FLORIDIAN ATLANTIC TARPON

I'll let the pictures do the majority of the talking but I do have this to add............

Steve Huff is a truely amazing guy, if you ever get the opporrtunity, get down to Everglades City and get out for a fish with him.  His skills are unsurpassed in my books.  You won't regret it. 

I will put together a short video at some stage and people can watch it at one of our gatherings. I took the photos from video frames so they are not really good quality, but the video fottage will be in HD. Atlantic Tarpon are an incredible fish that will leave you agast!

We saw a lot of Manatees and largetooth sawfish on this amazing day on the water.  I think I hooked 7 Tarpon, 4 stayed on for more than 5 seconds and 2, I got to the boat, though one was cut free when a Lemon shark got between me and the fish and the rough skin cut through the leader.  A truely amazing day. 

I should add that removing the fish from the water isnt allowed and under IGFA rules. Once your leader is on the rod the fish is considered landed.



A nice snook on the flats



The next three shots were really cool, I cast to a boil, the fish hits and the line tightens and creates a rooster tail.  The 2nd shot shows the boil ahead of the line and indicates roughly about where the fish is and in the 3rd shot out she comes.  This fish was about 60 or 70 lb and as I was clearing the line a loop caught on the butt of the rod.  There was nothing I could do!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love this series of shots.  #1 hook up




#2 boil on the surface





#3 and out she comes


This next lot of photos gives you a good idea of the habitat and the size of these bloody things, this one was over 100lb and again spat the hook after about 5 seconds.

This one we managed to get boat side and a hold of the leader and the estimated weight was 90-100lb.



Thanks Steve for an amazing day!!!

 The rod I was using most of the time was a Sage Method 11wt with a WF Floating line and long leaders, at least 12-13ft.  The fish I did manage to get to the boat took about 20-25 minutes and I learned that you can really give them some serious stick with a fly rod by constantly changing the direction of the pull of the line and keeping the rod very low, and at times even straight.  Great fun and definitely a tick from the bucket list.

Cheers

Dion