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ANGLING >> 'It gets you back in the life' Fishing tournament serves as therapy for injured soldiers
Wounded soldiers spend a day bass fishingDate published: 4/29/2007 By Flowers Umble BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE WOODBRIDGE--Rob Kislow and Ryan Haerer call their days at Walter Reed Army Hospital "the waiting time." At first, they went through intensive medical treatments for injuries--Kislow's sustained in Afghanistan in 2005 and Haerer's in Baghdad in 2004. But now both soldiers are in barracks recovering, and they've discovered a passion that takes their minds off the monotony: fishing. Kislow said they fish as often as four times a week around the Washington area. Yesterday, he and Haerer took their hobby to a new level--a pro-amateur bass fishing tournament. They took advantage of a cool, cloudy day and participated in the Potomac River Bass Series at Leesylvania State Park in Prince William County. Each went out on a boat with a pro fisherman from Gander Mountain, the outdoors sporting goods store on State Route 3. Kislow, a fisherman since childhood, always wanted to try bass fishing. He had often watched pros cast, an art that is trickier than traditional fishing. A week earlier, Kislow attended a fishing tournament held for wounded soldiers recovering at Walter Reed. He fished with Mike Hazard, a pro fisherman with Gander Mountain. They talked about bass tournaments, and Kislow said he'd love to try one someday. Hazard asked, "What are you doing Saturday?" He already planned to enter the tournament, but when he learned Haerer wanted to come along, Hazard enlisted the help of another Gander pro, Don Zaegel. Zaegel, who served as a Marine in Operation Iraqi Freedom, couldn't turn down the request. He and Hazard made arrangements to get everyone entered in the tournament. It would usually cost about $600 to get all four into the event, once entry fees, fuel costs and other things were factored in, Hazard said. The tournament director waived the entry fees for Kislow and Haerer. He and Zaegel raised enough money in a week to cover all the costs and to donate $250 to the Armed Forces Foundation, an organization that often spon-sors outdoor activities for wounded veterans. They got the money by asking family members, friends and co-workers for donations. Hazard said he wanted to help because of the positive attitudes of Kislow and Haerer "after all they've been through." The two soldiers joked and laughed after the fishing as they waited to find out how much their bass weighed. They talked about how fishing helps them get through their days at Walter Reed. "It gets you back in the life," Kislow said. "It definitely gets you back in the civilian life." "And while Walter Reed has great medical care, you have to get out of there and do other things," Hearer said. "Otherwise you're just absorbed by being there." Amy Flowers Umble: 540/735-1973Email: aumble@freelancestar.com
Date published: 4/29/2007
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