By Gary Bennett
This article appears in the November 2023 issue of Frederick News-Post’s “Prime Time” magazine.
Longtime Frederick resident and insurance executive Dick Brown is a dedicated fisherman who has taken his passion and turned it into service for injured veterans.
The organization he belongs to, Maryland Bass Nation, is one of many state affiliates of the national Bass Anglers Sportsmen Society, which has approximately 24,000 members and is dedicated to conservation, youth activities and promoting the sport. Brown is the first vice president of MBN.
Each spring, Paralyzed Veterans of America holds the Capital Clash Bass Tournament in conjunction with MBN to bring injured and paralyzed veterans together with experienced fishermen for a peaceful yet competitive weekend on the water for bass fishing.
Brown has put his heart and soul into organizing this tournament for 16 years now as the tournament committee chairman for the Capital Clash event. He has been involved in some capacity since 1997. Last year they celebrated their 25th anniversary of the PVA B.A.S.S. Tournament Series. Fishermen ranre in age from 18 to 80.
Characteristically humble, Brown said, “I just kind of said I’m going to do this. The guy that got me involved was an old drill sergeant who just treated me fantastically. He was one of the best small-mouth bass fishermen in the country, and I wanted to learn from those guys. At first, PVA did 98% of it [the tournament], and I just took people out in my boat. It took off from there.”
A Logistical Challenge
Despite running a busy insurance agency and managing Type 1 diabetes and disk problems in his back, Brown and the Capital Clash committee spend most of the year organizing the tournament, including all fundraising and logistical activities.
Brown and his committee of eight fundraise to purchase and distribute T-shirts, tackle, lures and other supplies for the vets. Everyone gets a new, fully-packed tackle box and a new rod and reel.
“If they come with nothing, they’ll still be able to fish, but they usually already have equipment. Most of us have a tackle store in the boat – it’s an addiction! We want the vets to get out on the water and enjoy themselves, the camaraderie and the therapeutic aspect of that,” Brown said.
Where’s My Captain?
A big part of the organizing effort is to find enough boat captains to take the veterans out on the water. Brown needs anywhere from 30 to 90 boats, depending on attendance and demand.
“You have to find guys who have bass boats big enough to go out on the bigger bodies of water, who can keep the fish alive, because they are released back into the river and are able to donate their time, ability, gas, and oil, which is not cheap,” according to Brown.
Brown says the captains assist the paralyzed veterans as much as they can. They are not allowed to cast for them unless the veteran is unable. The captains also cannot set the hook or reel in the fish, but they can net the fish for them when it is reeled into the boat.
“Sometimes I’m short 10 or more boat captains the night before,” Brown said. “Only if we have to will we put more than one disabled vet in a boat. If someone wants to fish, we’ll find a spot for them.”
Not Just for Fun
The tournament is not just for camaraderie and relaxation. There are real championships and prizes at stake.
“We have a couple of donors who say they want every injured soldier to get something,” Brown said. “PVA supplies prizes to the top 10 fishermen, and MBN steps in and supplies prizes to all the others.”
Championships are measured by a point system. For each tournament you weigh your five biggest bass, and whomever has the most weight wins the tournament.
Some are novice fishermen, but because they have a national tournament trail, some have become very skilled. PVA developed this tournament trail for those who would like to fish nationally.
A First-Rate Operation
Generally, the two-day tournament begins on Friday evening at the American Legion in LaPlata. Registration is held while a picnic-style dinner is served of hamburgers, hot dogs and potato salad.
Names go into a computer, and the vets and boat captains are matched randomly, almost always one to one. In keeping with the rules, the tournament is a total “blind-draw.”
Brown explained it’s done that way so no one can pick their vet or boat captain ahead of time. “There’s always a different match made each year. It can be very competitive.”
Often these matches foster lasting relationships.
A typical fishing excursion lasts for eight hours. Vets and captains arrive at Smallwood State Park, near LaPlata, at 4 am. Saturday and are on the water by 6 am after a flag-raising ceremony. They mostly fish in the Potomac River near LaPlata and the creeks on both the Maryland and Virginia sides. They only fish for bass.
There is a separate bank division tournament. These anglers fish from the river banks if they’re not able enough to get on a boat, “a tourney within the tourney,” as Brown put it, and they also get prizes. They fish for anything, not just bass.
Vets Love It
Many anglers come from all over the country to participate. “I see huge smiles and get huge thank-yous,” Brown said. “Just getting away from their daily grind and out into nature is so great. The nice thing is the vets from this area just go 20 or 30 miles south of D.C., and it’s like you’re in Florida on some of these creeks.”
Brown is proud of the fact that it is inspiring to hear participants exclaim that they are “already looking forward to next year” as they say their goodbyes.
“One of the things that gets overlooked sometimes is that veterans who are injured would not have this chance, 25, 30 years ago, and they’re back here enjoying life – such as fishing – and not complaining. They’re out there having wheelchair races and having fun, and that’s what made me realize this is important,” Brown said.
Many paralyzed vets hear about this opportunity through the rec department at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. PVA also reaches out to local military bases and hospitals, such as Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Andrews, Quantico, and the Baltimore and Winchester VA hospitals.
A Fishing Tourney Lifer
Brown insists he’ll keep doing this as long as he is able.
“It’s totally a labor of love,” he said. “If I were in their shoes, I would love to have this available to me. It’s my hobby anyway, which I don’t get to do very often.”
“The very first time I did this, it changed me,” he went on. “Some days I don’t feel well because I’ve got Type 1 diabetes. But what some of these vets have to endure just to get out of bed each day and to just function at all is amazing. What do I have to be upset about? I would do it if I were in the organization or not. As long as I’m breathing and able, I’m going to participate.”
Brown considered the service out of high school but was disqualified. “’You’re flat footed and legally blind in your left eye’ was what they told me.”
It was disappointing because he was very fast and athletic and had been a hunter all his life, able to hit any target. He sees the tournament as a way to give back.
You Can Help
Anyone who wants to help with the tournament can contact Brown at dickbrown@4myinsurance.net.
There are several ways to volunteer, such as distributing supplies and lunches, helping with parking and weigh-ins, and many other tasks.
If you know someone who is injured or disabled and wants to fish, veteran or not, they may qualify to fish in this tournament and are encouraged to contact Brown. For more information, see pva.org/adaptive-sports/bass-tournament-series.
The next PVA Capital Clash Tournament is set for June 7 to 9, 2024, in Waldorf.
And yes, Brown has been working on logistics for months already.