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Thanks For The Memories

Photo by Terry Lacoss.

Outdoors editor Frank Sargeant shows a mangrove snapper.

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By FRANK SARGEANT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 27, 2008

This will be the last column I'll write for The Tampa Tribune, though I'll continue to produce the Friday features and photos for the foreseeable future. So I'm taking this final opportunity to thank a few individuals and organizations who have meant a great deal to me, and to Florida fish and wildlife, during my tenure.

When I came to the Tampa Bay area in 1984, the Bay was still a polluted mess, where swimming was dangerous to your health, where sea grass was on its last legs, and where the water quality was so poor that menhaden, essentially scum eaters, were the primary life form.

That's far from the case today. The Bay is clear and beautiful, and as productive for gamefish as it has been at any time in the past 30 years. Much of the thanks for that goes to the Clean Water Act, but also to the dedicated efforts of hundreds of conservation-minded citizens here.

Among the leaders was Roger Stewart, one of the first conservation gadflies in Hillsborough County. Former county commissioner and avid flats angler Jan Platt was there a thousand times on a thousand topics of importance to fish and fishermen. Environmentalist Robin Lewis was one of my first instructors in the mechanics of how sea grasses, clean water and abundant fisheries all go together. Peter Clark, founder of Tampa Bay Watch, is building a legacy in restoration projects that will benefit us all.

The volunteers of the Coastal Conservation Association have been a driving force behind many of the saltwater fishery laws in place today, and founding members of the local chapter were always among the leaders in the effort to control commercial fishing and improve recreational opportunities; Richard Seward, Larry Hartt and so many others come to mind, as does Ted Forsgren, executive director of the CCA for the past two decades.

We've seen similar progress in freshwater fishery rules, thanks to many biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, but particularly Phil Chapman of Lakeland, who pushed so hard to improve our largemouth fisheries. Ken Haddad, the current FFWCC director, has done an exemplary job in bringing anglers and hunters into the rule-making process, making us all partners in statewide conservation efforts.

I have so many friends in the Florida Fishing Guides Association that I hesitate to point any out for fear of slighting some, but certainly fishing/hunting buddy Dave Markett is among the first to come to mind, in no small measure because of his persistent and vigorous defense of hunting and fishing rights for all of us. Scott Moore, the founding father of modern sardine fishing, is another great friend and force for conservation. So is Jon Zorian, spokesman for the Boca Grande Fishing Guides Association.

Others who have been particularly helpful in instructing me through a dozen books include Pete Greenan, John Griffith, Jeff Horne, Van Hubbard, Chet Jennings, Rob McCue, "Mad Snooker" Dave Pomerleau and Ray Van Horne, along with MirrOlure chief Eric Bachnik and DOA founder Mark Nichols, and of course my publisher, Larry Larsen.

Tampa Bay has a unique collection of fishing media stars, and I'm proud to say I've become friends with most, including Mel Berman of WFLA, 970 AM, the "voice of Tampa Bay" if ever there was one; Bill Miller of Catch 47 television, Tampa's own "saltwater Bill Dance"; and Glen Pla of Catch 47's "Average Angler Adventures," who is far above average in both fishing and production skills; Mike Anderson and Billy Nobles of the "Reel Animals Fishing Show" on WFLA, Channel 8, who have put the fun back into on-air fishing shows; and Ray Markham of Florida Sportsman radio - maybe Florida's best artificial lure angler. All of these guys have done a lot for fishery conservation here.

Retired Marine Fisheries Commission boss Don Hansen, co-founder of the Snook Foundation along with Bill Mote, certainly deserves to be remembered by all Bay area snook anglers, as does Ron Taylor, the nation's leading snook researcher. Gene Turner of St. Petersburg is another icon - he did for king mackerel what Hansen did for snook.

The volunteers of Ducks Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Club and Safari Club International have done so much for conservation, and for those of us who love the woods and wildlife.

Earl Emmons and Fran Solomon, who helped build what became known as the Frank Sargeant Outdoors Expo, will certainly remain in my thoughts for the rest of my days. So will Gus Muench, the retired crabber who became one of Hillsborough county's leading conservation spokesmen, and Nanette O'Hara, whose job is conservation, but whose love is fly-rodding the flats.

Last, but certainly not least, I'll remember the great Tom McEwen, who hired me 24 years ago; he was the last of the grand sports editors in the golden age of newspapers, and I treasure the fact that he considered me worthy of a spot on his staff.

And to the thousands of you who have taken the time to write, e-mail, fax or call with tips, comments, fishing and hunting stories and more, and the hundreds I've gotten to know personally, my thanks. You have made this job a blessing, and I have been proud to occupy the chair for these past years. Tight lines, and so long.

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