Beyond the Bait: How One Paratrooper is Using Shark Fishing to Heal Military Veterans

On a sun-soaked stretch of sand at Crystal Beach, Texas, the air is thick with salt spray, the low roar of the surf, and the sharp, distinctive click of a heavy-duty fishing reel.

To a casual beachgoer, it looks like a typical weekend at the Bolivar Beatdown—a popular land-based shark fishing tournament. High-powered surf rods line the shore, drones hover over the breakers dropping bait hundreds of yards out, and anglers sit back in folding chairs awaiting a strike.

But for Chris Israel, a 100% disabled military veteran and former paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, this set-up represents something far deeper: a lifeline.

Israel is the founder of All-American Land Based Shark Fishing, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to bringing active-duty service members and military veterans together on the beach for free, fully catered weekends of surf fishing, camaraderie, and unconventional mental health healing.

From Inshore Angler to Shoreline Mentor

Israel’s journey into land-based shark fishing (often abbreviated in the angling community as LBSF) began as a simple shift from inshore tournament fishing.

“Inshore fishing, you’re popping your cork, you’re working your topwater,” Israel explains. “But the excitement when you catch a shark—it’s tenfold…It’s just way more fun.”

Inspiration struck while Israel was out on the water with Project Zero, another non-profit supporting veterans and first responders. Seeing the immediate impact of outdoor outings on service members, Israel knew he wanted to launch a dedicated venture specifically for the military community.

He pitched the idea to his wife, Joanna, and close friends. A year and a half later, All-American Land Based Shark Fishing—a homage to his old unit, the “All-Americans” of the 82nd Airborne—was born.

What is “Adventure Therapy”?

Traditional military mental healthcare often relies on clinical settings and pharmaceuticals—approaches that Israel notes don’t work for every veteran.

“In the military, with your mental health issues, all the VA wants to do…is say, ‘Here, just take these pills,’ and then sit in a circle group with a doctor and a nurse. You start talking, and all of a sudden they’re writing stuff down, and you shut down because you don’t know what they’re writing.

Around this, you sit around the campfire, you talk to these guys, everybody opens up, and you assimilate… That’s why it’s called adventure therapy. It’s fun, but it’s therapy at the same time.”

The Weekend Breakdown

During a standard weekend outing, All-American brings out 8 to 9 veterans to beaches along the Texas coastline—including Crystal Beach, Surfside, Jamaica Beach, and Matagorda.

Unlike many veteran organizations restricted strictly to combat-service members, Israel opens his trips to all military veterans and active-duty personnel, regardless of whether they served in combat.

• Zero Cost to Participants: Participants only need to bring a backpack with spare clothes. Israel’s team handles gear, state fishing licenses, accommodations, and meals.
• Campfire Comforts: Joanna plans full weekend menus, while board member and “camp chef” Brandon cooks meals right on the sand.
• Catch-and-Release Focus: Israel emphasizes conservation. Every shark brought to shore is unhooked, photographed, and returned safely to the water as quickly as possible.

“Controlled Chaos” on the Sand

Surf fishing for large sharks is defined by long stretches of patience interrupted by moments of high-stakes adrenaline—a rhythm surprisingly familiar to military personnel.

Israel describes the dynamic as “controlled chaos.”

“It goes right to the military—they ‘hurry up and wait.’ You want to get the bait in the water so you don’t miss the shark swimming by. And then you sit, and you wait.”

When a reel screams, the team springs into action. Israel’s partner, Ayden Jeffers, coaches the veteran through the physically demanding fight, while Israel steps into the surf to handle the fish.

A First-Time Catch

Israel recalls a recent trip featuring two paratroopers from Fort Bragg who had never seen a live shark, let alone caught one:

“The reel started going…He ended up bringing in a six-foot blacktip. I said, ‘Get down here quick, let’s get your picture.’ He was like, ‘My picture?’

I told him to kneel down and put his hand on its head. The face on this guy of, ‘Oh my God, I’m touching a shark’—it was iconic. He was smiling the rest of the weekend because he did it.”

Community-Driven Support

Running multi-day beach expeditions requires significant funding—an average weekend trip costs anywhere from $2,500 to $3,500. As a young non-profit under the two-year mark, All-American relies heavily on local corporate sponsors, community round-up programs, and gear donations to keep operations running: Barge 295, Texas Surfmasters, Golf Gear, Fish Own Custom Leaders, Serious Tackle, Property 409 Management, Xpecies, Yuengling, Vallejo Sunglassess, Sharkotic, and others. 

The Ultimate Payoff

When the fishing rods are packed into truck racks and the beach fires fade, Israel admits that stepping back into normal life brings a bit of immediate nostalgia.

“I immediately miss the community—hanging out with everybody. But then you sit on the couch at home, and that’s when it all hits you… You see these guys show up with their guards up, feeling like they have the weight of the world on their chest. And by the end of the weekend, they’re relaxed, breathing easy, and grateful.”

For Israel and his crew, that transformation makes every sleepless hour on the sand worth it.

How to Get Involved or Join a Trip

• Who Can Apply: Active-duty military members and veterans of any branch or service background.
• Where to Sign Up: Schedules and registration portals are posted directly on the All-American Land Based Shark Fishing website and Facebook handles.
• Day Trips: In addition to 4–5 major multi-day weekend retreats per year, All-American hosts regular day trips along the Texas coast for veterans looking to drop a line and connect.

Link to FB page: https://www.facebook.com/AALBSF/

Link to Website: https://aalbsf.org/

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