Fishing is fun, at least for most people, and few things add pleasure to a day spent on the water than having a friend along.
Fishing for Freedom is organizing a buddy tournament on Truman Lake the first week in October. This event is different from other similar tournaments because boaters are supplied with a buddy, in this case selected from a pool of active-duty servicemen and veterans.
“What we are trying to do,” says tournament organizer Greg Davison of Independence, “is give something back to the warriors who have served the country. While this is a tournament, it’s not so much about winning as it is the camaraderie, new friendships and having a great day on the water.”
The problem is that there are not enough boats to put a warrior in each one, so the Fish for Freedom tournament is looking for volunteers who would be willing to take one of the buddies out for a day’s fishing on Truman.
While there are 125 warriors looking to spend a day on the water, the tournament needs more boaters. According to the tournament director, another 20 boats would be nice, and he’s looking for local volunteers.
“Some of the boaters say they could take another fisherman, but it would be better to have just one other person in each boat,” says Davison.
The Truman Lake tournament event will be held from October 6th to the 8th. The first two days are shore-based with the military folks getting settled into their lodgings provided by the tournament, attending an introduction and social event at Angler’s Port Marine on Friday evening followed by Saturday’s fishing workshop at Long Shoal Marina in the morning.
In the evening, there’s a pre-tournament meeting beginning at 4 p.m. and located at the Leesville Elementary School followed by dinner and tournament pairings.
Sunday is for fishing, beginning with a hosted breakfast at Long Shoal Marina with a 7 a.m. launch. Weigh-in begins at 2 p.m. followed by an awards ceremony and barbecue lunch.
The tournament has three divisions, one each for bass, crappie and catfish. First through fourth place finishers receive trophies for both the contestants and boaters.
Davison says that the tournament is all about friendship and making sure the participants have fun. “This isn’t a one-time thing,” he said. “Fishing for Freedom started in 2008 when some guys in a Leavenworth bass club wanted to show their appreciation” to people who were serving their country.
“We raise a lot of money during the year to put this on thanks to our sponsors,” he said. The warriors are supplied rooms for their stay, and of course, there are other expenses as well.”
Local sponsors include Angler’s Port Marine, Long Shoal Marina and Leesville Elementary. National sponsors include Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s, Strike King and Lew’s.
For more information, contact Davison directly at 816-365-9635 or through the organization’s website at www.fishingforfreedom.us. You also might call Angler’s Port Marine at: 660-438-4600.
