U.S. servicemembers catch fishing fever at Z-Lake in Iraq

(Editor's note: This article originally appeared on the Air Force in Iraq 332nd AEW Web site on Oct. 26, 2007. FLW Outdoors obtained the rights to reprint this story. The article, as well as the photography, can be attributed to Staff Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey, 447th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs)

SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq — As U.S. Army Blackhawks took off in the distance, more than a dozen soldiers and airmen tried their luck at catching "the big one" in the Z-Lake Fishing Tournament on Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq, Oct. 20.

Many of the deployed servicemembers did not have to borrow the Morale, Welfare and Recreation center's stock of poles, lines and lures. They either brought or bought their own as soon as they learned about the camp's fishing holes. The "Z" shaped manmade lake located near former dictator Saddam Hussein's Al Faw Palace is home to asp, carp and catfish that put up a welcome fight for the "combat fishermen" who say the activity is a great way to unwind after a 12- to 14-hour workday.

"I just wish I could have caught the biggest fish in the lake," said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. William Benson, 169th Cargo Transfer Company, 2nd Platoon, deployed from Fort Eustis, Va. "I still had fun. Going fishing brings me back home in my mind temporarily. All troubles just seem to go away."

At the end of the day, 11 fish were caught, the prize winner was a "whopping" 3 1/2-pound Aspius Vorax, a light and long variety of the European freshwater fish. The "craziest catch" of the day was an 18-inch eel.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Rodney Scott, 447th Expeditionary Logistics Squadron, teamed together with Camp Victory's MWR manager Bill Kirk to hold the tournament as a way to get the word out to servicemembers about the availability of the stress-relieving activity. When the aerial port passenger terminal NCO in charge is not managing the catch and release of people traveling through Sather Air Base's airfield, he's either fishing, coordinating upcoming fishing events or handing out donated fishing equipment to fellow anglers in uniform.

Back home at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., the Air Force reservist, "fishes for fun and money," as he puts it, as a co-angler in the Stren Series and FLW Series West Coast fishing competitions. This year Sergeant Scott qualified to compete in the Stren Series Championship tournament taking place in Alabama, but was called to help support Operation Iraqi Freedom here and will miss the chance at the title. However, the sergeant says he is honored to serve and will make the most out of the situation by planning how he will continue his fishing habit when he returns home. Meanwhile, he practices his angling skills from the shores of Z-Lake.

In a strange twist of fate, Sergeant Scott met an FLW Series competitor during the tournament, U.S. Army 1st Sgt. William Tager, 1st Cavalry Division, 25 C Co., who fishes as an east coast co-angler. The two cast nearby lines together for a few minutes and talked about their co-angling adventures.

"It's funny, coming all the way to Iraq and meeting a fellow angler from the same organization, opposite coast," Sergeant Scott said.

Although the catches throughout the day may have been small, the event offered a constructive way for soldiers and airmen to relax out here.