By By Mike Giles / outdoors writer
Sept. 27, 2002
Saturday was just another day for many outdoorsmen in our area. It wasn't a typical day for five-year-old Bradley Carver however. This youngster joined his dad Jeffrey and grandfather Carl Carver on a bass fishing outing at Okatibbee Reservoir.
Now Okatibbee is a hard lake to fish. It's especially hard to take a youngster out to catch any fish, much less a bass. However, that's just what this trio of outdoorsmen had gone to do. They were there to have fun, but primarily to fish, and hopefully to catch a few in the process.
Being young and inexperienced, Brad didn't know that it was supposed to be hard to catch fish at Okatibbee.
After locating a likely looking spot not far off a bank, they started casting for bass. Almost immediately grandfather Carl hooked up with a nice bass. In fact, for several casts he caught or lost bass after bass. Of course Brad was anxious to get in on the action and catch a few himself.
First bass
After a couple of fruitless strikes Brad was getting antsy. That prompted a change of baits and tactics. After a quick lure change Brad was back at it. In no time he had on a nice bass. After several acrobatic leaps by a spirited fish, he finally landed his first bass. Grinning from ear to ear you would have thought that he had just won the world bass fishing championship. Of course it meant a lot more to him at that moment than any future championship might.
For the next hour or so Brad kept his dad and granddad busy taking fish off the hook. Time after time the feisty bass would strike his special worm. Sometimes they would jump off in mid-flight, and sometimes he would land them.
After a couple of hours of catching and releasing bass, the trio were ready to head home and clean a few of Brad's fish. They had released most of the bass but kept a few for the supper table. Of course they kept his first prize bass, and what a tasty trophy bass it was.
Big catch
Although they didn't count the number of bass caught that day, they did catch quite a few. And the top fisherman on the day was none other than Bradley Carver. Not only did he catch his first bass, but he caught 14 in all. That's not a bad day for any angler on Okatibbee Reservoir. For a 5-year-old that is impressive indeed.
What better way for a youngster to spend a Saturday morning than with his dad and granddad out on the lake fishing. Surely this was a day that will live forever in the memories of these three outdoorsmen. Don't miss out on an opportunity to take a kid fishing. You'll be glad you did. I guarantee.