September 13, 2015 by Mark Bilbrey
Strader and Smith won $1500.00 the charity event that paid 45 places in the NoogaStrong Memorial Bass Tournament. The event brought out the true meaning of the American Spirit as Wesley Strader and Cary D. Smith started a trend that continued for every angler in the field as they were handed their checks. The winning team was the first to donate their earnings back to the cause and every angler including the big fish check followed suit, more than $17,500.00 was given back to the benefit. The money raised by the event exceeded the $25,000.00 goal established by organizers and donations are still coming in. The proceeds will be donated to the families of those murdered in an act of terrorism at a Chattanooga-area recruiting center in July.
The end of summer can bring some tough fishing on the “Chick” but the winning stringer of 21 pounds, 1 ounce brought in by Walmart FLW Tour pro Wesley Strader and his partner, Cary Smith, showed the nature of the event and the lake to be charitable.
The legendary lake also produced a 21 pound stringer for a team of brothers, James and Jared Patmor, who finished in 2nd place. A massive 9-pound, 4-ounce bass was the big-bass of the event, caught by local angler Wes Hardin who also surrendered the big bass check back to the event. Out of 298 boats, thirty-five limits were brought to the scale with more than a thousand pounds of bass being weighed in. The event market a record of entries for an open event on the lake.
The anglers didnt have to give back their winnings but they did because it was the right thing to do. Thats what the tournament was about giving back to those who gave all, the fallen heros and their family and bringing a community together for a great cause after such a grotesque act of terrorism.
A very special thank you for all the armed forces fighting for our freedom around the world. Events like this should make us all proud to be Americans and proud to be anglers celebrating the freedoms given to us by so many who sacrificed everything. The event shows not only the strength of the Chattanooga area but that of the United States of America.
A photo gallery of the event can be seen here:
http://facebook.com/mark.
