Graduation Tarpon

The time has come. Four years of college completed. Countless hours of studying, laughing hysterically with friends, and late nights exploring Fort Worth coming to an end. I don’t exactly know where my time as a college student went, but all I can for sure say is that as any chapter comes to an end, another page opens, providing new opportunities to be taken advantage of. As for me, with a diploma in hand, I found myself being fortunate enough to receive a fly fishing trip as my graduation present.

With it being late May, a celebratory occasion, and summer nearly upon us, the move was clear: time to chase tarpon. My family and I headed to the Forgotten Coast of Florida to fish with our good friend and guide Travis Huckeba, and what a week it would turn out to be.

With rain and heavy wind holding us back at the beginning of our trip, we found ourselves seeing very few fish, and having difficulty getting into the groove and pattern of things. Although we did jump a fish here and there, the tarpon were acting bothered and not yet in their migratory mindset. However, as goes any fly fishing narrative, we kept our heads up, feet down, and stayed persistent to land one of the most respected fish in the world.

On day three, the tarpon really started to pick up. With two eats, and more than a dozen fish seen, we knew that the days to come had the potential to be legendary. As for day four, insanity was about to begin, and we were ready to go.

With the day starting early as does every other day of tarpon fishing, we decided to play the patience game. Anchored on a flat that we had been seeing tarpon consistently cruising the day prior, we knew our time and shots would come. After breaking off a big fish early in the day, we re-tied on our trusty black poon fly, and within the next half hour we had another shot. A nice 70-80 pound tarpon in front of the boat. Cast, strip, set, let’s go. After a half hour battle (and rearranging the pieces on our 12 weight rod after they came apart mid fight) we had landed the silver king himself, and were able to get some amazing pictures by jumping in the water. Although the water was 5-6 foot deep, I couldn’t help but jump in with this stud of a fish, checking off my goal of catching a big Florida tarpon in one of my favorite places in the world.

After celebrating our catch and taking some time to chug gatorade from the previous fight, we got our 12 weight ready once again and soon locked into a beast of a fish that I will never forget. We saw a pod of three fish coming with this monster being on the far right, and after a few quick and fast strips, the fish ate and immediately took off to a deep channel. Although the fish did jump a few times at the beginning of the fight, this tarpon was all about dogging it out and knew exactly where the deepest sections of the bay were. After a long, arduous hour and twenty-five minute fight, we had the gargantuan (120-130 pound) female tarpon boat side and began preparing to land the fish. Although we had been fighting the fish for over a hour, this fish still had tons of energy from the deep, oxygenated water in which we were fighting it in. With some concern for the health of the fish after such a long battle, we decided to lock down the drag fully to get a face grab on this fish. After putting on the gloves and grabbing the bottom of the leader by the fly as the fish was on its side, the behemoth took off once more, breaking the line with this final run. Although we were not able to get a quick picture with this once in a lifetime fish, knowing that she returned to the depths with full health and energy is what remains most important (especially since we had multiple leader grabs to officialize our catch long before this fish took off). Some pictures of the fight and fish are below, I apologize for not having more but all of our focus was on the intense fight.

In addition to the tarpon fishing, we made sure to get our redfish fix in as well during the week. Although we did not catch the numbers of redfish that we have been spoiled with in the past, we were able to get on a decent number of redfish that kept the 8-weights peeling the entire week. Countless numbers of ladyfish, sharks (including hooking into a 150 pound bull shark that nearly spooled our reel), and other species kept the week busy and plentiful.

Tarpon and fly fishing aside, this week was one for the memory books in that I got to spend time with my best friends and the people who have supported me all throughout my college career. Having my parents, best friend, and girlfriend all getting to experience a week of a lifetime is something that words cannot explain, but all I can say is that I am beyond blessed and grateful to have these people in my life. Love this life, love the tarpon, and cheers to new adventures ahead.