Warriors On The Water Tournament Going Strong, Will Celebrate 10Th Anniversary On Jordan Lake
When Hal Abshire and two other veterans started the Warriors On The Water Bass Tournament 10 years ago it was supposed to be a one-shot event to honor military veterans. After the tournament on North Carolina’s Shearon Harris Lake that year, a reporter asked Abshire, “well, Hal, what are you going to do next year?”
Abshire replied: “We are going to make it bigger and better.”
When he told his fellow organizers, they reminded him: “We don’t have any money.”
But Abshire said he thought about the line in the movie, Field of Dreams – “If you build it, they will come….” – and figured if they held the tournament, everybody would come again. And they did, and have every year for the first nine years.
The 10th anniversary tournament will be held Friday, May 15, on Jordan Lake. Abshire has made sure it was bigger and better every year amd everything is lining up to make sure the 10th Wounded Warrior Tournament is a truly memorable one.
The celebration of military men and women begins on Tuesday with a special event, Abshire said. “It’s something that has never been done before. Nine of our participants, including some of the fishermen and sponsors, will do a tandem parachute jump with the Golden Knights from Fort Bragg. Celebrity jumpers will include bass pro Mark Rogers and Champion race car driver Ronnie Proctor of Proctor Racing. In addition to Rogers, another pro angler, Jeff Coble, also will take a military serviceman fishing on Friday.
On Wednesday three of the volunteer anglers who team with the military fishermen in the tournament will participate in the annual Little Heroes Program. They will take their boats and equipment to some of the Fort Bragg area schools and tell the kids about tournament fishing.
Thursday is VIP Day when the sponsors, volunteers, fishermen and others visit Fort Bragg, Pope Field and Simmons Army Air Field to observe military men and women carrying out their daily jobs and missions.
“On Friday we let the military folks see how the fishermen prepare for their battles,” Abshire said. “There will be 150 boats in the tournament so we will have three flights going out – the red, white and blue flights. Each boat will have one troop on board with the fishermen – from the Army, Navy, Air Force or the Marines. All the services will be out there and there is always a neat little rivalry to see which service wins.”
The Big Bass Award has always been named in memory of a fallen military member, but this year it will be named in honor of Mark Rogers’ father, Roger Rogers, a veteran of World War II, who was a B-17 bombardier. It will be called the Roger Rogers award.
“We’ve got tremendous support from our sponsors,” Abshire said. “Allan Ranson, CEO of Strike King Lures, has always provided lures, hats and other products for our military fishermen. Gary Remensnyder, President of Lew’s Limited, is giving a Lew’s Rod and Reel to each military fisherman.”
In addition, two-time Bassmaster Classic Champion Hank Parker and his son, Ben Parker, who fishes the FLW Rayovac Series, will film a segment for Parker’s television show, Hank Parker Outdoors.
Abshire said the Warriors on the Water Tournament will go on, but without him at the helm.
“I’ve been doing it for 10 years now and I gave my retirement speech. I said I just want to fish next year.”
Warriors on the Water® is a non-profit organization, founded by three combat veterans, as a way in which to show continued appreciation to the men and women who serve today.
10th Annual Warriors On The Water Bass Tournament
Fri, May 15, 2015
Jordan Lake – NC
New Hope Ramp
Call Hal Abshire 910-783-9233
