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| Hey Everyone,
I just got back from Florida and had my most memorable fish encounter ever. I've been busting at the seems trying to find someone I can tell it to so I thought I'd tell it here first. I'd doesn't have anything to do with Muskies so if that's all your interested in go back and chime in on the "which is your favorite jerkbait" thread.
First, I've fished all over the place and have a short list of fish I haven't caught that I still have to hunt. Tarpon was one on the top of my list. My wife and I were down in Miami at a conferance of her's and decided to take a couple days to see the Keys after. Why not since her company payed to get us down there. We decided to get a guide and check out the fishing yesterday and after checking into a couple places, we settled on a guide (Todd) who ran a tboat "Lit'l Hooker" and settled on his flat's boat. He told me the Tarpon weren't running this time of year, but he had a couple spots that may still have some.
Anyway, after a 20min ride, we got to our spot: a dredged out chanel under one of those huge bridges that hop from island to island. We anchored off to the side and our guide pitched out the first bait and handed me the rod saying "I think you've got a bit" all the while on his cell talking to another guide lining up our next spot. I took the rod from him, and for the next 2-1/2 hours fought the biggest fish of my life!
It took 1/2 hour just to get the first glimps of this fish. I was only using 12lb mono on a med-hvy rod I'd use for bass so horsing this fish in was NOT in the cards. We followed the fish for about 45 min until she started playing slalem with the bridge pileings. This was fine until she figured out she could go THROUGH the pileings! Imagine the main support of the bridge coming down to the water to sit on 2 blocks 2 feet apart. That fish went between the pilings and finally started to make the drag scream!
This is where the team work between my guide and I really payed off. Without thinking a screamed for him to leave the helm and grap the rod. I handed it off and jumped 4 feet onto the piling while he fought the fish. The fish was taking one of those fishing show runs where they tailwalk for 50 years shaking there head all the way, barely making any contact with the water. I jumped around the bridge suppord and grabbed the top 6" of the rod and recovered it on the other side.
Now I'm amazed that we had the fish on at this point for many reasons: 1 there are many mussels and crustations that live on the pileings and the line never rubbed on any of them, 2 I'm supprised the rod tip didn't bread when I grabbed it, 3 I'm supprised Todd or myself didn't drop the rod (i would have dove in after it), and 4. If the fish would have taked a right instead of a left she would have crossed another piling and gotten off.
Todd raced the boat around the piling and picked me up and we chased he down again. Thankfully that was the last time she tried to lose us in the bridge again.
The next hour we did our best to get her to break when luck finally went our way. We were able to coral her into shallow water. There we were able to turn her a half dozen times, but still no luck breaking her. Another 1/2 hour into it and we were getting our chance. We had tryed letting her work against the drag a dozen times and then catching up to her and doing it over again. We finnally saw here come to within 2" of the surface. We raced to where we were directly over on Todd took one for the team and threw himself on the deck reaching for the 30# leaded.
She had other plans. She took off on another tackle busting run tail walking and head thrashing letting us know that we STILL haven't worked hard enough to best her.
After 2-1/2 hours into it we had a decision to make: start taking chances to get her in and continue fishing or make this a 1 fish day. At this point I looked over to my wife, who's been the best little trooper never saying a word and sayed that it was time she had a chance to catch her own.
We made a couple more attempts to tire her out when I added a little finger tention to the spool and she busted the line and breaking my heart. I looked over my shoulder and we were 2 miles away from our start (and she brought us back to our anchor 4 times during the fight!)
We were able to get my wife hooked into a 30-40#'er for about 5 min and a couple snapper later that evening but were unable to land it for her, but at least she was able to feel the fight.
Now for anyone who took the time to read through this long-winded story, your probably wanting to know how big this fish was. Todd figured it was one of the top 3 he's EVER seen in his boat, charter, personal, tournament, pleasure fishing; anything! And he's been guiding for about 15-20 years. The fish was in the mid 5+ feet and he figured it was in the relm of 130#'s. Now that's a huge fish (any my personal best) but on tackle lighter then we all use muskie fishing really puts this into perspective!
Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this and share this special moment with me. I haven't shared this with anyone yet and I figured that the people on this board would appreciate it more then 90% of my friends.
-MT |
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| P.S.
My wife burned a roll of film trying to get a pic both while the fish was above and below the water. If any turn up I'll add some to the post. |
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| What a terrific experience! Great story. |
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| MT-
thanks for sharing- i hope to try the silver beast in the near future!
steve |
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| Man, that was a great story! Congrats on a great fish and a fish of a lifetime! |
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| ...I took the wife on a silimar trip in Key west...we saw a few tarpon but only caught a few sharks and cudas....have to get back some time and do battle with a Silver king
great story! |
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| Great Story Treats!
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| Gooder one dude! Sounds like the same fish I hooked in the Chesapeake Bay....pulled us to N.C. last fall![;)] Never caught one...the wifes' cousin fishes for them here + says what you did--butt kicking runs + extreme excitement! Glad you + the wife had fun...if I could just get sponge babe hooked onto something larger than a bluegill! [:sun:] |
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| Treats- Awesome story, way to go! Risking the fish breaking off, so the wife could have a chance at a fish is a sign of a true sportsman.
I envy you for the 2 1/2 hour fight of a lifetime. Hope you get Your trophy Muskie this year, as compensation for not getting that beast to the boat. You deserve it! [:halo:]
Best of Luck in 2000.
Al Warner
www.icantplayfindmyfoot.com |
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| Great story MT, I'm looking forward to fishing them myself. I was going to try it this May, but things changed :( Oh well.
I can't wait until I get to experience what you did, it sounds great!
Steve @ G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods. http://www.herefishyfishy.com |
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| Great story Treats,
Last August my girlfriend and I went to Mexico. We went out one day for Tuna. She was going to spend the day drinking beer and lying in the sun while I fished.
Well she laid in the sun alright, poor girl spent the first 15 minutes of the 35 minute ride out to our spot trying not to lose breakfast. The next 15 or 20 minutes were spent "losing" breakfast. She slept for the rest of the trip. Needles to say I had a great time. Caught 8 fish, the biggest was about 65 lbs., talk about a fight!!!
Tarpon are next on my list (light tackle)!!! [:bigsmile:] |
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| Man !!!! What a story!!! Sounds like BIG TIME fun !!!
Way to go!!
Mauser[:)] [:0] [:bigsmile:] [:praise:] |
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| That pretty much explains why we're all so addicted to this sport. Great story! |
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| what a fantastic story! This shows that fishermen aren't dull people, we are full of passion!
One thing though I didn't get: were you able to land it or did it snap the line? If she did, you bet that fish counts! I'd love to see a picture if one turns up!
Are tarpon hard to hook? I read some books from Lefty Kregh and he talked about driving the hook home time and time again during the fight because of the bony mouth |
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| I'm glad that so many of you were able to read and enjoy my adventure. MuskyJ, that's one hell-of-a tuna. I sympathise with your girlfriend. The only time I ever got sick was on a deep sea charter on Oaho (10-12' waves).
Divani, I was able to hook up with that fish very easily. We were using large (maybe 3/0) circle hooks. The one my wife had, I actually hooked and gave to her. She wasn't able to keep the hook in it. I gues it goes to show you, when they're hooked they're hooked.
Unfortunatly we were unable to land the fish. We were almost able to reach the leader when we got her up to 6" of water but she gave us the slip. A couple times I was standing directly above her and probably could have reached down and touched her. If we would have had a gaff (OUCH!!!![:knockout:]) we could have landed her and killed the fish in the process. I'll split the difference: she got away unscared and I'll count her in my fish caught book @ 130#'s. [:sun:] |
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| muskietreats, thanks for the info! You she counts and I'm sure you're happier she swam away alive than that you would have had to gaff her. |
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| Well, I guess the morral to this story is leave your wife at home![:devil:]
Great story Treats, I hope you got a good picture of the fish to show us.[;)] |
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| Fantastic story..
Thanks, |
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| oh my god! that is fantastic... i always wanted togo for tarpon. i hope some pics turn up!!! congrats. |
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| Thanks for sharing! I think I could feel the warm Florida rays as I read it!!!!
Nothing like dancing with the fat girls!
Cory |
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A fish story I have to share with people who can a