What started years ago with only two participants has grown to provide a real-live fishing experience for over 80 participants signed up for the 2026 “Fishing Has No Boundaries” at the Spirit Lake Marina!
Buck and Dawn Hamre talked about their experience with North Dakota’s only event of its kind at the Tuesday, July 14 Devils Lake Kiwanis Club meeting. Although other states have their own chapters, now, as well, the Hamres are proud of the people from Spirit Lake and Devils Lake who volunteer each year to make this very special event happen. It takes more than a village of volunteers to make this annual fishing event successful. This year’s “Fishing Has No Boundaries” takes place July 18 and 19 and the Devils Lake Journal will be there to take some pictures and provide them for a photo gallery for the July 23 Devils Lake Journal.
The event is hosted at the Spirit Lake Marina Saturday and Sunday. Most participants come Friday evening to stay overnight at a local motel of their own choosing. All the boats and pontoons are volunteered by local owners who either drive themselves or allow other volunteer captains to pilot their crafts.
Saturday there is registration by the ramp in the Spirit Lake Marina – just look for the big white tent between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Fishing starts at 9 a.m. as boat and pontoon captains with their fishing folk and helpers leave from the marina out onto Devils Lake. At 11:30 a.m. there will be time for sack lunches and bathroom breaks on shore.
Then they return to fishing from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
From 5:30 to 7 p.m. the whole gang gets together for a grill out under the tent or tents set up near the marina.
Sunday’s schedule is similar. They load the boats and pontoons at 8 a.m.to 9 a.m. for more fishing on the lake from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Then they return for a big fish fry and awards under the big tents. All this is done as the weather permits, of course. The Hamres say everyone is welcome to stop by and see all the smiling faces as they celebrate a weekend of fun, friends and fishing.
“Most of us think that going fishing is as easy as a walk down to a lake – for over 56 million Americans with disabilities, it’s just not that easy.” is a quote taken from the Devils Lake Fishing Has No Boundaries brochure.
For more information on this special event and how you can help or be involved contact Devils Lake FHNB, P.O. box 575, Devils Lake, ND 58301-0575, or visit on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/dlfhnb