10 JULY | AUGUST 2019
As a young child living in the Delta, we’d get up
early on Saturday morning, Mom would pack
a lunch, and we’d set out for a day of fishing
on Lake Washington in Greenville. Then, when
I was in college, my parents built by the lake
in Canebrake in Hattiesburg. If we weren’t jet
skiing, we were fishing off the pier. And some
of my fondest memories of time spent with
my family are of cruising around Mississippi’s
coastal waters on my dad’s boat. It was a 38-
foot Sea Ray with two cabins, so we would stay
on it for the weekend. He came alive when he
was navigating his boat, and I always loved
helping him dock it. On Friday afternoon, we’d
head to Bay St. Louis. We spent the days cruis-
ing up the river or scooting along the coast.
Early afternoon we would make our way back
to the marina, where we would sit on the back
deck and enjoy a few appetizers before mak-
ing our way to dinner at Trapani’s or another
favorite eatery.
It seems that fishing, boats, and Mississippi’s
waterways have always been a part of my life.
I enjoyed reading Boyce Upholt’s piece on our
state’s “saltwater life” about fishing along the
Gulf Coast. Fishing the Mississippi Sound is big
business, and unless we make efforts to pro-
tect this resource, it may not always be there.
Not only does it bring tourism dollars to the
coast, but it is also the livelihood of many who
live there. When the Bonnet Carre Spillway
near New Orleans is opened, it sends a surge
of freshwater into Mississippi’s waters. But it’s
not just the freshwater that is the problem; it’s
also the pesticides and pollutants that infiltrate
it upstream. When this happens, our marine
wildlife dies. Our oyster beds have been deci-
mated, dolphins are washing ashore, and our
once abundant catches are diminishing. I en-
courage everyone to learn more about our
coastal waters.
Along with a great story about fishing on
the coast, we bring you our annual Best of
Mississippi results. Each spring our online ballot
goes live, and everyone is encouraged to vote
for favorite places to eat, shop, and visit. When
the voting closes, the computer program tal-
lies the votes, and the winners are revealed. Melanie Mullen Ward, Editor
EDITOR’S NOTE
LONNIE KEESIt is always a treat to learn about new places
and exciting things happening around the
state. We have so many tried-and-true busi-
nesses in Mississippi that have long held claim
to a category, but each year we have many
new businesses that open or rise to the top. If
your local favorite isn’t noted, be sure and vote
next year. The ballot will be “live” on our web-
site in March of 2020. In the meantime, see this
year’s amazing winners, and make plans to visit
them and experience why they are a readers’
pick as Mississippi’s best.
As summer heads into the early weeks of
the school year, we hope that everyone gets
out and enjoys what the Magnolia State has to
offer. Head to the coast to do a little deep-sea
fishing or even take an excursion to Ship Island.
Stop by the Institute for Marine and Mammal
Studies in Gulfport to learn more about the
inhabitants of our coastal waters. There’s so
much to see and do, and the Best of Mississip-
pi makes an excellent roadmap for adventure.
Happy Fourth of July to your family from ours!For subscription orders or
questions about your
subscription, or to order back
issues, call 844.303.8418, ext. 70,
or email us at
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Don’t miss the early-bird
deadline for the 2020
Wedding Register!
See page 199 for more
information.Submit by July 31 to save
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