Fish-Hawk.Net

Posted: **Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:24 am**

Just wanted to let folks know about some of the fishing I did down in Naples, Florida a few weeks ago. Ever since I was 15 I've always wanted to catch a Tarpon. The only thing better than catching a Tarpon is a Marlin.

So I got a guide to take me out for a day and as luck would have it I hooked into a 150lb Tarpon on some medium light tackle with 50lb threaded line. The idea is to let these fish run with the bait and then reel back on them. Well within seconds of setting the hook and before I could register in my brain that the fish felt big it came flying out of the water about 100 yards from the Boat. Then 2 seconds later it comes leaping out of the water again and now it's heading straight for the boat, the next jump is literally 10' from the boat shaking his body left and right as he passes by. This thing was a monster and easily 6' long with eyeballs as big as baseballs, his gills flared, and his mouth was wide open and big enough to stick a basketball into it. Within seconds of him passing the boat the reel was screaming as he had taken out about 200 yards of line.
Sadly I didn't get a picture of him or the other 3 I ended up catching from the Pier in Naples but I will never forget the experience.

If you ever get a chance to go Tarpon fishing do it! It's like catching a 30lb Steelhead Salmon times a hundred.

Here's a pic of a Tarpon off the net that's around the size of the one I'm talking about.

PS-how do upload my own pics onto this site?

Posted: **Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:18 am**

That must of numbed the arms. I caught 2 very small ones in Cuba, they are a very strong fish.

Posted: **Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:21 am**

WOW GREAT REPORT!!!!

Congrats on a great fish and pic.

JP

Posted: **Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:34 am**

mmaangler wrote:That must of numbed the arms. I caught 2 very small ones in Cuba, they are a very strong fish.

I made the mistake of putting my thumb on the spool to try and slow him down (since the drag was maxed out) and ended up with a huge blister from the heat. This other one I got actually spooled me off. I thought 250yds should be enough but you need more like 400 - 500 to be safe.

Posted: **Wed Jun 04, 2008 11:12 am**

COOL report and thanks for sharing.

Fish Finder

Posted: **Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:50 pm**

Tricky wrote:Sadly I didn't get a picture of him or the other 3 I ended up catching from the Pier in Naples but I will never forget the experience.

Here's a pic of a Tarpon off the net that's around the size of the one I'm talking about.

PS-how do upload my own pics onto this site?

Nice report Tricky.....I'm just curious...did you not carry a camera with you to take a pic of one of the 4 Tarpon you caught????...Man, for me it would be a chance of a lifetime and i know I would want to take a pic or two before cutting the leader and releasing the fish...

Posted: **Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:26 pm**

Whoa, Tricky..

I was in Naples a few weeks ago too.

Fished the pier every day for pompano and ladyfish.

Actually, had to move a few times for the guys hooking up on the tarpon.
Saw a few beauties caught.

What dates were you there?

p.s. I' m new to the forum.
what a great site

Posted: **Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:17 pm**

Paddler wrote:Whoa, Tricky..

I was in Naples a few weeks ago too.

Fished the pier every day for pompano and ladyfish.

Actually, had to move a few times for the guys hooking up on the tarpon.
Saw a few beauties caught.

What dates were you there?

p.s. I' m new to the forum.
what a great site

Ladyfish was lots of fun. Fished for them a few days in between sailfish and wahoo. Ended up with about 60.

Jackel

Posted: **Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:46 pm**

i can just imagine a tarpon jumping in the air smashing the water !

that must be something to see....

you caught 3 of them!??

wow thats what i call fish trainning!

did you make some new muscles fishing these?

Posted: **Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:46 pm**

I'll be fishing for those on sunday at the carrillon dam in Hawksbury, but over there,, we call them shad

Nice report

Posted: **Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:48 am**

Posted: **Thu Jun 05, 2008 11:03 am**

I ended up hooking into 4 Tarpon. 3 of them where at the Pier as well as a huge StingRay that broke the 50lb test and almost the rod.

When I went out with the guide we were catching 4-5lb LadyFish left right and center. We ended up using one of them for bait to catch the 1st Tarpon I was talking about.

Apparently May and September are great months for Tarpon. I was down there from May 1st to the 10th. Paddler, your right, once you had a Tarpon on you had to work your way down the Pier and everyone else that was fishing had to move in their lines causing a bit of chaos!

As for pics I forgot the camera the day that I went to the Pier and hooked into those 3 and when on the guides boat it was all we could do to stay with the fish who ended up getting off eventually. They say the ratio of getting a Tarpon to the Boat is 1 for every 5 that you hook into to.

And yes my rod arm was burning with lactic acid during the battles with these fish. At one point I had to hold my rod at the crease of my elbow joint to recover.

From what I've heard from the locals there is a time in May when the tides move very quickly and wash out all the Crabs from the Mangroves into the Bay and the Tarpon go into a feeding frenzy. When this happens you'll hook into a dozen of them by the time the tide is finished. How awesome would that be?!!

Posted: **Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:57 pm**

I'll bet I was there when you had some of the fish hooked from the pier.
I was there from May 8-13th . Couldn't fish the last morning cause they were re-decking.

There was one that spooled a guy then swam right under where I was. Kinda worried me..almost snagged it with my medium bass rod and 8# line.

I ended up taking some pics of one that was "landed"...the guy's buddy went in from the beach and released it.

I snapped a few pics of the fight and they guy actually holding & unhooking it to show my wife what she was missing(she'd shop during the day and join me for some topsail catfishing at night).

Wow, it's a small world.

Can anyone tell me how to attach pics??

Posted: **Mon Jun 09, 2008 8:55 am**

Paddler wrote:I ended up taking some pics of one that was "landed"...the guy's buddy went in from the beach and released it.

Did the guy have a hunters orange ball cap and camo shorts? IF so I was there that day.

Mine spooled me out away from the pier jumping all the way...

Posted: **Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:51 pm**

Tricky,

Yes, that's the guy.

I have pics of the battle and the guy in the water with the fish.
It really gives a good perspective of the size.

I still am having trouble posting them, but I'll give it a few more goes!

Fish-Hawk.Net

Monster Tarpon fishing in Florida

Monster Tarpon fishing in Florida

Re: Monster Tarpon fishing in Florida