There’s an area in central Mississippi that’s as proud of its tradition, food and fishing as we are of ours in this Teche Area, the heart of Cajun Country.

It’s more than the Magnolia State, to be certain, four outdoors writers and four regional pro bass anglers discovered during a three-day stay there Sept. 15-17 for the Ridgeland Outdoor Media Camp.

Tradition? One of the main attractions is the Natchez Trace Parkway, a 444-mile long recreational road and scenic drive through three states that starts at Natchez, Mississippi, and ends in Nashville.

Food? Katie Coats, director of marketing and public relations, said people gravitate to Ridgeland to eat and there was little argument there with more than 150 restaurants “and counting” to choose.

Fishing? Bass and crappie (known here as sac-a-lait) are prevalent in the 33,000-acre Ross Barnett Reservoir, approximately 10 minutes from Ridgeland. Ross Barnett Reservoir, affectionately known as “The Rez,” played host April 28-30 to a Bassmaster Central Open.

All the boxes checked, including first-class lodging such as at Hampton Inn & Suites, during the visit arranged by Coats and the Ridgeland Tourist Commission. Veteran outdoors write/photographer Brad Wiegmann of Springdale, Arkansas, worked closely with Coats and Mike Jones, a personable former bait shop owner with beaucoup connections, to arrange the event that brought in longtime outdoors writers John Felsher of Semmes, Alabama; Ken McBroom of Benton, Kentucky, and myself, The Daily Iberian’s outdoors editor since 1976, to Ridgeland.

They were joined by Bassmaster and/or Major League Fishing anglers Evan Barnes of Dardanelle, Arkansas; Briana Tucker of Moulton, Alabama; Gene Bishop of Ridgeland, Mississippi, and Pete Ponds of Madison, Mississippi. They had their stories to tell and the outdoors writers have the opportunity to write those stories after fishing with each half-a-day Friday and Saturday on Ross Barnett Reservoir.

To our taste buds’ delight, we sampled the tablefare Thursday evening at Local 463; Friday afternoon at Crab’s Seafood Shack, a waterfront restaurant on The Rez; Saturday afternoon at Cock of the Walk, also on the lake’s waterfront, and Saturday evening at Bulldog Burger. Each morning we dined at the Hampton Inn & Suites, one of 17 hotels in Ridgeland, and Friday evening volunteers cooked hamburger steak and rice and gravy at Ridgecrest Baptist Church, pretournament site for a Bass Tactix event the next day for 100 teams (boys and girls ages 5-18) at Ross Barnett Reservoir.

Bass Tactix is a Christian-based bass fishing organization led by the director of operations, Richard Parker.

Bass Tactix, affiliated with The Bass Federation, will play host to a high school tournament Oct. 8-9 at Doiron’s Landing, Stephensville.

For more information call (580) 765-9031.

As for Ross Barnett Reservoir, a reservoir of the Pearl River between Madison and Rankin Counties in Mississippi, it’s a big impoundment, albeit mostly shallow, with bass big and small ready to bite around the lily pads and flats along the river channel and beyond.

Flats with shells on them gave up most of the bass recently in this period of extreme heat in late summer.

We launched at sunrise each day from Madison Landing, a spacious parking lot within walking distance of the three waterfront restaurants, including Pelican Cove Grill. It’s one of three public boat landings on The Rez.

Aside from the natural beauty of the lake from the lower end to the upper end, the most interesting feature was the historic Natchez Trace Parkway. The road winds along the length of the lake’s western shoreline, providing a spectacular view for the motorists who travel the path once used by American Indians, European settlers, soldiers and future presidents.

For more information on Ridgeland and Ross Barnett Reservoir, go to visitridgeland.com.

DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.