80lb Tarpon from a Kayak and 40" red drum

[apollobeachsam]

One of my goal this year was to get a large Tarpon from kayak. I fished with cubs83 last and get a couple smaller ones but there's nothing like the challenge of getting a big fish from a small craft. After getting a few tarpon under my belt this season for motor boats I was ready.

Jason and I had good success with poons the day before so we figured we try our luck again, this time in kayak. 6am, I met Jason and his friend Tony at the launch. Both of these guys seasoned and experienced yak fishermen so I felt I was in good company.

Jason brought along a pair of Wilderness System Tarpon 140 with rudder. This was a perfect setup, plenty of room, very stable, fully rigged and design for fishing. Needless to say the Tarpon140 is probably one most popular fishing kayak in Tampa Bay. With the Tarpon rod and sabiki setup along w/ anchor and drift shoot we were prepared.

The light east wind, the smooth seas, the abundant of bait, the stage was set. We launch in the surf started our hunt for bait. We got a variet of pin fish, squirrel, whitebait and thread fins. How we look for the poons. They weren't abundant but we saw a couple roller so we knew they were in the vicinity.

1 hour 45minutes into the launch my line goes off, I set the hook the silver king leaps in front of me, I bow and scream Yippie Kia or something like that at the same time. I was on! Oh no... hes taking me into the crab traps.. the yak as very little resistance so he's got me rapped up. The drama in my voice was unmistakable, the exitment, the let down of loosing my 1st poon to crab trap.

I go over and try to unrap.. the 50lb braid thankfully holds. He's off... whew! .. oh No! he's back around it again.. Tony ask me if I needed help, I scream he!! yes!! I'm trying to keep tension on the fish and at the same time trying not to put too much tension and cut him off. Talk about a catch22 .. urrggh.. By now Tony is yak side trying to help .. I finally gets him off the trap.. and I put pressure on him again.. he jumps 10' in front of me.. I bow. Now my reel's anti very goes out.. and bust my knuckle... I'm cursing up a storm now at Shimano Sustain's @!$@!$@!$@!%!

I Silver king jumps 3 more times before fatigue finally gets to him. What seem in an eternity, I had him boat side in 25minutes. Jason comes over and snap a few pictures and I was ecstatic to say the least.

After all the commotion, we setup once again to get another hook up but the bite was dead. Jason gets fat Mango but that was about it. After the poon was a no show, we decided to go after some snooks on the beach.

The beach was loaded with nice snooks but they didn't feel like playing today. Tony spots a large redfish in the surf and makes cast with his fly rod but the red fish refused it. I make a cast with my pinns minnow and he ignores that too! Jason makes one cast, bounce bounce.. wham! .. fish on.. the drag peels and a few minutes later close to a 40" bronze bomber was at our feet in the surf. He looked like he was attacked by a shark not too long ago.

After trying for the stubborn snooks a little long it was apparent they were in no mood. We left and grabbed pizza pie and call it a day to remember. 2 fish but they were 2 memorable ones.

note: I thought I had the whole battle on the cam but the battery died on me prematurely bummer.

[Ravens16]

Man you are a Tarpon catchin' fool!
Nice report and pic's.
That had to be one hell of a sled ride

[Wave Loudly]

Congrats! Catching a big poon from a yak is one of my dreams! Glad to hear you got to fullfill yours!!

[LuckyLady]

Pretty work!

Kayak fishing looks like so much fun!

Definitely on my to do list!

[Jesse Lockowitz]

awesome, been workin my arse off this year to get a tarpon from the yak this year too..jumped off one, but thats it. lil rougher to get one here on the ocean side in NC

im trying though. should happen sooner or later..



well im off, cant get em with dry hooks..




Jesse

[The Kidd]

You so crazy!!

Awesome man. I'm not big on the yak thing but that is impressive.

[Glueman]

Awsome photo and great story!