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[WreckWench]

Sarasota native brings gift of fishing to troops in Iraq

By JENNIFER SHEA CORRESPONDENT
Published Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.



http://www.heraldtri...867/-1/HELP0530

To add insult to injury, Saddam Hussein's lakes are missing more than a few bass, thanks to Sarasota native Joe Mercurio. Mercurio recently completed his mission, Operation: Catch Fish.

Operation: Catch Fish is an idea born from an afternoon of fishing. Mercurio, host of the popular "Professional Tarpon Tournament Series," and his friend, Col. Terry Sopher, were taping a fishing show for Mercurio's series on Sun Sports network. Sopher asked Mercurio if he might consider taping a fishing show in Iraq.

Sopher is the director of JIACG (Joint Inter Agency Coordination Group), and works closely with Armed Forces Entertainment.

Mercurio and his co-host, Kristen Berset, immediately signed on. Mercurio said that he would be delighted to visit Iraq and Kuwait, especially to entertain the servicemen and -women. The first annual Baghdad Fishing Derby sprang to life.

While in Baghdad, Mercurio visited Saddam's palace and was awed by the opulence. "In Iraq, water equals wealth so Hussein had man-made lakes everywhere," he said. "They were stocked with 14 different species of fish."

Mercurio, a recently retired professional tournament fisherman, still loves to fish. "Fishing has been a passion of mine since my days at Cardinal Mooney high school." So when Sopher suggested a morale boosting trip for the soldiers, Mercurio immediately sought donations to prepare for the trip.

Mercurio secured contributions from Century Boat Company, Bimini Bay and Tsunami. He took 250 rods and reels, sunscreen and 12,000 Operation: Catch Fish T-shirts with him.

More than $25,000 worth of equipment was left for the troops at the Camp Liberty Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center after the fishing derby was completed.

A total of 378 soldiers, sailors and marines participated in the Baghdad Fishing Derby. Six countries were represented: "We had servicemen and -women from the USA, Canada, Japan, Tonga, Australia and Great Britain in the tournament," Mercurio said.

"The weather was great, 75 degrees and sunny," he added. "Some of them were really good fishermen; they knew what they were doing.

"Some had never fished before, it was great to see them relax and have a good time."

Mercurio said the trip was "incredibly successful, spending time with our soldiers, listening to their stories, the fishing, all aspects of it."

[WreckWench]

This is a wonderful story and tribute to the power that one person can really make a difference.

[VADiver]

The fish in those lakes are HUGE! Some of the GIs would catch them and pass them to the locals to cook. I still prefer the fish from the Tigris (musgoof)--very tastey, but full of crazy toxins!

[Sotocanoguy]

The fish in those lakes are HUGE! Some of the GIs would catch them and pass them to the locals to cook. I still prefer the fish from the Tigris (musgoof)--very tastey, but full of crazy toxins!

Wow, Really? There is no way in HELL I would eat a fish out of that lake. Do you have any idea how many rockets and mortars land in that thing? Those fish must be filled with toxins. Last summer a radio station somewhere in IL (I think it was IL) sent us a bunch of rods are reels. Guys would sit out there for hours casting and reeling. My office was a stones throw from the lake. There was also a group of guys that built model boats out of the odds and ends they found around the complex. Once or twice a month they would race them across the lake.

Edited by Sotocanoguy, 04 June 2008 - 10:15 PM.