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A Fishing Trip To Remember

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 26, 2007

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Mark Cook.

Medard Reservoir saw tons of anglers and lots of fish being caught during the holiday weekend.
Speckled perch were caught in 10-15 feet of water on minnows, and bass have picked up near shoreline vegetation early in the morning. Catfish action also was good with chicken livers doing the most damage.

On Friday, I took Eddie Jacobs and his 3-year-old son Chase, along with my 7-year-old son Douglas, for a trip down the south prong of the Alafia River. The water was very low but clear, so the kids were able to see the fish and wildlife with ease.

Fishing was an afterthought with young ones in a small boat, although we did get a few casts in. On my first cast with a red shad bass worm, I got a bite and reeled in the biggest mudfish I had seen.

Though I was disappointed it wasn't a 10-pound bass, the excitement I saw from the 3-year-old seeing his first fish being caught quickly erased the fact it was a mudfish. As I got it to the boat, I let some slack out and let Chase reel the fish.

As the fish broke the surface it jumped, and so did Chase, dropping the reel. Though we didn't catch any more fish, we did see several alligators, big herons, and numerous turtles with their babies on their backs sunning on logs.

Some folks might not have called it much of a fishing trip, but I'd say it was one of the best I've had this year.

For charter trip information, contact Mark Cook at (813) 846-9277 or send an e-mail

to tribfishing@aol.com.

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