Speck Tackler
09-13-2004, 09:17 AM
Bret, I have never target Tarpon before but I think I am getting the fever now. Here is my first encounter.......
Met up with my nephews down in Port Aransas. The boys had a couple too many and for myself I summoned up great discipline and of course stayed the course. With my head pounding I started the day,while everyone else slept in, figuring on catching up with the family a little later in the day. I stepped into a surf of 2 rows , 2ft. , and clear water. My first stop landed a couple of 25"reds.
Then the weekend crowd moved in and it was time to move on. The next stop down the line I pulled out my cast net and picked up a few finger mullet. I moved out onto the first bar and made my first cast.....ziiing-snap! DANG! Not even there two minutes and I already broke off. Time to regroup. Another 30 lb. test leader and the same ziiing- snap! Okay, back to the tackle box ....humm 50 lb. leader and back to the water. This time ZIIIIIIIIIIING! FISH ON!! One awsome fish strike. Within seconds my light medium 7 ft. trout rod with 12 lb. test is 3/4of the way spooled.
The fish makes a spectacular jump and I ask myself....Is that MY fish?
Is that what I think it was??? Then, as soon as the fish hits the water it blasts back into the air with another 3-4 ft. jump YES -- A TEXAS TARPON!About 4'to5' long My first hookup 'ever. The only problem is that I am way under geared and by now I'm well into the second gut, sting ray boots like lead on my feet, and up to my shoulders in water. The fish stops for a split second and I pull the rod hard to my right. She turns and runs parallel with the beach. I get a few seconds of line back and manage to work back to the first sandbar and into waist deep water again. I begin to tread water as fast as I can with the line just ripping off my reel. The fight is on and we go through this tug of war with me bringing in line as shes rests and then ripping it back off again with me in hot pursuit. After a good 20 minute fight and 3 and a half markers down the beach I have her in the first gut.
Or maybe she has me where she wants me. Not sure. As I finally walk onto the beach she goes ballastic and with a furious thrash - BINK- she is gone. Audios rey de pescados! And no family to celebrate or even capture a snap shot. One old guy who trailed me from his truck on the beach while watching my fight even offered me a ride back to my truck, but really I just wanted to walk back and stay in that moment as long as possible. I knew the odds were against me, but hey there is always that chance. Rusty
Met up with my nephews down in Port Aransas. The boys had a couple too many and for myself I summoned up great discipline and of course stayed the course. With my head pounding I started the day,while everyone else slept in, figuring on catching up with the family a little later in the day. I stepped into a surf of 2 rows , 2ft. , and clear water. My first stop landed a couple of 25"reds.
Then the weekend crowd moved in and it was time to move on. The next stop down the line I pulled out my cast net and picked up a few finger mullet. I moved out onto the first bar and made my first cast.....ziiing-snap! DANG! Not even there two minutes and I already broke off. Time to regroup. Another 30 lb. test leader and the same ziiing- snap! Okay, back to the tackle box ....humm 50 lb. leader and back to the water. This time ZIIIIIIIIIIING! FISH ON!! One awsome fish strike. Within seconds my light medium 7 ft. trout rod with 12 lb. test is 3/4of the way spooled.
The fish makes a spectacular jump and I ask myself....Is that MY fish?
Is that what I think it was??? Then, as soon as the fish hits the water it blasts back into the air with another 3-4 ft. jump YES -- A TEXAS TARPON!About 4'to5' long My first hookup 'ever. The only problem is that I am way under geared and by now I'm well into the second gut, sting ray boots like lead on my feet, and up to my shoulders in water. The fish stops for a split second and I pull the rod hard to my right. She turns and runs parallel with the beach. I get a few seconds of line back and manage to work back to the first sandbar and into waist deep water again. I begin to tread water as fast as I can with the line just ripping off my reel. The fight is on and we go through this tug of war with me bringing in line as shes rests and then ripping it back off again with me in hot pursuit. After a good 20 minute fight and 3 and a half markers down the beach I have her in the first gut.
Or maybe she has me where she wants me. Not sure. As I finally walk onto the beach she goes ballastic and with a furious thrash - BINK- she is gone. Audios rey de pescados! And no family to celebrate or even capture a snap shot. One old guy who trailed me from his truck on the beach while watching my fight even offered me a ride back to my truck, but really I just wanted to walk back and stay in that moment as long as possible. I knew the odds were against me, but hey there is always that chance. Rusty