Fishing Friendships Forged In Warriors On The Water Tournament For Military Anglers
In the six years since the first Warriors on the Water Bass Tournament was held a lot of friendships have been fostered between the anglers and the military men and women they take fishing.
In fact, said Hal Abshire, one of the co-founders of the unique fishing event, many of the military fishermen have been deployed since they fished in the tournament.
“They say that all they thought about is coming back to fishing in the Warriors on the Water Tournament.”
The 7th annual Warriors on the Water Bass Tournament will be held Friday on North Carolina’s Jordan Lake. Abshire said the tournament is limited to 150 boats and anglers come from all over the United States to fish with their military partners.
“All the boats will have American flags and there will be yellow ribbons tied on each boat as a welcome home from the front. It is a very unique experience to see that,” he said.
The WOW week begins Wednesday with the Ice Breaker, a social gathering so the anglers and their military counterparts can meet and get to know each other.
“For the past two years we have put two boaters and two military co-anglers at each table so they can not only meet but also sit with them throughout the evening,” Abshire said. “We will also have VIPs in from the military side, commanders from the different branches of service who will speak to the crowd. Bassmaster Classic contender Dustin Wilkes will be a guest speaker representing the Elite side of BASS tournaments.”
And nobody goes home empty-handed, he added.
“When they get there they receive a bag of goodies and this year they get a rod and reel as well. All of this is due to our sponsors who help us put this event on. This whole deal is at no cost to the boaters or the military anglers. Everything all three days is free thanks to the sponsors and the fact that we raise money all year long so we can put this event together.”
Thursday is VIP Day, which is a real treat to the boaters, sponsors and volunteers, Abshire said.
“We take them to Fort Bragg and to Polk Field so they can see what the military people do for a living. We will have them jumping out of a 42-foot tower and sliding down a rope, which is an introduction to parachuting – and they love it. We visit different troops, eat lunch with them, and do just about everything with them for a day.”
On Friday, when the tournament starts Chandler Flynn, a senior at Wahlert Catholic High School in Dubuque, Iowa, will sing the National Anthem. Over the past four years she has performed in many Grand Opera House productions as well as productions at her school. She plans to study music education and vocal performance in college next year.
Abshire said the boaters love doing the tournament as much as the military anglers they take on the water.
“Some of them have never been in the military and this is a way for them to say ‘Thanks.’ A lot of friendships have been made and a lot of them stay in touch and fish together through the years,” he said.
Abshire said Warriors on the Water is a non-profit organization founded by three combat veterans as a way to show appreciation to the men and women who serve in the military today. The tournament Friday will launch with all the pageantry of a championship bass tournament, with New Hope Ramp lit up like a small city filled with ladies and others greeting everyone as they come by on their way to the water.
“FLW will have their stage set up for the tournament and Texas Roadhouse will prepare the food for them. It will be a big deal, for sure.”
Warriors On The Water Bass Tournament
Fri, Apr 27, 2012
Jordan Lake – NC
New Hope Ramp
