Hope For The Warriors fishing event at Bassmaster Elite Series postseason

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Travis Johnson felt a tug on his line while he was getting a bass fishing lesson Saturday morning from Bassmaster Elite Series pro Keith Poche.

“I felt something, so I pulled on it a little bit, and it pulled back,” Johnson said. “I went to set the hook and it darn near took the pole out of my hands.”

Johnson, a retired U.S. Marine lance corporal from Greenup, Ky., had an 8-pound, 7-ounce largemouth bass on the end of his line.

“It...