On a clear, crisp December morning in 1998, the crew of the Linda E, captained by third-generation Gills Rock fisherman Leif Weborg, set out from Milwaukee to reel in nets they had set out days prior. At 9:45 am, the vessel radioed their location six miles from shore, inbound with 1,000 pounds of fresh chubs. That was the last time anyone heard from the Linda E.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the initial search spanned 3,000 square miles and included a search party of 100 from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Coast Guard and Air Force, the Canadian Air Force, and local fishermen. After three long days, the search was called off indefinitely.
Eighteen months later, a minesweeper in the area of the vessel’s disappearance conducted a search as it made its way to Green Bay on a recruitment tour. Equipped with sonar and robotic cameras, the USS Defender found a vessel that matched the size of the Linda E. An unmanned submarine was sent down to confirm they had found the remains of the Linda E.
Before the Linda E was finally discovered, the Wisconsin Commercial Fisheries (WCF) Association began raising money to continue the search for the wreckage. “We were all shocked and concerned when the Linda E disappeared and as improbable as it seemed, a collision seemed the most likely scenario to us,” said Charlie Henriksen, founder of Henriksen Fisheries and long-time president and advocate for WCF. “We had some money left over from the search and decided to create a survivor’s fund.
WCF Survivor’s Fund Grant Guidelines
Losing a loved one is devastating, and the financial burdens that follow can feel overwhelming. The WCF Survivor’s Fund was created with compassion for the families of commercial fishermen who have lost their lives in an accidental death during fishing activities on the Wisconsin waters or shores of Lake Michigan and Green Bay. This fund is designed to provide meaningful support to a fisherman’s spouse and children during an unimaginably difficult time, as well as help assist with funeral expenses.
Grant Limit: A recipient is eligible to receive a maximum $5,000 for each loss of life.
Eligible Applicants: A spouse or child of a commercial fisherman who has lost their life while working on the waters or shores of Lake Michigan or Green Bay.
Application Materials: To apply, please download and complete the WCF Survivor’s Fund Application. In addition to the application, applicants are asked to provide a copy of the deceased’s commercial fishing license or crew card and an obituary or death certificate.
WCF Survivor’s Fund Advisory Committee
Will Henriksen grew up on his father’s fishing boats and began working full-time for the family business in 2011 and is now often in the captain’s chair. Will’s wife joined the family crew in 2020, first selling whitefish at farmers’ markets and now running Henrikson’s retail outlet in Ellison Bay.
Chris Svoboda was raised in a commercial fishing family spanning three generations in Door County on Green Bay and Lake Michigan and spent most of his early summers on his step-dad’s fishing tugs. Years later, Chris returned to the boating industry, co-owning and operating a boat storage yard in Milwaukee until his retirement in early 2025.
Chris Voight is a third-generation fish smoker at Charlie’s Smokehouse in Gills Rock. His family’s business has had working relationships with Lake Michigan fishermen for more than 90 years.
Donations
To make a donation to the WCF Survivor’s Fund, please click here.
