SW Florida Tarpon Fishing

[Gerry Zagorski]

Just heading home from the Fort Myers area for some relaxation and some fishing. The Tarpon fishing which is usually red hot this time of year was very slow. Me and the guys Jimmy and Mike had 3 charters with 3 different captains and went 1 for 2. The only fish we got, Mike from JJ Bittings landed in Boca Grand Pass.

My wife joined me after the guys left and we rented a boat for 5 days. I was hoping Ruth would have a opportunity to at least witness a tarpon being fought and on Thursday we got that opportunity. We were anchored up fishing with many other boats lined up along the Gulf side of Captiva Island. Around 930 in the AM the next boat over to our left over jumps one, chases it down and releases it. Around 1030 the next boat over to our right jumps one and after a short battle the fish went under their boat and boink, it was gone.

It's around 11 I'm wondering if we are going to get our shot and one of the spinning poles with a crab on it goes off. I hand the pole off to Ruth to hold on to while I clear the other lines and pull the anchor. She is looking down at the reel nervously while this Tarpon is peeling 50 braid off of it like it was in free spool. First run was probably 150 yards or so till I could get the boat started to chase down this fish and gain some line. I got back 75 yards or so and he came up for a breath and took most of it back. Fought him for 15 minutes and he started running right towards an anchored boat. I tried to put more heat on him to keep him from that boats anchor and boink.

Glad we at least had a shot at one fishing on our own and Ruth now has Tarpon Fever.