As his new fishing rod and reel lay next to him on the shore of the small fishing pond at Clayton County International Park, The Beach, Tecember Watson hastily untangled the fishing line of his nine-year-old daughter, Sarah Tribbitt.

Just a few feet away, his son, George Tribbitt, 13, was paying little attention to what his father was doing as he carefully watched the float on the end of his line lazily bob up and down in the water in anticipation of it taking a nosedive indicating he had caught a “lunker.”

“That’s usually the way it is,” said their mother, Rosalind, as she patently waited nearby for a member of the family to hook something. “My husband untangles lines, puts worms on hooks, and takes fish off the hook and a host of other things so the children can enjoy their fishing experience.”

At that point, her husband finished untangling his daughter’s line and picked up his own, only to immediately set it aside once again as his daughter experienced another angling problem.

“Sometimes I don’t even know why I bring this thing,” he said of his fishing tackle. “I haven’t had a lot of opportunities to use it.”

However, the Watson’s agreed that fishing together, especially at nearby Clayton County International Park, is great family fun.

According to Clayton County International Park Deputy Director Troy Stubbs, who has been on site many a Saturday morning to organize and direct both the youth fishing derbies for those 13-and-under and fishing tournaments, which are open to all ages, the five-acre pond definitely has some “whoppers” underneath the surface, especially since no fishing is allowed in it, except for special recreation-sponsored events.

“During our last fishing event here on July 14," Stubbs said last week, “the largest fish caught was a catfish weighing in at just over three and a half pounds while the largest bass was about a pound and a half.”

He added the largest fish he had seen pulled out of this small pond was a nine-pound bass, “so there are some whoppers down there,” he said.

The final organized fishing tournament scheduled at the International Park pond this season is Aug. 4, starting at 8 a.m. through noon.

Stubbs said the tournament, which has an admission of $5 per person, is open to all ages. Anglers must bring their own tackle and bait.

For more information on the tournament, call (770) 477-3766.