Coulumbus, Ohio Crew Battles The Tarpon and The Elements

Report Date: May 6, 2004

So the Tarpon fishing has been real good lately down hear in Key West. However, the catching has been a bit of a problem.

Dan Jones, wife Tammy and her father Glenn had a Tarpon hook up festival down hear in Key West. Knowing Dan from the Worthington Hills Country Club, up north in my hometown, I new I had a lively crew on the boat. And most definitely up to whatever the fish or weather could throw at us.

The first day out we got blown out after only a half-day. North wind up to 25 mph gave us little options and or choice but to throw in the towel at just over three hours. By day two thing where looking up. The wind had decreased slight on the second day. An as luck would have it the Tarpon where there and feeding

Nearing the first spot I cut the out board off and climbed atop my platform and polled down the edge of the channel where with and luck we would find some tarpon. Rigging the rods with pinfish and a block of cheese my angler where ready. For nearly fifteen minute we saw not a Tarpon. Not a tarpon in sight, however, the float went down on Glen?s rod and as instructed he wound up the slack and fish was on. Quickly exploding to the surface we caught our first glimpse of the Tarpon. A Tarpon that was not shy of weighing 150lbs, barely able to get his front half of his body out of the water, we watched in awe. The damn fish looked like a cow trying to jump as hurdle. Then the line went slack and the fish was gone. Glenn not to sure of what he did wrong and still in shock from the size of the fish, humbly asked me should I have done anything different. Yes, I say you should have caught the fish.

Next up was Mr. Dan Jones who had fed another Tarpon, which we have spotted roiling just below his cheese. Fish on? A couple of jumps and some sort of profanity spoken and the fish was gone. To the best of my recollection what I heard muttered was something about bowing the God @#$# rod to that @#$% silver King each and ever time he putts his @#$ in the air. As this is a must in order to keep a Tarpon on a hook.

So unfortunately this set the tone for the day. 6 hook ups at this spot and never a fish to the boat. Some time you get the hook, some times you get the worm.

Well paying homage to the Tarpon at this spot we move to another location.
Next stop was Tammy turn to dance with the King. On the first cast out with the Pinfish, and no cheese she snagged into a beauty. About a 40lb Tarpon just the perfect size for her, I say in Vegas we had a little better odds. Giving a brilliant array of Jumps and surges from the water the Tarpon neared the boat. Tammy never having battled to many fish of this size hung in there and did a wonderful job. As the fish neared the boat as I was preparing to grab the leader of this caught fish the hook pulled. So as then say what the difference we where going to let the fish go anyway???Thanks Dad, Tammy stated this was great advice. Well back to the dock with not a Tarpon to the boat.

Dad three only gave us one hook up. This one came on Mr. Dan Jones pinfish. This Tarpon weighing about eighty pound broke the 15lb test mono after a 40 min. fight. So as the story goes if you if you catch em? you caught them?. Sorry gang no trophy photos, but I hope that all had a good time.

Still Booking late May and June Tarpon dates?

Lets Go Fish!

 

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