# First Tarpon



## dfossati (Mar 29, 2005)

This is the first time I've been to this board.
I am usually on the Shark board, but I caught my first tarpon Sun.
I was around the 14 on PINS fishing for trout with a 6' rod, 1/2 ounce gold spoon and an ambassador 5500 with 15 lb test with no leader. It took me 1.5 hrs to get her to the sand for a quick pic. I was so worried she would be too tired to survive, but she slaped her tail at me and motored off like a torpedo! Man, that was the best fight I've ever had from the surf. I guess she got the best of me. I didn't get the best of her. I think I was a little under equiped for fishing for tarpon in the surf. It was a good fight, but 1.5 hrs seems a little crazy! She kept jumping and almost spooled me twice. I see the pics some of you guys have posted, and I know those big ones would have spooled me. What is the preferred equipment for tarpon in the surf? I'm gonna have to go back through these threads see if some of my questions have already been answered. Thanks.


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## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

Nice catch and welcome to the club. 

Tight lines, Chris


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## Bill C (May 23, 2004)

Congratulations on your first tarpon! May it be the first of many.


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## arius felis (Jun 12, 2007)

you lucky dog , hard work pays off


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## Lovett (Sep 20, 2005)

*Excellent...!*

Great News! Great Catch! Great Fish! Great Angling!


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## cabolew (Aug 12, 2005)

great job!!


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## haparks (Apr 12, 2006)

wow u lived my dream way to go---thanks for the pics


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Catching a tarpon from the beach with trout gear as you did is far more rewarding than chasing them out of the boat like most of us do. Unbelievable, you actually got the fish hooked up on a treble hook and then actually landed it. Awesome story, I know friends that have hooked them in the surf but never landed one. Good job, you accomplished something most of us will never do.


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## bullfishin (Apr 26, 2007)

dfossati, not gonna tell 'em the rest of the story?


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## Wading Mark (Apr 21, 2005)

Good landing on that tarpon. Turn that one into a few hundred tarpon landings now that you have the bug.


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## dfossati (Mar 29, 2005)

Yeah...

I could have won some good money in the Sharkathon if I would have entered the Tarpon Division. I entered everything else, but the stinkin' tarpon! 
...had a blast though.
You can bet I will be entering it all next year.

"Now you know the rest of the story."


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## jakers (Oct 29, 2004)

*Great work*

Thats what I love about fishing in general. Some crazy stuff happens and the result is you will have a life long memory that probably means more to you than many other things in life. Please don't take the crazy stuff part wrong. You are obviously a very good angler which was proven with the fight and landing. Now that you are probably afflicted with the desire to catch more just don't ever forget how special this one was. Loosing one due to leader failure on 100# is not uncommon not to mention getting the hook to stick.

Way to go!


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## dfossati (Mar 29, 2005)

That's why it doesn't bother me I wasn't entered in the tarpon division. On a few of the jumps, I could see the gold spoon in the corner of her mouth, and I knew at any minute she was gonna work it lose, my line was gonna break, my rod was gonna break, my drag was gonna lock up, I was gonna get spooled, a shark was gonna take a bite out of her. All of these things were going through my mind the hour and a half I was out there. I'll never forget it! I've definately got the tarpon fever now...great!...more money...more time...more frustration...man I love it! Thanks guys.


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## Kuhlmann (Oct 26, 2006)

You da man!


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## 100% Texan (Jan 30, 2005)

Awesome everytime I have seen someone hook up in the surf or bay they get broke off very powerfull fish.It shows what a good angler you are congratulations.


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## NSF15 (Aug 27, 2007)

That is a great catch! The odds were certainly not in your favor but you sure beat them. Congrats.


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