Just got home from 4 days chasing tarpon in FL. Saw plenty of fish and had every kind of weather imaginable usually all in the same day...lol. And as per usual the fish were doing tarpony things although we actually had some good success this time around.
Took a buddy who has done a lot of saltwater fly fishing but his tarpon experiences have been limited to baby tarpon. He'd never caught an adult tarpon. That was about to change!
Day 1 - Started sunny and calm then got mostly cloudy and just a light breeze later on. Still could see fish but they had to be close to the boat from late morning on to get a shot. Fish were swimming right off the bat as the tide was perfect. We each got a lot of shots this day but the fish weren't chewing. Buddy did hook a fish about 70# bug it jumped right off. I got blanked.
Day 2 - Started mostly cloudy but slick calm so went looking for waking and rolling fish. Found a few that were behaving and had a dang good day. Each jumped 2 and my buddy landed his first adult tarpon of about 70#. The two fish I hooked were both short lived. First one chewed right through the bite tippet after the first jump. Second fish threw the hook on the first jump.
Day 3 - Started sunny and slick so went to a bank where the guide thought we'd see rolling and waking fish. He was not wrong! Saw fish moving as soon as we got in the area. Guide decided we needed to downsize the fly for those conditions so he re-rigged my setup. Got up on the bow and hooked up in first 5 minutes and it was game one. Got a great 20 minute fight and landed an 80# poon. Got some great videos of the eat and jumps. Motored back into area and literally never saw another fish. Went to several other spots the rest of the day and my buddy had all the bow time. Didn't matter what he did they MFers just weren't eating. Rain moved in about 2 and totally drowned us.
Day 4 - Same as day 3 but buddy was up. Got to first spot and not as many fish as the day before but soon after he got a great shot and jumped a 100# stud. Got the first jump on video. Unfortunately it came right off. Then we alternated turns until the rain dumped again starting about 1. We decided to just call it and head out since we had to drive back to our MS homes that evening.
So in total we fished 4 days, jumped 7 poons, and each landed one. I'll take that ANY time!!! The key these days was just downsizing the flies and the bit tippets. We started with 60# bite tippets and they just wouldn't eat. Went down to 40# but just got bit off too quick. Ended up with 50# and that seemed to be the best compromise. Sure as heck nothing like the 100# stuff we used when I first started chasing these dang fish.
One last note. As we finished unloading the boat, paying the guide, and changing into dry clothes for the drive home my buddy was just giddy over how fun it had been. Hopped in the car and headed out and he was silent for about 30 seconds. Then says, "Steve if you go next year and need somebody to go I am in.....I think you created a monster."
Took a buddy who has done a lot of saltwater fly fishing but his tarpon experiences have been limited to baby tarpon. He'd never caught an adult tarpon. That was about to change!
Day 1 - Started sunny and calm then got mostly cloudy and just a light breeze later on. Still could see fish but they had to be close to the boat from late morning on to get a shot. Fish were swimming right off the bat as the tide was perfect. We each got a lot of shots this day but the fish weren't chewing. Buddy did hook a fish about 70# bug it jumped right off. I got blanked.
Day 2 - Started mostly cloudy but slick calm so went looking for waking and rolling fish. Found a few that were behaving and had a dang good day. Each jumped 2 and my buddy landed his first adult tarpon of about 70#. The two fish I hooked were both short lived. First one chewed right through the bite tippet after the first jump. Second fish threw the hook on the first jump.
Day 3 - Started sunny and slick so went to a bank where the guide thought we'd see rolling and waking fish. He was not wrong! Saw fish moving as soon as we got in the area. Guide decided we needed to downsize the fly for those conditions so he re-rigged my setup. Got up on the bow and hooked up in first 5 minutes and it was game one. Got a great 20 minute fight and landed an 80# poon. Got some great videos of the eat and jumps. Motored back into area and literally never saw another fish. Went to several other spots the rest of the day and my buddy had all the bow time. Didn't matter what he did they MFers just weren't eating. Rain moved in about 2 and totally drowned us.
Day 4 - Same as day 3 but buddy was up. Got to first spot and not as many fish as the day before but soon after he got a great shot and jumped a 100# stud. Got the first jump on video. Unfortunately it came right off. Then we alternated turns until the rain dumped again starting about 1. We decided to just call it and head out since we had to drive back to our MS homes that evening.
So in total we fished 4 days, jumped 7 poons, and each landed one. I'll take that ANY time!!! The key these days was just downsizing the flies and the bit tippets. We started with 60# bite tippets and they just wouldn't eat. Went down to 40# but just got bit off too quick. Ended up with 50# and that seemed to be the best compromise. Sure as heck nothing like the 100# stuff we used when I first started chasing these dang fish.
One last note. As we finished unloading the boat, paying the guide, and changing into dry clothes for the drive home my buddy was just giddy over how fun it had been. Hopped in the car and headed out and he was silent for about 30 seconds. Then says, "Steve if you go next year and need somebody to go I am in.....I think you created a monster."
