A Friend, Fisherman & Legacy: In Tribute to Ernie

In Memory of Ernie Peterson – Our Most Devoted Angler

Ernie Peterson broke his own record in 2024 for the person with the most birthdays to ever fish with AU – he was 99. We all hoped to celebrate 100 with our dear friend this year. He turned 100 on February 13, 2025, then passed peacefully on March 8. We will miss his two-per-season trips to AU. We count ourselves ever so lucky to have known him, been friends with him, and fished with him for 3 decades in Sitka.

Captain Tom and Ernie first crossed paths in Neah Bay, Washington, during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The waters off this Northwest tip of the Olympic Peninsula hosted the best salmon and halibut fishing in the lower 48, attracting the most ardent anglers. It would be hard to find anyone more ardent about fishing than Ernie. Son of Norwegian parents, raised in Richmond Beach, he grew up fishing commercially with his father as well as sport fishing from a boat he rowed in Puget Sound. When asked his number one piece of advice about fishing, he replied, “Go”.

As the regulations tightened in Washington, Ernie learned of a new fishing Mecca in Southeast Alaska – Sitka. He did one trip with an unnamed operator in 1996 that didn’t impress him. At the tender age of 72, he took another swing at Sitka with Angling Unlimited in 1997. His first trips were with fishing buddies. Then he came with his close friend Milo Charleston, Milo’s wife Phyliss, and Ernie’s wife Marion. No matter the group he assembled, we looked forward to seeing Ernie’s smiling face each season since 1997 – through his 70s, 80s, and 90s.

Eventually, his group included his two children, Gail and Kris, plus their children. In 2024, he brought his great-grandson, 8-year-old Ernie. Never one to give in to age, 10 years ago, he told Kris that he was getting old, so he better come up twice a year. Though the years slowly added up on his body, Ernie’s spirit never wavered, his mind didn’t falter, and his enthusiasm for fishing never faded. He fished with gratitude for the fish and those who worked hard to keep him on them. In later years, he and Captain DJ formed a special bond. The sight of Ernie strapped into the chair in the back of DJ’s boat, rod in hand and a smile on his face, was both inspirational and heartwarming.

A Legacy Anchored: The Story of Ernie Petersen

Ernie’s family created a video of his life. Watch below.

Testimonials from the two captains who spent the most time fishing with Ernie

“The best thing about fishing with Ernie was hearing his endless stories, his incredible memory and sharpness until the very last time I fished with him. I remember him recalling catching a forty-pound king with his friend Milo every time we drove by Sinitsen Island. Even when he was sitting in the very back of the cab and didn’t have the best view, he’d always know exactly where we were. His stories were wonderful, spanning a century, he’d recall things about being in the military, commercial fishing, and life in general, all as if they happened yesterday. Also, his love of fishing was evident until his final trip. Putting in three full days on the boat is demanding on most people of any age, but he did it twice per season until his final trip at age 99. He was able to fight and land his salmon and halibut until the end. He was one of a kind and will be missed.”

– Captain DJ, who fished with Ernie twice a year for over 10 years

“I want to live just like Ernie – minus the runny nose.”

– Captain Pete Weiland, who fished with Ernie during the late 90s and early 2000s