Some members of the United Spinal Association are wheelchair bound, but are still avid anglers who are eager for a day on Lake Erie.

A group of fishermen who are members of the United Spinal Association of Northwest Ohio make an annual journey to Port Clinton and Lake Erie each year in hopes of connecting with some of the big lake’s yellow perch. The forecast for this year’s trip wasn’t very promising, according to Tenesha Ulrich, the president of the association.

One of the United Spinal Association fishermen relied on a special fishing reel attached to his arm in order to catch a few Lake Erie yellow perch recently on a guided trip with Fishermen’s Wharf in downtown Port Clinton.

As most area anglers know, the yellow perch fishing hasn’t been very good lately. The night before the group arrived at Fishermen’s Wharf recently for their charter adventure, big storms and power outages had plagued Port Clinton.

Ulrich reported that the members were pleasantly surprised when arriving in the morning of their 8 a.m.-3 p.m. fishing trip, they found smooth sailing on Lake Erie. That’s a necessity, since many in the non-profit United Spinal Association of Northwest Ohio are wheelchair bound, and are from rural areas where they seldom get out on big waters to go fishing.

“But they all want to still get out and enjoy life,” said Ulrich. “One of our members is a quadriplegic and is able to go fishing only because he has an adaptive reel that the Engineering Department at the University of Toledo made especially for him. It attaches to his arm to assist in fishing.”

Ulrich reported that the group caught 50 yellow perch, a major catch this year for even experienced perch anglers.

“We love our annual fishing trip — and the staff at Fisherman’s Wharf that helps us every year are stellar,” said Ulrich. “The Ability Center of Greater Toledo and the Fraternal Order of Eagles were our partners for the fishing trip this year, and we would like to thank them for their support.”

For more information on the United Spinal Association of Northwest Ohio, contact spinalrap@gmail.com or visit its Facebook Page: United Spinal of Northwest Ohio.