemann credits Disabled Veterans Outdoors for giving her opportunities throughout the year to focus on fishing again and to forget about her daily pain and inability to walk.
“To be able to leave my walker behind and get on the boat and fish, I’m no different than anybody else,” said Seemann.
The organization, based in Ohio, helped expand her fishing skills by introducing her the excitement of catfishing.
“Catfish are fun to catch because they like to fight you. You get them up on the boat and while you’re waiting to take the hook out of their mouths they’re talking to you. They actually talk,” said Seemann with a laugh remembering the first time she pulled a sizeable catfish into the boat in northern Ohio.
Disabled Veterans Outdoors started in 2015 and remains a 100-percent volunteer-driven organization providing hunting and fishing outings throughout the year for veterans. They cover all expenses including food and lodging. The events are open to veterans from any state who are disabled for any reason.
Through donations and passionate volunteers Disabled Veterans Outdoors gives participants like Seemann the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with a camaraderie that only veterans can understand.
“When veterans get together with other veterans, it helps them so much. It is a brotherhood and sisterhood, and it helps them because a lot of veterans don’t have the opportunity to get out there by themselves,” said Ohio resident Ed Halsey, President of Disabled Veterans Outdoors.
That camaraderie and the outdoor environment, even for just a weekend, is a powerful tool for shifting mindsets, especially for the veterans who are living with PTSD.
“Once a veteran comes to us, they forget their troubles and just relax and enjoy. When a veteran shows up, whether it’s male or female – they could be depressed, or down – and, boom, once we get started, they’re an entirely different person. That reaction right there is why I do this,” said Halsey.
The key catfishing event for the organization is held the first weekend in June each year in Sandusky Bay in Ohio for more than 50 veterans.
It’s a chance to connect and fish in an environment where everyone is an equal. This is something important to Seemann who faced years of sexual harassment during her time serving as the only female in her military unit.
“To be able to be out there and have the respect from the guys, it is just amazing. The fishing is great, but being able to be treated as an equal, that is a big thing. You can see through their eyes the guys respecting that they are able to get a vet out. They just kept telling me, thank you for your service, thank you for your service,” said Seemann.
Halsey praises the clubs and guides from the catfishing community who step up each year to donate their time, boats, fuel, fishing rods, and guiding expertise to give these veterans a memorable weekend on the water.
“A lot of these guys, these boat owners, that come up there are veterans themselves. They’ve really stepped up to the plate to support what we’re doing. Without the catfish community, we would not be able to do this event at all. It’s phenomenal,” said Halsey.
Catching fish is only part of the fun. Veterans get to keep eating sized fish that are cleaned and fileted for them to take home. The rest are donated to a local Sandusky veterans assisted living home.
Although Seemann is one of only a handful of female veterans that attend the catfishing weekend each year, the numbers are increasing giving more women a safe and welcoming environment to participate in outdoor activities like fishing.
The full impact of the outings for these veterans lasts far longer than a weekend.
“A lot of these vets are alone. It’s just knowing there’s something out there they can do and somebody out there that cares,” said Halsey.
Many of the veterans including Seemann start marking next year’s calendar as soon as the catfishing weekend ends giving them a positive ‘happy place’ to hold onto for another year.
(Anietra Hamper is a career television news anchor and investigative journalist turned award-winning outdoor writer specializing in fishing and outdoor adventure. Anietra travels the world fishing for catfish and other unique species in new destinations.)
