Daily Limit: Life events hit bumps for Cook

While everything clicked last year for Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year Drew Cook, 2020 has been more of a bust, at least personally.

The COVID-19 pandemic has lives in disarray, and it put life-changing events on hold for Cook and fiancé Jennifer McClenny.

“We bought a new house and haven’t been able to move in to it,” Cook said. “We had to cancel our wedding. I feel so bad for Jenn, because every girl dreams about everything going perfect on their wedding day, and now that’s all been messed up.”

Cook had a decent start to his sophomore season, finishing 18th in the St. Johns Elite before a 22nd at the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. Then things went awry. A week after the Classic, Cook, from Midway, Fla., and McClenny closed on a house near her family and work in Cairo, Ga.

They had purchased the house from a family that works in the medical field with McClenny at Grady General Hospital, but the onset of the virus blew up their plans to move.  

“So we were supposed to be gone for three of these weeks, so we were going to rent it to them to let them get their stuff moved,” Cook said. “Now with all this coronavirus, with my fiancé being a nurse as well, it’s just been a cluster.”

On March 31, McClenny regretfully announced they would have to postpone their wedding to respect social distancing protocols in place. 

“We were going to get married at Southwind Plantation,” said Cook, who was introduced to many Bassmaster fans there in a Zona LIVE show before the 2019 season. “We had a big old wedding and rehearsal dinner, and everything planned, all the friends and family.”

They were finally able to get married in a small ceremony May 9, so things have turned.

McClenny posted online: “Oh happy day! This day was by far the best day ever! Although I had envisioned our ‘Big Day’ much differently, I am SO happy with our decision to go ahead and get married! Corona may have changed our original plans, but it can’t change LOVE!”

Celebrating it will be determined sometime in September, Cook said. For now he’s preparing to return to the Elite schedule June 10-13 at Lake Eufaula.

It’s been a hectic time for the couple. With elective surgeries postponed, McClenny moved back from post-operative care to ER work, Cook said. He said her hospital has had a handful of confirmed cases of coronavirus.

“She’s been around it. I think they’ve got five or six confirmed cases now, but she’s been taking all the precautions,” he said. “She gets home from work, the clothes go in the washer and she goes and gets a shower. There’s Lysol, wiping door handles, everything. She’s been really good about it.”

While lamenting the hiatus after a decent start in competition, Cook has stayed busy picking up some guide trips on Lake Talquin near Midway. He’s also been doing some one-on-one teaching with a youth whose family owns Mike’s Marine Supply in Panacea.

“I got a little buddy named Carson Falk I’ve been taking out twice a week,” Cook said. “We’re learning how to fish up shallow right now, because all the fish are up on beds. Learning about fishing points. We’ll merge into the ledge fishing deal shortly.”

Put on speakerphone, Carson said he was “12 about to turn 13,” and the best thing he’s learned from Cook so far is: “How to bed fish. You got to shake the bottom of the rod. The Cook Quake.”

Cook would love to do some ground shaking once the season resumes. He said his specialty of bed fishing has somewhat been taken out of play. The previous dates for Lake Eufaula and Santee Cooper set up for him nicely.

“Obviously, I can’t wait to get back out there. You get a little bit of momentum going, then they snatch it right out from beneath you,” he said. “We missed the two tournaments that I really circled on the map, expecting to do really well in.”

Cook said Drew Benton, his road roommate, had been out on Eufaula a lot, including the original competition days, and he caught more than 30 pounds every day,

“So it kind of stinks we missed it,” Cook said. “Losing those two sight-fishing tournaments has really kind of hurt me this year. Everybody lost them, but I’m sure some offshore people are loving that when we go back they won’t all be on the bank.”

That’s water under the bridge, Cook said, but he’s anxious to get the season restarted.

“Without a doubt. It will all work out,” he said. “We’ll make the best out it, I’m sure. I’m definitely ready to get back out there and get to fishing.”

And now from a new home, and as a married man.