Wounded Warrior Fund-Raiser March 29 at Alabama’s Lake Wheeler

Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Alabama presents the third annual Hooked on Decatur team bass fishing tournament on March 29, 2014, at Ingalls Harbor in Decatur. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. As a special thank you to veterans, a boat captain and entry fee will be provided for any wounded veteran that would like to fish in the tournament.

The tournament is open to all anglers who possess a current Alabama State Freshwater Fishing License. Anglers 16 years or younger (as of tournament date) will fish with either a parent or approved angler. Only largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass will be weighed, and the official tournament bag limit will be five fish per team. The size of the tournament field will be a minimum of 100 boats. The top five winners receive trophies and cash prizes with first place taking $2,000 in cash.

Ingalls Harbor, located at 802 Wilson Street NW in Decatur, will host the take-offs and weigh-ins. Check-in begins at 5 a.m. and weigh-in begins at 2 p.m. Food and beverages will be served to participants at the conclusion of the event.

The tournament is sponsored by Rising Sun Lodge #29, The Stem & Stein Wine Cellar and Bar, and DRS Technologies. Team entry fee is $100 per boat with a $20 per team big bass option (100% payback). Proceeds benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.

According to tournament organizers, the tournament has grown from 20 boats at the first tournament to 48 boats and 96 fishermen registered for last year’s event. Fifteen wounded veterans from Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia competed in last year’s tournament and approximately $16,000 was donated to the Wounded Warrior Project, a Jacksonville, Fla., organization that provides services and programs to injured veterans.

For more information or to download a registration form, visit www.rising29.org and click on events.

Alabama DCNR

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) is the state agency responsible for the conservation and management of Alabama's natural resources including state parks, state lands, wildlife and aquatic resources. ADCNR also issues hunting and fishing licenses for the state. The department promotes wise stewardship and enjoyment of the state’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Supporting those divisions are seven support sections: Accounting, Diversity and Recruiting, Engineering, Information and Education, Information Technology, Legal, and Personnel and Payroll.