My first tarpon

[onejacker]

Two months ago I asked three people to go to Key West tarpon fishing with me. The text "conversations" went like this;

Guy number one........................"lets talk about it".
Guy number two.........................never returned my text.
Guy number three (my nephew) "Hell yes uncle Pat. When we going?".

Jump ahead, to the first of two days on the water during the Memorial Day weekend, with Captain Mike Bartlett of Key West Guide Service, in KW. Near the end of the first full day on the water, my nephew Hunter and I had spotted dozens of fish, casts to several, and had no strikes. Finally Hunter had a strike, and promptly "jumped" the fish. In case you don't know, the term "jumped" is the polite way for the guide to say "you kind of caught that one, but not really". There is an old saying about "bowing to the king" when you are tarpon fishing. Bowing gives the tarpon slack line during his jump, and neither Hunter nor I give fish slack line normally. Hunter had not bowed, and the tarpon tossed the hook on his first jump.

The next day was much the same. We both jumped a tarpon, and both fish escaped the camera. Tarpon were proving worthy adversaries. If you do stick a hook point in a tarpon's mouth, that rascal IS coming out of the water. You can take that to the bank, brother. Finally I adopted a modified rod grip, with the butt of the rod in my armpit, to try and give the fish slack during the jump by pointing the rod tip at the jumping fish. The next fish that struck was a baby of maybe 35 pounds, and had not honed his hook throwing skills. After ten or eleven jumps, and everyone on board, including me, screaming for me to point the rod tip at the fish, I brought him along side for a quick picture and release.

If you have not chased tarpon yet, I strongly suggest trying it. If you have, you probably had days exactly like the ones described above.

(thanks for giving me a spot to share, Capt Lee)

[Agitated88]

Next time txt me... Congrats on your 1st Silver King!!!

[gottaflylee]

Oh how I love those baby Poons. Congrats Pat on your first one and to many more to come!

[onejacker]

Thanks Agitated88 and Capt Lee. I only wish I could have taken the picture, and Hunter could have been the one lipping the tarpon. However, we ARE planning the next trip, so its just a matter of time...

[blackbeard]

Very Nice, Well Done.

[95lbBull]

Congrats, I love them tarps.