Registration Opens August 24 | Lake Belton, Texas The ArmyBassAnglers Foundation is proud to announce the return of Fishing for Freedom, October 2–3, 2026, at Lake Belton, Texas. Fishing for Freedom is more than a bass tournament. It’s a weekend built around service, fellowship, and giving back to the men and women who have given so much to our country. This event brings active-duty service members and veterans together with volunteer boaters for an unforgettable day on the water—and participation is completely FREE for our military and veteran anglers. Registration officially opens August 24, 2026. A Weekend Built Around Those Who Serve Fishing for Freedom was created with a simple mission: give our service members and veterans an opportunity to get away from the everyday grind, spend time on the water, build relationships, and enjoy the camaraderie that comes with a day of bass fishing. For some participants, this will be another opportunity to compete on Lake Belton. For others, it may be their first experience fishing from a tournament bass boat. Either way, they’re part of the team. That’s what Fishing for Freedom is all about. Fish. Fellowship. Freedom. Friday, October 2 — Registration & Dinner The weekend begins Friday, October 2, with registration and our Fishing for Freedom dinner at the Killeen Convention Center. The dinner gives our anglers, volunteer boaters, sponsors, supporters, and members of the ArmyBassAnglers family an opportunity to come together before tournament morning. It’s an evening of food, fellowship, appreciation, and recognizing the men and women we’re here to serve. Saturday, October 3 — Tournament Day Saturday morning, we head to Lake Belton Recreation Area for tournament day. Boats will launch at safe light, and anglers will have until 2:00 p.m. to bring their fish back to weigh-in. The competition is part of the fun, but the real purpose of the day isn’t measured in pounds and ounces. It’s the conversations in the boat. The friendships that are made. The stories that are shared. And the opportunity to remind our military members and veterans that their service has not been forgotten. We Need Volunteer Boaters Fishing for Freedom wouldn’t be possible without the boaters who volunteer their time, boats, fuel, and experience to take our military and veteran participants fishing. You don’t have to be a professional angler. You need a tournament-ready boat, a willingness to share the water, and a desire to give back to those who have served. Every volunteer boater plays a direct role in making this event possible.