NC RECORD TARPON

Jesse Lockowitz · 10-04-2005, 09:48 PM

a couple of you have asked about my tarpon that i caught last month, and asked me to tell the story. so here she goes.

Im Jesse Lockowitz. I am 16 yrs. old and live in Swansboro, NC. I have been fishing off of piers for tarpon since i moved here, and have gotten a few, but none like my last one.

Sept 7, last month, i got home from school, and jetted to the pier. we were seeing school, after school of tarpon roll infront of the pier, about 125 yrds off of the end of it.

the wind was JUST right to send a balloon rig with a big live bluefish for bait, and i sent that bad boy right into the "lane" where all the tarpon were going down the beach.

no longer did i get my balloons out to the 125yrd mark, set the rod in the clamp, and turn the clicker on, i saw my balloons separate. the clicker never went off, i just saw the balloons move apart.

then i saw the massive tarpon jump three times, and run straight back towards me. after about fifty yards of fast cranking, i caught up to the beast, and set a 6/0 owner single live bait hook deep, and hard.

he then ran about 350-400yrds straight off the end of the pier. i was using a shimano tiagra 20, spooled with 20lb momoi hi-catch blue diamond.

anyways, he jumped a few more times, and in about an hour and a half more of fight, he came to the pier. he was pretty wooped, but still had enuf in him to almost bust me off on the pilings.

anyways, to cut a long story short. it took 3 flying gaffs, and 6 people to pull him up the 20ft to the rail , and over.

the ONLY reason i gaffed him , because i had a really good idea of what he weighed, and that it was an extremely big tarpon for the area.

so we hauled him to the certified scales, and he tipped em at 175lbs.

a 175lb tarpon, caught from a pier, on twenty pound test, in North Carolina. yesterday i received my certificate in the mail, and a letter stating that i hold the new north carolina state record for tarpon, and that they have changed the records, added me , and that they have also changed their web sites.

for pictures go to www.bogueinletpier.com and go to current fishing reports, and scroll down to the sept 7, 2005 date, and you will see a nice pic of me and the fish of my lifetime.

the end lol. my hand is tired from typing now lol.

Jesse

Jer · 10-04-2005, 10:12 PM

Great story, Jesse!

Congratulations on the record! Nice picture, you look very happy (who wouldn't?)

Murph · 10-04-2005, 10:33 PM

Way to go, men search a lifetime for a fish like that.

gaffer · 10-05-2005, 12:10 AM

Damn - now that is a story and that is one heck of a fish!!!

Jesse - thanks for sharing. Grew up pier fishing with my grandfather. Never did that well though. YOU ARE THE MAN!!!

John Rogers · 10-05-2005, 01:20 PM

Congrats on the record. Pretty work.

Admin · 10-05-2005, 01:54 PM

Jesse wow man CONGRATES !

That must have been a amazing fight .
I can only imagine the excitement .

Welcome to our site

John

GoFly · 10-05-2005, 09:59 PM

Fou f****n beauty mate.

Fantastic effort and well deserved.

Nice fish mate too.

10-04-2005, 09:48 PM	#1
Jesse Lockowitz I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: 5 min from MHC, NC Posts: 2,166 Credits: 5,344.0 Occupation: Bluewater Realty	NC RECORD TARPON a couple of you have asked about my tarpon that i caught last month, and asked me to tell the story. so here she goes. Im Jesse Lockowitz. I am 16 yrs. old and live in Swansboro, NC. I have been fishing off of piers for tarpon since i moved here, and have gotten a few, but none like my last one. Sept 7, last month, i got home from school, and jetted to the pier. we were seeing school, after school of tarpon roll infront of the pier, about 125 yrds off of the end of it. the wind was JUST right to send a balloon rig with a big live bluefish for bait, and i sent that bad boy right into the "lane" where all the tarpon were going down the beach. no longer did i get my balloons out to the 125yrd mark, set the rod in the clamp, and turn the clicker on, i saw my balloons separate. the clicker never went off, i just saw the balloons move apart. then i saw the massive tarpon jump three times, and run straight back towards me. after about fifty yards of fast cranking, i caught up to the beast, and set a 6/0 owner single live bait hook deep, and hard. he then ran about 350-400yrds straight off the end of the pier. i was using a shimano tiagra 20, spooled with 20lb momoi hi-catch blue diamond. anyways, he jumped a few more times, and in about an hour and a half more of fight, he came to the pier. he was pretty wooped, but still had enuf in him to almost bust me off on the pilings. anyways, to cut a long story short. it took 3 flying gaffs, and 6 people to pull him up the 20ft to the rail , and over. the ONLY reason i gaffed him , because i had a really good idea of what he weighed, and that it was an extremely big tarpon for the area. so we hauled him to the certified scales, and he tipped em at 175lbs. a 175lb tarpon, caught from a pier, on twenty pound test, in North Carolina. yesterday i received my certificate in the mail, and a letter stating that i hold the new north carolina state record for tarpon, and that they have changed the records, added me , and that they have also changed their web sites. for pictures go to www.bogueinletpier.com and go to current fishing reports, and scroll down to the sept 7, 2005 date, and you will see a nice pic of me and the fish of my lifetime. the end lol. my hand is tired from typing now lol. Jesse __________________

10-04-2005, 10:12 PM	#2
Jer Sportfishermen.com Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Fortaleza, CE, Brazil Posts: 3,985 Credits: 4,136.6 Best Catch: Catfish. I don't know the weight and lenght. Occupation: Internet	Great story, Jesse! Congratulations on the record! Nice picture, you look very happy (who wouldn't?) __________________

10-04-2005, 10:33 PM	#3
Murph I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,402 Credits: 1,263.8	Way to go, men search a lifetime for a fish like that. __________________ Murph [IMG]http://www.***********.com/images/Fall_Banner.JPG[/IMG]

10-05-2005, 12:10 AM	#4
gaffer Stop staring at my Avatar. Join Date: May 2005 Location: Harlowe - home of the free Posts: 447 Credits: 1,223.9 Boat: 2nd To One Home Port: BFE - then take a left Best Catch: No doubt about that!! Occupation: Self Employed Box Crusher	Damn - now that is a story and that is one heck of a fish!!! Jesse - thanks for sharing. Grew up pier fishing with my grandfather. Never did that well though. YOU ARE THE MAN!!! __________________ Advertise Your Product Here Neuse and beyond...

10-05-2005, 01:54 PM	#6
Admin Capt John Eppehimer Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sewell, NJ Posts: 13,493 Credits: 96,593.2 Boat: 33' Hydra Sport - Triple 275 Mercury Verado Home Port: Cape May, NJ Best Catch: Whats Fishing Occupation: Internet Blog Entries: 1	Jesse wow man CONGRATES ! That must have been a amazing fight . I can only imagine the excitement . Welcome to our site John __________________ "If I had learned education, I would not have had time to learn anything else." "You have undertaken to cheat me. I won't sue you, for the law is too slow. I will ruin you."

10-05-2005, 01:20 PM	#5
John Rogers I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Elkton, MD Posts: 2,440 Credits: 1,682.0 Boat: 08 25' Contender Best Catch: Micaela	Congrats on the record. Pretty work.

10-05-2005, 09:59 PM	#7
GoFly Cockpit Monkey In Training Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 37 Credits: 1,217.5 Occupation: Credit Analyst	Fou f****n beauty mate. Fantastic effort and well deserved. Nice fish mate too.

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