My Personal Best Tarpon!
Dec 12, 2020 23:09:42 #
Sometimes good things suddenly pop up and you must grab them when that happens, even though you weren’t expecting or anticipating them. This has happened to me more than once in my life. I am going to now tell how I was lucky enough to be given a chance to go to a meeting in Puerto Rico. As soon as I hung up the phone after determining we would be staying at the El Conquistador Resort, on the east side of the island, I called this resort and asked for the Concierge.
When he was on the phone, I inquired if they had a fishing guide for their guests. He replied that they did, and I said I do not want to go trolling for deep sea game but wanted a guide to take me for tarpon fishing. He replied they did so I booked him for both half days that I would be there after my half day corporate meetings each morning.
Let me first describe the location. I had been to PR before and we were taken on a deepsea fishing trip that was nothing more than a long boat ride. No fish, nothing. And on this trip I was determined not to repeat that mistake. I wanted, insisted on a guide in a small boat to take me out in a large bay on the far east side of Puerto Rico and help me catch and land a tarpon. I wasn’t particularly concerned on how large it was, just let me catch and land one tarpon.
I was introduced to the guide who happened to have a degree in Itchology, and was also affiliated with university. He helped me board a 16 ft. Boston Whaler. I have been aporahed by another member of my company who had tried to hire this guide, but I had been faster on the draw. He offered to pay half the fee if he could go along. I agreed so we set out. Now this guide’s method was to drift fish with live bait. It wasn’t long until my companion hooked and landed a tarpon of around 40 pounds.
A few minutes after releasing that catch, I also hooked a tarpon which went jumping and bird dog hopping around the rear of this boat which had a poling tower on the stern which forced me to pass the rod hand over hand through the tower’s bars and of course I lost him in during this wasted time and effort. It was o.k. because I had another day to catch and land a tarpon.
As soon as I finished the morning’s meeting, a lady broker from my office asked if she could go along, just to watch. My wife was also to go along, also to just watch. This time we troll out to another even smaller island. There we use light tackle to catch some small fish we intend to use for bait. After catching three or four, we then motor out into this bay that looked to me to be about a circular basin of approximately five miles, and which was fed by a mountain river from the main island.
He explained that with larger bait, we were more likely catch a larger tarpon. I asked why he thought this was possible. He explained that there, tarpon swam in schools with the younger fish on the parimeter and the larger tarpon in the center. When a small fish was encountered the smaller tarpon would rush ahead and grab the fish. However, if a slightly larger, to larger bait fish was encountered, the smaller tarpon held back and a larger fish would eat the bait fish. That was how he predicted we would catch a larger tarpon.
It wasn’t more than fifteen to twenty minutes I hook a keeper that give a terrific aerial display of jumps, bird dog hops, and a battle for fifteen to twenty minutes before we finally had it along side for pictures and then to revive it before release. My guide said if we did not revive it so it would have stamina enough to escape from a hammer head shark, it probably would not survive an attack if one was in the area.
During the battle, i am standing in the bow of this small boat, the deck is wet and slippery. My wife, whom you cannot see in this photograph is scared I will be pulled overboard, is holding on to the back of my belt during this fight.
Below are two of about fifty photographs taken my fellow employee. I had handed her my 35 MM camera and said to “shoot away, it had a full load of film” and she did. Just Sayin…RJS
When he was on the phone, I inquired if they had a fishing guide for their guests. He replied that they did, and I said I do not want to go trolling for deep sea game but wanted a guide to take me for tarpon fishing. He replied they did so I booked him for both half days that I would be there after my half day corporate meetings each morning.
Let me first describe the location. I had been to PR before and we were taken on a deepsea fishing trip that was nothing more than a long boat ride. No fish, nothing. And on this trip I was determined not to repeat that mistake. I wanted, insisted on a guide in a small boat to take me out in a large bay on the far east side of Puerto Rico and help me catch and land a tarpon. I wasn’t particularly concerned on how large it was, just let me catch and land one tarpon.
I was introduced to the guide who happened to have a degree in Itchology, and was also affiliated with university. He helped me board a 16 ft. Boston Whaler. I have been aporahed by another member of my company who had tried to hire this guide, but I had been faster on the draw. He offered to pay half the fee if he could go along. I agreed so we set out. Now this guide’s method was to drift fish with live bait. It wasn’t long until my companion hooked and landed a tarpon of around 40 pounds.
A few minutes after releasing that catch, I also hooked a tarpon which went jumping and bird dog hopping around the rear of this boat which had a poling tower on the stern which forced me to pass the rod hand over hand through the tower’s bars and of course I lost him in during this wasted time and effort. It was o.k. because I had another day to catch and land a tarpon.
As soon as I finished the morning’s meeting, a lady broker from my office asked if she could go along, just to watch. My wife was also to go along, also to just watch. This time we troll out to another even smaller island. There we use light tackle to catch some small fish we intend to use for bait. After catching three or four, we then motor out into this bay that looked to me to be about a circular basin of approximately five miles, and which was fed by a mountain river from the main island.
He explained that with larger bait, we were more likely catch a larger tarpon. I asked why he thought this was possible. He explained that there, tarpon swam in schools with the younger fish on the parimeter and the larger tarpon in the center. When a small fish was encountered the smaller tarpon would rush ahead and grab the fish. However, if a slightly larger, to larger bait fish was encountered, the smaller tarpon held back and a larger fish would eat the bait fish. That was how he predicted we would catch a larger tarpon.
It wasn’t more than fifteen to twenty minutes I hook a keeper that give a terrific aerial display of jumps, bird dog hops, and a battle for fifteen to twenty minutes before we finally had it along side for pictures and then to revive it before release. My guide said if we did not revive it so it would have stamina enough to escape from a hammer head shark, it probably would not survive an attack if one was in the area.
During the battle, i am standing in the bow of this small boat, the deck is wet and slippery. My wife, whom you cannot see in this photograph is scared I will be pulled overboard, is holding on to the back of my belt during this fight.
Below are two of about fifty photographs taken my fellow employee. I had handed her my 35 MM camera and said to “shoot away, it had a full load of film” and she did. Just Sayin…RJS
Dec 12, 2020 23:38:08 #
Super cool story and great pics! Thanks for sharing RJS. I wanna catch one on a fly rod someday...
Dec 13, 2020 00:06:19 #
Dec 13, 2020 00:06:39 #
WoW, just wow 😲. I've always wanted to fish for those. I hear there the ni 1 sport fish and put on a show.
Dec 13, 2020 00:24:05 #
Egghead: You are so right. I started out with a willow pole and worm, but gradually drifted to artificial bait, and finally to sport fishing, in that i wanted to fish for fish that would jump and put up a real battle, not to eat! I have caught a striped marlin that weighted almost 200 lbs for my absolute biggest fish, but it also jumped a lot. Same thing for Peacock Bass. it's easier to simply order fish to eat in a restaurant, but practice catch and release in the boat. Just Sayin...RJS
Dec 13, 2020 03:16:24 #
Dec 13, 2020 08:34:53 #
Robert J Samples wrote:
Sometimes good things suddenly pop up and you must... (show quote)
Great story and pictures RJ. Tarpon are on my bucket list! Thanks for sharing.
Dec 13, 2020 08:39:48 #
Rutinbuck
Loc: Haysville, Kansas
Fantastic story RJS, I bet that tarpon put up a good fight. The pictures are really cool too!
Dec 13, 2020 15:44:05 #
Joebeard
Loc: Virginia Beach virginia
I too wanted a tarpon, but I didn’t have the money for a chance tarpon trip. Talking with the mate after a dive trip, he suggested I go to Bud & Mary’s when the charter boats return, drop a ballyhoo off the dock and watch. Got to see a majestic 150 lb tarpon gulp it down. Walked off that dock with an awesome memory and a huge quiet smile. Later that night watched a huge tarpon jump 3 feet out, spectacular. Still had a few dollars in my pocket. Enjoy your resources. Most don’t.
Dec 13, 2020 17:26:55 #
Dec 13, 2020 19:50:32 #
Woodsman
Loc: Brainerd Mn
Great pictures RJS I just moved down to Falcon Lake in Tx will be here till it worms up in MN. I winter here this is my 6th year now. Hope to catch some fish this year.
Woodsman
Woodsman
Dec 13, 2020 19:54:17 #
Woodsman: When it warms up, Falcon is a delighful place for black bass, but the small ones, 1 to 2 lbs are so numerous they will be hard to avoid. Where do you stay when down there? Do you tow a boat down?
I have postd several stories about Falcon Lake, if you are interested. Just Sayin...RJS
I have postd several stories about Falcon Lake, if you are interested. Just Sayin...RJS
Dec 13, 2020 19:55:10 #
Wow. Nice fish. To me they look so cool, like they are metallic/ almost robotic. Love the way guide appreciates the fishing stock and encourages healthy release protocols. Looks like the fish of a lifetime. ( just sayin’ ). Thanks for sharing.
Dec 13, 2020 19:57:12 #
You are certainly right. He was a great guide and quite knowledgable. Just Sayin...RJS
Dec 13, 2020 20:16:43 #
Woodsman
Loc: Brainerd Mn
I have a park model trailer in Zapata Tx on veleno bay at Lake Front Lodge. We go down to the dam to put in or take the river down to Tigers to fish for crappie, and fish for LMB all over.
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