Wounded Warrior Event/truman Lake/long Shoal Marina.

Got back yesterday from the Wounded Warriors tournament/fishing derby at Truman Lake out of Long Shoal Marina.

Got on the lake a couple of days before the event. Friday was a little windy, no it was a lot windy with intermittent 30

mph+ winds. But you could get out of the wind kinda in the coves and it is possible to drive your boat around, just don't do anything stupid.

They had a good BBQ dinner on Sat. night and they we drew for partners.

Day of event, Long Shoal Marina sponsored a good breakfast, all you wanted to eat. (Apparently some of the younger wounded warriors forgot that later on they bould be bouncing around on a boat all day, but that's another story.)

I drew a nice guy, a career sargeant from Fort Leonard Wood, recently returned from several years overseas.

We each caught a few fish, shorts, nothing to weigh. The sergeant went home with a picture of a 5"bass that attacked his crankbait.

Anyway, had a fairly inexpensive short vacation and at the same time supported a very worthy cause. Some of the guys I met had been wounded, recovered, and were going about their lives, other guys not so much. They were in need of some serious chill time. And they got some on a beautiful October day riding around on Truman Lake.

This just wasn't a fishing event for guys with the big swank Rangers and Tritons. While there were quite a few of those, there were quite a few guys with aluminum rigs like mine, and some smaller 16' or so rigs. I saw 3 or 4 big Lowe deck boats. They were there to take out the guys in wheelchairs and walkers.

Overall there were over a hundred boats. The Leavenworth Bass Club and Long Shoal Marina is to be commended for sponsoring this quality event. And I know there are lots of sponsors I'm leaving out..

Event organizers told me that the date for next years event has already been set., i.e. the weekend prior to Columbus Day.

I'm going to go next year, (assuming I can get the days off from work) and I'd encourage any other member from the region to attend if they can. You'll have some fun and you'll be doing some guy who got shot up (and lived) in the service of his country a favor.

There is lots more information about this event on the Fort Leavenworth Bass Club web site.