Military Bass Tournament Kicks Off Today at Green Pond

The 2017 Military Team Bass Tournament, presented by American Bass Anglers and hosted by Anderson County and the Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau, kicks off today, 2017 at Green Pond Landing and Event Center on Hartwell Lake. Weigh-ins will begin at 3:00 p.m. today and tomorrow. Final day weigh-in will be at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.

“We are ready to welcome the military members to the Anderson County, Green Pond Landing and Lake Hartwell." said Neil Paul, Executive Director of Visit Anderson. "Our community provides great local dining and lodging choices, as well as, local sporting goods retailers to satisfy the equipment needs of the military anglers while they are in town.”

Members of the United States Armed Forces from all over the country will make the drive to compete in the 2017 event at Lake Hartwell. Any active duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard, Reserve or Coast Guard member may fish in this event. A Military ID, Military Dependent Card, or DD-214 must be presented at onsite registration on May 9th.

“In honor of our military anglers, there will be displays from a bridging unit onsite throughout the 3-day tournament," said Anderson County Councilman Ken Waters. “As a veteran and fisherman, this tournament is good for Anderson County and we encourage our community to come out and get a closer look.”

The Military Team Bass Fishing Tournament began in 1991 as a way to promote fishing and camaraderie among all branches of the military. In 1975, ABA began as the Military Bass Anglers Association, an organization dedicated to providing bass anglers in the military an opportunity to compete in tournaments with other military members. In 2000, Morris Sheehan, a life member who retired from the U.S. Army, bought MBAA, renamed it American Bass Anglers Inc., and relocated it to Athens, Alabama.