By Christian Warren Freed
Few things are as peaceful as sitting on the lake on a cool fall morning, bait in the water, and enjoying the tranquility of Mother Nature. No one to talk to. No cars rushing by. No cares and no worries. Anyone who has snatched up their pole and headed off in the pre-dawn hours with your grandfather reminding how you’re ‘burning daylight’ well before the first rays of light break the veil of night can tell you this is the perfect time to be alive.
For some, fishing is a release. A way to process their thoughts, frustrations, and emotions in the humbling quiet of solitude where one can truly be honest with themselves. For others, fishing is best done over a cooler full of adult beverages with friends. Catching anything seldom matters. It’s the moment that counts. The camaraderie of shared experiences.
Over the course of the last decade after hanging up my fatigues for the last time, I have come to understand that while there are friendships and great companions to be had, there is a lack of camaraderie for me in this world. I’m not alone.
Dwayne Eury dedicated the better part of his life to serving in the United States Coast Guard complete with, if you can believe it, a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his long career he came to realize the same as me. Something just doesn’t sit right. We are missing a vital piece of ourselves. Thankfully, he has an answer.
Dwayne is the CEO and founder of Nautical Excursions. The lifelong North Carolinian has returned and made his home here in Wake County. Some of you may know him as the Director of Safety & Security for Wake County, but he prefers to be recognized for something far simpler, but with an equal impact.
Enter Take a Warrior Fishing Inc. This 501(c)3 non-profit is the combination of his passion for fishing and for helping area veterans. Upon earning his captain’s license in 2022, Dwayne took an idea that had been swimming around his head and made it happen. He began his own company as a charter fishing boat and decided it wasn’t enough. Dwayne knew marketing is everything, so he offered free fishing trips to a variety of groups, one of them being veterans.
That’s when it clicked. He started talking with his veteran buddies and state workers in the right departments. The idea morphed into his first major event. In November of 2022, in the wake of the pandemic, Take a Warrior Fishing Inc. held its inaugural Warrior Fishing event on Harris Lake. He secured a host of volunteers, boaters, sponsors, and fishers for the four-hour event. The event was so well received Dwayne knew he was onto something big.
This year, Warrior Fishing is reaching for bigger goals. The now annual all-day tournament, scheduled for November 4 on Harris Lake, will have thirty-five boats with as many fishers as they can safely take. While he already has more boats than he can legally have under his permit, Dwayne is actively looking for backups, volunteers, and more for this year’s November event.
Building a brand is never easy, especially considering the high levels of competition, but everyone knows vets can be stubborn at times, refusing to back down in the face of overwhelming odds. Dwayne and his team already have plans to grow Warrior Fishing beyond Wake County. In the works are plans for offshore charters up and down the North Carolina coast and, if it takes off, the entire eastern seaboard.
Bringing things back to the area, Warrior Fishing is in talks with the American Legion Post 116 to hold a smaller tournament on Johnson Pond sometime in early 2024. Dwayne’s enthusiasm is matched by his heart and the distance he and his team are willing to go to ensure they have done their best for all military veterans and their families.
While this potential expansion is still years away, there is plenty to do right here at home. With Wake County having such a large and diverse veteran population, Dwayne is confident his mission will find success and continue to grow with each new event. Along the way, he is building a network of boat owners and captains across the state. Harris Lake might be the first location Take A Warrior Fishing is utilizing, but it will be far from the last.
A deciding factor setting this non-profit apart from the competition is Dwayne does not just cater to combat vets or wounded warriors. Warrior Fishing is for all active, retired, and military veterans and their families. His family-centric approach is quickly earning a positive reputation throughout our communities. He hopes that his non-profit will help warriors find a way to relax, to connect with others, achieve a personal level of self-achievement, and offer thrills and challenges that only anglers understand.
Can’t make it to the big tournament? No worries! Dwayne and his team have you covered. Thanks to the resources they’ve accumulated over the past few years, warriors can go online and sign up for a charter trip on the body of water of their choosing just about any day of the year. Warrior Fishing will do its best to find you the right captain in your area to get you on the water.
Distinguishing yourself always takes time and no small amount of effort from a host of people. To prepare for the big tournament in November, Warrior Fishing is holding Warrior Fest in conjunction with the Tap Yard Raleigh. Scheduled for October 6 at 4:00 p.m., Warrior Fest promises to be a great time for everyone. Dozens of sponsors, from Bass Pro Shops to some of your favorite area restaurants have donated gifts cards and more.
Not stopping there, Warrior Fest will have plenty of live music, BBQ pork cooked and served by professional BBQ cooker Rick Naylor, and a cornhole tournament to raise the spirit of friendly competition. Save the date on your calendars. October 6 promises to be one heck of a good time for the whole family.
One of the greatest assets Warrior Fishing provides is bringing the military community together. After exiting the military, it is common to feel displaced, alone, like no one around you gets ‘it’. No matter how you approach it, that’s a difficult burden to overcome. Dwayne Eury is doing everything in his power to help out and make life just a bit more bearable for those truly in need.
Like any non-profit, Warrior Fishing needs support. There are several levels for sponsors, ranging from $1,500 to $50. The amount doesn’t matter as much as the collection of voices and faces banding together to help our military community. Each donation is tax-deductible and goes to a good cause.
Follow Warrior Fishing on social media (Instagram: @takeawarriorfishinginc; Facebook: Take A Warrior Fishing Inc) to learn more and, just maybe, see what you’re missing out on. You can also find details about these upcoming events at www.warriorfishing.org. Feel free to reach out! Drop Dwayne a message and help make a warrior’s day. You just might find you like it. See you on the water!
