The 5th Annual Hooked on Decatur team bass fishing tournament has been announced. The annual event will be held April 16th out of Ingalls Harbor, Decatur, AL. The all-volunteer tournament provides wounded veterans with a boat captain and receives a sponsored entry fee to compete against other amateur fishermen. The boat captains, most of whom are veterans themselves, are also volunteers. Funds in excess of tournament costs are donated to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans for America and the Purple Heart Foundation.
To date, the Hooked on Decatur event has donated $38,000 to help our wounded veterans.
Thirty-nine veterans from around the southeast region of the US. have already signed-up for the tournament as of March 29. Boat captains have been paired with many of those veterans. Additional volunteer boat captains are needed to accommodate the vets signing-up.
Ron McDonald, publisher and editor of Southern Fishing News, who has participated in the tournament as a boat captain for two events, said, “The Hooked On Decatur veteran tournament is a great opportunity to give a little payback to these men and women. The first year I fished the event as a boat captain I had the honor of fishing with a former Soldier that had lost his legs. The veteran took little notice of his handicap and fished hard. His wheelchair was modified to fit onto a seat pole. What a great day of fishing.”
Wounded veterans who would like a day on the water register through the website at Hookedondecatur.com or contact Tollin Toler ([email protected]) as soon as possible so that officals can start pairing you up with a boat captain. We already have registrants around the Southeast region of the US.
Amateur fishermen with boats that would like to be a volunteer boat captain and have one of our honored guests as a team member, please contact us to qualify. Boat captain registration fees are waived.
Other amateur two-man teams are welcome to compete as well.
Ramp check-in/registration begins at 5 AM at the Ingalls Harbor ramp area April 16th, 2016 (701 Market Street NW, Decatur, AL.). Hooked On Decatur is a team bass fishing tournament- Two-man team $100 per boat for registration. Rules are on the event’s website- Hookedondecatur.com. All Alabama state and federal laws are enforced.
I have an organization called Tennessee Volunteers For Heroes. I would very much be happy to help out on this event. I am holding an Wounded Warrior Project tournament April 2nd.2016 Registration is online and can be filled out at the event at 5:00 am that morning. All anglers are invited. Please if you can please let people know so we also can have a good turnout and I will pass this info along also at my tournament this weekend. If you have a spokesperson that’s wants to announce ,he or she is welcome to come and give announcement. I an honored helping out our Veterans as I an a Veteran my self. Thank you , Marshall Bain
March 26th, 2016