# Stars aligned in SPI



## mpope13 (Apr 27, 2007)

Made it down Sunday morning to find the boat locked up in the Boat shop. Wash down pump was acting up last week so we left it there at south padre boat sales to be fixed. Well didn't think about them being closed Sunday and not being able to get the boat out What do you do? Well we had talked with Jeff with Playin Hooky Fishing charters out of SPI about tarpon tactics before so we decided to give him a call and see if he was available to take us out till we could get the boat out of the shop. Jeff agreed and was free so we met up Sunday Afternoon and headed for the Jetties. Not much happening Sunday and we had a little weather blow in on us. We decided since we wouldn't be able to get the boat till 8-9 in the morning we would meet back up with Jeff and try for a couple hours in the morning. Things just came together from there. Caught some mullet at the marina and headed out to the surf. As we headed around the end of the jetties we dropped a couple of baits and slow pulled them around the end of the jetties. We could see some birds working out ahead of us and decided to go investigate. Well good thing we did. first group we could see tarpon rolling in the bait ball. Didn't get a strike but we saw Tarpon and knew it was just a matter of time. After chasing the fish for a little bit and releasing a few jacks and big sharks we finally pulled up on 2 bait balls about 10 yards apart and pulled right up between the 2 pods. I have never seen Tarpon like this. Fish of all sizes just laying on top eating bait.First cast in and boom hooked up on a big fish then we got a double hooked up for a little bit but the 2nd fish spit the hook. We had the first on close to the boat and the double leader on the real and bam he came unbuttoned. Bummer but time to get back on the fish. We pulled back up on the bait ball and right away we were hooked up again on another big fish. On of the guys on board took the rod and just hung on. In the mean time we proceeded to jump a couple of fish close to the boat. we decided to pull back and concentrate on the big fish on the line. about 1 hour later we had an estimated 150 LBS Tarpon at the side of the boat. after some good pictures and reviving the fish we had a clean release and the fish swam away. We proceeded to go back and find the fish. The rest of the day was spent chasing the birds and schools of Spanish macs. We hooked and landed 2 more fish weighing in the 50-80 lbs range. So the total was 8 hookups with 3 fish being landed and released successfully. We spent about 6 hours on the water and it was just one of those days that everything kind of came together.


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## JWHPOPEYE (Mar 21, 2005)

Had a great time taking you guys fishing. Was an amazing day. Hoping to get some more pictures and video from the other guys sometime this week. If I do, ill post them up.
Stinks the weather turned bad today, really wanted to get back out there again. Hopefully they will still be around in a couple days.
Thanks again


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## texasislandboy (Apr 28, 2012)

Cool! I saw you guys out there. I didn't know he was running a cat now. I thought he had a blackfin? The tarpon this year have been nuts... We have been spooled this year which has never happened.


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## JWHPOPEYE (Mar 21, 2005)

My uncle Bryan Ray runs the Blackfin, I run the cat.


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## texasislandboy (Apr 28, 2012)

JWHPOPEYE said:


> My uncle Bryan Ray runs the Blackfin, I run the cat.


nice man! I was looking into those! how do you like it?


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## Bill C (May 23, 2004)

Great job! It's fun when it all comes together. Congratulations.


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## Hunter (Sep 3, 2004)

Fantastic trip! Congratulations.


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## JWHPOPEYE (Mar 21, 2005)

Here is a video one of the guys sent to my cell phone.
Really bad quality but will show how thick and close they were to the boat.


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## mccown03 (Jun 19, 2013)

Water looks great. Good job.


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