# New Possible State Record Just Caught



## Winters97gt

89" Tarpon....


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## Finn Maccumhail

Monster **** and I'm glad he released it but I'm skeptical that thing was 89" from nose to tail. I'd gauge it closer to 72" but still the fish of a lifetime for most people.


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## Winters97gt

Finn Maccumhail said:


> Monster **** and I'm glad he released it but I'm skeptical that thing was 89" from nose to tail. I'd gauge it closer to 72" but still the fish of a lifetime for most people.


I agree 110%. Sent it to the owner of a charter operation in the keys and one in PR. Both laughed and said no way. 2nd "record" fish caught in SPI this year.


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## BrandonFox

Awesome fish, but without knowing the dudes size/height hard to judge.


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## Winters97gt

BrandonFox said:


> Awesome fish, but without knowing the dudes size/height hard to judge.


Of course length and really girth is very important. There is a troll on here that really hates me for lifting my Tarpon out of the water with multiple people and trolls me. I'd like to listen to guys like Scott if this is a record Texas Tarpon, because I have a tremendous respect for what those guys do even though it's tight lipped and I don't blame them.

But I can screen shot one of the bigger outfitters who I know in the keys, and also another one that many of us have fished with from PR. Both were laughing in their replies which we joked about fish this new record and other things. They have spen decades fishing for them daily, not just in their waters, but around the Caribbean/Africa. And both these captains of multiple boats will the first to give huge props in a big fish.

It seems like when a possible record or personal best fish is posted on this board, it's 95% legit(trout, reds, snook, flounder, etc) with guys not lying. I just spent 2 days in Galveston bringing my boat up here from SPI after repairs catching bull red after bull reds. Had no experience here though I live here but always fished SPI. Caught my biggest to date, all on video, pics, etc. Seems almost everybody on this board has that integrity. But when guys off this forum claim to catch a new Texas record Tarpon, and we get these pics, or the ones I posted a month ago by the guy on the ski, there's a disconnect. I've never caught a trout over 28" in 30 year of fishing, but after many Bulls, I caught my first over 40+ " and caught more over that this week. Again, first time ever with full fight videos and pics.

Why the possible lying for publicity? Why are the guys on this board legit on their personal best, yet these tarpon which I've boated(not a costal US practice which are similar in size) exaggerate them?


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## gater

Winters97gt said:


> Of course length and really girth is very important. There is a troll on here that really hates me for lifting my Tarpon out of the water with multiple people and trolls me. I'd like to listen to guys like Scott if this is a record Texas Tarpon, because I have a tremendous respect for what those guys do even though it's tight lipped and I don't blame them.
> 
> But I can screen shot one of the bigger outfitters who I know in the keys, and also another one that many of us have fished with from PR. Both were laughing in their replies which we joked about fish this new record and other things. They have spen decades fishing for them daily, not just in their waters, but around the Caribbean/Africa. And both these captains of multiple boats will the first to give huge props in a big fish.
> 
> It seems like when a possible record or personal best fish is posted on this board, it's 95% legit(trout, reds, snook, flounder, etc) with guys not lying. I just spent 2 days in Galveston bringing my boat up here from SPI after repairs catching bull red after bull reds. Had no experience here though I live here but always fished SPI. Caught my biggest to date, all on video, pics, etc. Seems almost everybody on this board has that integrity. But when guys off this forum claim to catch a new Texas record Tarpon, and we get these pics, or the ones I posted a month ago by the guy on the ski, there's a disconnect. I've never caught a trout over 28" in 30 year of fishing, but after many Bulls, I caught my first over 40+ " and caught more over that this week. Again, first time ever with full fight videos and pics.
> 
> Why the possible lying for publicity? Why are the guys on this board legit on their personal best, yet these tarpon which I've boated(not a costal US practice which are similar in size) exaggerate them?


Not trying to take away from the catch but that fish does not look like its 89" long. It has a good girth and if I had to guess its in the 190# range.

The two things wrong with this picture:

You question why some on 2cool question its length. Why not a tape measure in front of it, if he is fishing Sharkathon you would think that he would have something with him to measure.

The second thing is why pull it up on the beach, greatly hurt its chance of survival. If you catch a fish that by law requires releasing leave it in the water. 
Do not drag on the beach or in your boat and do not hold it up with your hands stuck in its gills...


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## Winters97gt

Gater2 said:


> Not trying to take away from the catch but that fish does not look like its 89" long. It has a good girth and if I had to guess its in the 190# range.
> 
> The two things wrong with this picture:
> 
> You question why some on 2cool question its length. Why not a tape measure in front of it, if he is fishing Sharkathon you would think that he would have something with him to measure.
> 
> The second thing is why pull it up on the beach, greatly hurt its chance of survival. If you catch a fish that by law requires releasing leave it in the water.
> Do not drag on the beach or in your boat and do not hold it up with your hands stuck in its gills...


The laws in Texas don't require you leave the fish in the water as a protected species like Florida. But I do agree, it doesn't look to be anywhere near the claims.


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## sotexhookset

No way unless that dudes 7'4" 380 lbs. And how do you not put a tape to it in the pic? He mistook 75" on the tape for 7'5".


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## Winters97gt

nomaspigtails said:


> No way unless that dudes 7'4" 380 lbs. And how do you not put a tape to it in the pic? He mistook 75" on the tape for 7'5".


Noway a 75" inch tarpon is a record. That's more like a 150-160 pound fish. They didn't mis peak, I stated that it wasn't 89" and they keep claiming it is and they have more pics but won't post them. These SPI guys have already made the claim that their jet ski tarpon was a new world record a couple months ago.


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## Winters97gt




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## Scott A

Few people carry measuring tapes long enough to measure a fish this big. Also, there is often confusion when running calculations. People get confused because Texas requires overall length vs. most weight calculations that use fork length. Fork length is all that matters when calculating weight. Assuming the guy is six feet tall, which he may not be, the fish measures out to about 80 inches fork using reference points in the picture. That is likely close if he claims the fish is 89 inches overall. That averages out at 190 lbs. Big fish for sure, but not quite a record.

Overall, photo doesn't make the fish look even that big, but often angles etc. with cameras cause problems with sizing fish from a picture.


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## salty_waders

Finn Maccumhail said:


> Monster **** and I'm glad he released it but I'm skeptical that thing was 89" from nose to tail. I'd gauge it closer to 72" but still the fish of a lifetime for most people.


This guy is not propping up the fish and sitting 2-3 feet behind it to make it appear bigger like we see in a lot of beach pictures, especially sharks. I'm not siding with anyone, nor do I know the guy but from jaw to tail fork, that is a huge fish! Congrats to him, record or not.


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## sotexhookset

Winters97gt said:


>


Simply ludicrous now. Or again, that dude must be a stronnnng mfer to get 300 pounds up over his to get the fish out of the water. And on a jet ski!


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## snapperlicious

Lol whatever floats his boat.


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## topwatrout1

*Formula question*



Scott A said:


> Few people carry measuring tapes long enough to measure a fish this big. Also, there is often confusion when running calculations. People get confused because Texas requires overall length vs. most weight calculations that use fork length. Fork length is all that matters when calculating weight. Assuming the guy is six feet tall, which he may not be, the fish measures out to about 80 inches fork using reference points in the picture. That is likely close if he claims the fish is 89 inches overall. That averages out at 190 lbs. Big fish for sure, but not quite a record.
> 
> Overall, photo doesn't make the fish look even that big, but often angles etc. with cameras cause problems with sizing fish from a picture.


I thought this method had a mathematical error somewhere associated with it? As in don't you have to subtract 8.2% from whatever the chart gives you using the fork length method? The method I have been told to use is (girth x girth x length to the tip of the tail) /800.

And Scott I completely agree with you on this fish not being a record.


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## Scott A

this is the chart I use - it is to fork length, not overall length.


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## topwatrout1

Yes that is the chart I was told that had the mathematical error in it of being off by 8.2%, as in the formula is valid but the chart has the error. Just wondering if you had heard anything about that

Not the end of the world, I would just hate to think I have a potential record fish after using a method, then killing it and finding out it is indeed short.


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## Scott A

topwatrout1 said:


> Yes that is the chart I was told that had the mathematical error in it of being off by 8.2%, as in the formula is valid but the chart has the error. Just wondering if you had heard anything about that
> 
> Not the end of the world, I would just hate to think I have a potential record fish after using a method, then killing it and finding out it is indeed short.


The formula has been tweaked, but I don't think it is that far off. I'll pull one of the new charts and post it on the new formula when I get a chance.


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## Winters97gt

Scott A said:


> The formula has been tweaked, but I don't think it is that far off. I'll pull one of the new charts and post it on the new formula when I get a chance.


I was hoping you'd weigh in. Probably the most respected tarpon guy here that I follow. I've gotten flamed by one usual suspect on here. I like to fish the PR and Costa Rica for Tarpon areas just because I do a lot of inshore fishing. Yes, often we boat our fish and quickly release them, and I know you use a gaff. I'm not here to knock on a technique or another. It just seems like when I pull into my bait shop in SPI, a new record was caught in our state.

Again glad you weighed in. You can see by my posts of these guys where we start to question these records.


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## Scott A

Winters97gt said:


> I know you use a gaff.


I only use a lip gaff when I am tagging fish. Otherwise, I do not.


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## Scott A

*Weight Graph*

Here ya go.


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## dpeterson

*Looking at this*

chart above, the girth would have to be a minimum of 50" if the length was 7'-5",to beat the world record (don't know if that is the world record he states) The biggest I have caught/pictured/released was about 160.


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## Winters97gt

That's the same chart I've used as well and caught many 100-150's but none over 150. My longest fish was 73.5.


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## Txobsource

Going to take a hell of a fish and one lucky angler to take down Ebert's coveted record.


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## Trouthappy

Heh heh....this guy lifted a 300 pound tarpon half out of the water? Now that's some muscle. One time near POC we had the World Series playing on the boat radio, it was almost sunset. Hooked several tarpon at once, and fought the last one until long after dark, on only 30 pound line. Pitch black night, and that fish took us a mile. We finally grabbed the 150 or 200-pound Ande leader and hung on. Lip-gaffed it for a few moments. Two of us could only lift the head out of the water, and my buddy worked out in the gym religiously. This was 20 years ago. We should have timed the fight, it felt like 9 p.m. when he got back, not sure. Cold, hungry and ready for strong drink. We didn't try to measure the girth and length, but it was big.

To my eyes, that fish on the beach looks dead and maybe 140 pounds, max. 

Here is Tom Gibson's 210 pound Texas state record, that stood for what, 20 years?


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## sotexhookset

Trouthappy said:


> Heh heh....this guy lifted a 300 pound tarpon half out of the water? Now that's some muscle. One time near POC we had the World Series playing on the boat radio, it was almost sunset. Hooked several tarpon at once, and fought the last one until long after dark, on only 30 pound line. Pitch black night, and that fish took us a mile. We finally grabbed the 150 or 200-pound Ande leader and hung on. Lip-gaffed it for a few moments. Two of us could only lift the head out of the water, and my buddy worked out in the gym religiously. This was 20 years ago. We should have timed the fight, it felt like 9 p.m. when he got back, not sure. Cold, hungry and ready for strong drink. We didn't try to measure the girth and length, but it was big.
> 
> To my eyes, that fish on the beach looks dead and maybe 140 pounds, max.
> 
> Here is Tom Gibson's 210 pound Texas state record, that stood for what, 20 years?


Okay trouthappy. I'm gonna have to agree with you for the third time in five years but you're right. That dudes full of ****.

Go Trump! Lol


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## Winters97gt

nomaspigtails said:


> Okay trouthappy. I'm gonna have to agree with you for the third time in five years but you're right. That dudes full of ****.
> 
> Go Trump! Lol


#Trump2016

But I agree. There are 2 good guides in SPI that Tarpon fish. I was sent a few photos of their recent catches and they claimed the fish was 100+pounds. One of them looked to be on the conservative side, with multiple angles showing the fish being closer to #135-150. We use the standard length+girth measurement where I fish for them, and I do so on my Penn Battle 4000's with 20-30lb braid and 30lb leader.

I have about 50-70 Bull Reds that I caught and measured, verified by multiple other people on my boat with no agenda and quickly released in the last week. Don't see the point in over claiming these fish.

Here is one of my small Tarpon caught last trip. By length and girth, it was a 55-65lb fish. Maybe I should post it as another 100+lb fish I've caught on the SPI sites, lol.


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## 007Txag

I hooked up on some big ones last year, but not quite that caliber. Those are some nice Texas Tarpon.


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## TrueblueTexican

*91" fish at POC a few years ago -*

We didn't kill it but estimate 170-190 it takes a 95+ inch fish with a big girth to be over 230 in Texas or LA.

Fish that was pictured on the beach 140 maybe -


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## topwatrout1

Ironic that in the midst of this thread there was a potential state record weighed in at Pelican rest in Galveston


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## Scott A

Not really close. It was a 192 lber. Nice fish but there have been a dozen or so fish around 200 lbs caught in the last couple years up and down coast. The fish would have been closer but was too skinny.


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## Scott A

Sorry guys, not sure what happened. It showed up right on my iPad when I posted it. Don't get a crick in your neck.


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## Scott A

Video of 200lb tarpon caught and satellite tagged two years ago.


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## topwatrout1

True, however apparently the method used to calculate the weight on the boat was the fork method with the error in it...possibly the reason why they thought they had a record?


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## Scott A

With the older calculation, it still comes out to 206.92 - pretty short of the state record. I don't blame them for bringing it back to see, but it is well short of the state record. It was 85 x 40 inches. The state requires an 85 inch fish to be killed. That does not mean that every 85 inch fish will be a state record. They set it at 85, anticipating you could have a fat 85 inch fish that could break the record of 210 lb 11 ounces. The fish in the video came out to 78 x 44 inches and 199 lbs.

The map below shows where the fish went. Tag came off in December.


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## TrueblueTexican

*Around the corner from Belize*










This is what state record size poons look like


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## Scott A

This was a 194 lber.


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## Yak a Tak

Nice fish. Definitely bigger than the claimed record


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