Tarpon are still around but scarse
Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:44 am
Went out Friday and caught one very early. Shamus, who said he'd be there in the morning, arrived typically late so he missed the acrobatics but did arrive in time to give "don't give that fish a break!" advice. Iphone over the side pic. Actually better than I suspected it would be as I had one hand holding leader, the other holding the phone and one foot holding Barnacle back.
Hardest fighter of the 4 this year. Had it alongside 3 times but it decided it wasn't done and took off again. Each time with a mighty tail slap that had Barnacle and me soaked. Shamus jumped one a bit later but it jumped right towards him and shook out the hook.
Tried to get out Saturday but discretion was the better part of valor and we stayed on the beach watching the coming storm with it's impressive light show. Two guys lacking the combined age and experience that Shamus and I offered gave us an "old farts are afraid to launch" smirk and paddled out. 30 minutes later when the wind picked up 15 mph and the rain came pounding down, those two guys were well off the beach and they disappeared in the storm. I'm glad I didn't read a newspaper story about them the next day.
Sunday DaveR and I went out and spent a few hours in rocky seas. We each saw one fish but had no hits other than a decent size bonnethead shark. Really wasn't a good day to see fish as bumpy as it was.
I was a bit surprised at how good August has been. We've typically given up on tarpon by now and are out sweltering on the flats looking for redfish by August first. Might give it one more shot this weekend. However, I vacuumed out the tarpon season beach sand from my truck yesterday so I may have cursed myself.
Hardest fighter of the 4 this year. Had it alongside 3 times but it decided it wasn't done and took off again. Each time with a mighty tail slap that had Barnacle and me soaked. Shamus jumped one a bit later but it jumped right towards him and shook out the hook.
Tried to get out Saturday but discretion was the better part of valor and we stayed on the beach watching the coming storm with it's impressive light show. Two guys lacking the combined age and experience that Shamus and I offered gave us an "old farts are afraid to launch" smirk and paddled out. 30 minutes later when the wind picked up 15 mph and the rain came pounding down, those two guys were well off the beach and they disappeared in the storm. I'm glad I didn't read a newspaper story about them the next day.
Sunday DaveR and I went out and spent a few hours in rocky seas. We each saw one fish but had no hits other than a decent size bonnethead shark. Really wasn't a good day to see fish as bumpy as it was.
I was a bit surprised at how good August has been. We've typically given up on tarpon by now and are out sweltering on the flats looking for redfish by August first. Might give it one more shot this weekend. However, I vacuumed out the tarpon season beach sand from my truck yesterday so I may have cursed myself.
