Leslie's first tarpon!!!

Report Date: August 17, 2006

Half the fun of having a great day on the water is having the exclusive rights to a great fishing story. This is probably one of the best fishing stories I’ll ever have the privilege to tell from first hand knowledge.
The Florida Keys is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The water in some places appears as though God leaned over and gave it a special kiss at creation. The brilliant colors amaze me every time I see it.
The day of The Catch we had gone out a little later than planed because of some rain and bad weather. The rain had not totally cleared up but we could wait no longer. We braved the weather and found our spot. We were on the gulf side of the Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon, Fl. We drifted for a while but didn’t get any bites. We waited for the current to be right and anchored near the pilings. We had several lines in the water and still no bites. I reeled in to check by bait. My little pinfish was half dead but I threw him out one more time and set the rod in the holder. I climbed up on the poling platform to wait and enjoy the finally clear weather.
About five minutes later I hear it…and I see it! The sight and sound every angler lives for. The bent rod and the screaming drag! I struggle to get the rod out of the holder and down off the platform without joining my catch in the water. As soon as I pick it up we see what we’re in for. It’s a tarpon and oh boy it’s a big one. Just what we had been hoping for. Capt. Ed had got us to the right spot at the right time. We see the fish jump up out of the water, flailing and splashing back down on the other side of the bridge. We know we have to crank up and run with him, so I make my way to the bow of the boat.
We chase him out the Atlantic side and get him pretty close to the boat, close enough to get a good look at him and confirm just how big he was. It has been about ten minutes and my hands and wrists are cramping with the fight but I start getting excited about landing this beast. As a novice angler I tell Capt. Ed to get ready ‘he’s coming in.’

Catch a tarpon like this!!!!!!

He simply laughs and says “oh no he’s not ready yet, you’ve only just begun”. Well, he was very right. He pulled us straight out to sea trying to get rid of us. I would get the line reeled in all the way up to the 80lb leader and he would run again. We got a good look at him several times and got him up next to the boat. In comparison to the side of the boat he was every bit of six feet long. We all do our guesstimations and maybe exaggerations when it comes to our fishing tales, but best we can figure he was around 120-150 lbs.

We got him right up to the side of the boat, held onto the leader, and had the gaff out to bring him on in. For the first time the thought hit me. This fish is going to come into this boat with us! He saw the gleam of the metal gaff and took off one more time. In the battle between this tarpon, and myself, I was the novice, not him. Now the seas were getting pretty high and the flats boat was taking quite a beating and taking on some water too. I reeled in to the leader one more time and he was ready. He was rolling over as if to say ‘ok, ok’. I was reeling down and pulling up as per my Captain’s instructions. I was drained but the fish found the energy to make one last run. As he did that 80lb leader snapped like dental floss.
I have never seen such emotion from a day of fishing, but at that moment everyone on the boat was silent. I know it sounds silly but the tears began to form in my eyes and my head just fell. We looked at the watch—1 hour, 43 minutes. We looked at the GPS – three miles from where we had started. The whole thing was a team effort. I was reeling, Jeff was driving and Capt. Ed was coaching me and keeping me from going overboard at times.
What an adventure! Thanks to Capt. Ed and the rest of my family! Lets do it again sometime soon!

Leslie L. -- Tampa, FL

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