Keith On Vacation

From time to time Keith takes a vacation from hunting and fishing. When that happens someone at the office is asked to write the weekly column. I gladly jumped at the opportunity.

There is something that goes against all facets of nature waking up 3 teenage boys at 5:00 a.m. Sleep deprivation was not a factor the night before when they were talking to the teenage girls in the pool area. Could it be that it was hard to wake them because they were dreaming of big trout to be caught or were their minds elsewhere?

It was the last week of June and my wife and I decided to take our 15 year old son and two friends on a guided fishing trip to Rockport. They had just completed a great 8th grade year, setting and breaking school records in track, so a little R & R was in store. Spending 2 ½ days with 3 teenage boys can raise the energy level of anyone, even a middle age has-been like myself. I never remember touch football on the beach making me sore before.

Upon arrival to the condo I made my way to the local H.E.B. and depleted half of my life savings on groceries. The other half went on one meal at the legendary Charlotte Plummer’s Restaurant. I planned on recouping some of the money by selling their empty soda cans but the Ryder truck rent used to take them to the recycle shop washed out all profits.

After finally waking the three boys and adequately filling them with sugar products, they were eager to take to Copono Bay with guide Mike Cook. Capt. Mike turned out to be a very courteous, patient guide. He untangled their lines from each other and rebaited croakers as the original ones were thrown errantly to seagulls. After 2 hours of murky water and northeast breezes and very few trout, we headed east into Aransas Bay. There we found clear water and hungry fish. The boys came alive with energy as we boated nice trout on Mike’s All Star rods. As the action slowed around noon, fishing, not sugar level, we decided that they had competed in enough long cast contests, accidental pushes towards the boats edge and general boy stuff. Capt. Mike wisely suggested we go clean our catch.

In all it was a great trip with an eager-to-please guide. Mentally I felt closer to my sons age again but my body cried for it’s recliner. Just as I completed writing this column I found out where Keith and his family vacationed. Fishing. Needless to say, as Marketing & Production manager for both our programs, it didn’t surprise me. To contact Capt. Mike Cook in Rockport call 361-790-5593 or visit his website at www.cooksguideservice.com.