Winds Shut Down Fishing, But not Before One Last Tarpon

Report Date: April 9, 2003

Well, spring is upon us and the fishing action is heating up along with the mercury on the thermometer - daytime highs around 82 degrees. Giving the change we need to turn on the fishing action. The warmer the air temperature, the warmer the water. Thus, the warmer water temperatures have pulled the tarpon out of the Gulf of Mexico?s deep water and into the local rivers and channels surrounding the flats. Making way for wonderful early morning tarpon fishing.

The permit action is still good, with a fair number found on the flats Yet I suspect they are getting ready to leave the shallows and head to the wrecks for there annual spawning romp. Not to worry the smaller ones will still be around. However, old man winter has tried again to interrupt our great fishing with another April cold front.

So, knowing we were going to cancel at least one or two days due to weather my long time customer and I tried to squeeze in a half day before the cold front came through. Knowing the tarpon would be there and our time on the water would be decide by mother nature, we left the dock at 6 a.m. By starlight we reached our destination and much to my amusement and relief, the tarpon were there.

Carefully pulling the boat into position for our first shot at a fish the sun has now just cracked above the horizon. The fish in this particular school of tarpon we were fishing were not so big in size, maybe largest at fifty pounds, did however seem very happy and ready to eat.

So under my guidance, I suggested my customer to make a thirty foot cast at the closest rising fish. After striping in the fly line we came up with no bite. Make another cast; yet this time we decided to let the fly settle toward the bottom. After a long pause he worked the fly in short stripping manner just adding a little twitch of life to the fly.

An explosion of water soon interrupted the slight chop on the water on this early morning. I have got em? he shouted. I guess you do. Clear the line, I shouted to my customer. With vengeance this Monster Tarpon jumped several times in front of the boat, only then to smoke about 125yds of backing of the fly reel. I thought these were all small fish I heard shouted above the now apparent 15 plus knots of wind.

Hey, Tarpon fishing is kind of like a box of chocolates, you just never know what you?re going to get?

After many more long runs and a host a fantastic acrobatics, the fish tired, as did my customer. Forty-seven minutes later along side of the boat we pulled the fly from a Tarpon of 90lbs or better our once southerly breeze of 15 knots has now been traded up for southwest wind of 20. So much like the Tarpon that morning came and went, so did our nice weather.

With the wind now blowing 30 knots I think about yesterdays great Tarpon on fly and wonder what tomorrows weather will bring.

Looking forward to a continuing success in April for Tarpon fishing, with plenty of additional shots at Permit and Bonefish later in the day.

Have you booked your Tarpon dates yet?

Lets go fish!
Captain Lenny

 

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