Year 2000 Adventures - Tarpon on the Fly

I love catching fish on the fly rod and well, big tarpon just happen

to be here in May and June.

The second week of May, one of my clients got to fight his first tarpon on the fly.

Although this season was not a good one because the numbers were down, size made up

the difference. This fish was well over 130 pounds and was hot as it could be with many

dazzling jumps and sizzling reel drag action. This man was shaking so much after the

battle ended that he looked liked he needed a shot of whiskey to calm him down. He

settled for a bottle of water and mentioned that he was now hooked on tarpon fishing forever.

His friend got up next and had one tarpon eat, but he set the hook so quickly that he

pulled the fly from its mouth. He wanted to know what he did wrong. At first I thought

to tell him he screwed up, but since he was paying me, I told him that just the way fishing

is and most do get away. The next day was just not a good day for the clients. A

different crowd. A lot of shots were either too short or too far right or visa versa. They

were happy none the less to at least have the shots and miss versus not having any shots

at all.

The next day I had a cannon of an angler on board. World class guy from head to toe.

We never saw a tarpon all morning long. The VHF radio was buzzing with the same

news. No fish! Where had they all gone to? They were yesterday, I quipped to my

client! It got real calm out there and I told a guide friend that I was going for a ride to

look. He said he was going south. I said I am going north.

I only traveled a half mile and run over a good school of tarpon. I stopped and stood up

on the platform and saw four or five other schools in the area. It was going to be an

exhibition. I called in my guide friend and before long we had several boats helping us

out. Before anyone could get close to us, my world class angler hooked about a 100

pounder. He was such a pleasure to watch; a skillful guy doing everything right.

Then he asked me, could he break him off and try for another. I should have said go for

it, but heck he had only been on for a less than a minute. By the time I said lets play him

for a few more jumps, I realized that the angler was in it for the bite; not the fight.

Seconds later he ripped off a 100 yards of backing. It took us the better part of 20

minutes to get the fly line back on the reel. In the meantime, we called his friend that

owns the Fish Hawk in Atlanta. We put the phone up to reel drag while he listen. He

said it sounded like a little one, jokingly. But you know he was wanting to be there with

us.

My good friend and client from across the Atlantic Ocean who usually comes to fish with

me every year had to stay and work. So I went out myself the next day. I woke up

unusually early and checked the web site weather. Calm to three miles an hour was what

the wind was blowing at 3:00 am. I was stoked.

At daylight I was waiting in the honey hole. Not another boat anywhere in sight. I

thought I died and went to heaven as I was getting everything ready. I was thinking to my

self what I was suppose to do. Kind of like talking to myself but not saying the words out

loud. I wanted to be quiet and enjoy the morning.

I started to see a few tarpon roll and they appeared to be going around in a circle

following each other staying in one spot. I blew out some air loudly and then very quietly

I eased the trolling motor in forward. It was not a race to get there, so I was able to move

very slowly over to the spot.

Several things ran through my mind at once as the adrenaline started flowing. I had

made sure that the trolling motor was off, that I would not fall off the boat on the way up

to get the fly rod and that I would pick up the rod and fly line without getting the fly or

line tangled up in the process. Lastly I would need to make a good cast.

The most exciting moment in tarpon fishing is when the fish eats. Most times one can

see the big fish eat the fly and that is the best. Early in the morning, the water is dark and

the strike is a surprise, but none the less it is very exciting casting to rolling fish and

stripping the fly through the school. I let the fly sink for 5 seconds and began stripping

slowly.

My plan had worked flawlessly throughout the cast and strips until the break-off

occurred. I had tied up a 20 pound fluorocarbon class tippet leader with a 12 inch 80

pound bite tippet. I believe when the giant tarpon ate the fly he sucked it in way past the

12 inch bite tippet and broke it instantly as I barely struck the tarpon. It was a splashing

explosion on the surface when she ate the fly and then it was over in two seconds. I said

out loud “Damn!”

As I was putting on another fly, I noticed another boat with two guys had sneaked in on

my blind side. I am back on earth now. I had noticed him a little earlier from far away.

The school of fish I hooked the giant out of was still closer to me than the other boat. I

thought to myself, man, now I have got to bust his chops for coming in too close.

I decided to proceed slowly, but I made sure that the unknown anglers would suffer for

coming in on me. Finally he muttered for me to take a shot when he was trapped

between me and the fish. This did not set well with me. I said listen, you need to find

your own fish. There are more out here than just this one pod. Also, you need to

approach the fish at a slower pace. Your twin trolling motors are spooking the fish and

they will swim just out of your range if you start chasing them. I further stated that I

knew it was pretty deep out here but he might try poling his boat from the deck. He did

not say much back, but he obliged me and went off in another direction.

As things got back to normal, I made a perfect cast into the pod and a large tarpon sky

rocketed into the air only seconds after eating the fly. This fish got off after a couple of

jumps. He threw the fly and I probably forgot to bow to the king or as I say to my clients

the hook probably hit a hard spot in his mouth and just washed out when he fell back into

the water.

What happen the next hour was incredible for me. I found a couple more schools of

tarpon daisy chaining. Each cast into the school produced a hard hitting strike. The fly

pattern was a reliable orange and yellow pattern I have liked for the last 10 years.

I hooked and fought 2 more 100 pound tarpon that I broke off intentionally after seeing a

couple of bull sharks in the area. Last year I lost a tarpon to a bull shark and I vowed to

break off the fish at the first site of blood from the tarpon or when I visually see a shark

working the area.

It was about 9:00 am when I had to leave for a doctors appointment. I had a good time

fighting those tarpon getting about 6 jumps each and a sweaty good workout. I e-mailed

my friend from England and rubbed it in hard. He said please, do not torture me. Well,

that is what you get when you cancel me, buddy.

Meet One of Homosassa's Best Fishing Guides

Meet fishing guide/captain Tony Matthews whom I have known for 3 decades.   I never knew his last name until he gave me one of his cards yesterday.  His passengers yesterday was me, Walt and his girlfriend, Stacey.  His 22-foot custom skiff accommodated us comfortably with plenty of space to fish. We were all excited about fishing.  There was no pressure as Tony took us along to scout the waters for the next day.

If you Google, “Old Homosassa Guide Service” his web site is number 1 at the top. There, you will learn about him and his services. We have a special relationship in that both of us were mentored by the late Fred “Fearless” Archibald. We shared special memories of him and  time spent together. Freddy mentored several guides besides us and helped us along the way at the start of our career. He bugged me into fly fishing for tarpon until I said ok. I’m sure thankful he did.  Tony was much closer than I, as he worked for Freddy helping him to build the Florida famous Shipoke flats skiff.  You were a badass, if you were tooling around in one of those.

Cruising down the river, Walt and I felt great as we sat in the very comfortable chairs amidships. The ride out was beautiful with cedar and sable palm trees, carpeted by marsh grass that made for a picturesque background.  What a treat to me, not being the guide and driving the boat. Tony slid the boat around the creeks, high jacking the engine and plying in mere inches of water was a ton of fun Tony’s TV screen-sized GPS track feature helped him to easily navigate the 4-foot wide channel.

As we came off a plane, the clear blue sky was perfect with the sun at our back, but an east wind was blowing us along a little faster than we liked.  But Tony cleverly made adjustments with his 21-foot pushpole and the hydraulic Power-Pole anchor.  We began site fishing with soft plastics and hard bodies and not even follow up, although, we put the baits in front of their nose in a foot of water.  

Later in the day when the tide turned, the fish began to bite.  We got into them pretty good a couple of times while covering more shoreline with Tony’s Minn-Kota trolling motor.  We probably could have caught many more reds, but since this was a scouting trip, we called it a day early.  

Upon on our return to the center of activity in town at MacRae’s of Homosassa, This place rocks at the Shed. Owner, Gator MacRae is a super guy and childhood friend. Upon arrival at the dock, I was greeted by Cathy and Roger Holland, who waited around for me to come in. What a surprise!  

The picture above shows what will be representative of what redfish anglers can keep in the Northwest section of Florida..  Starting May 1st. The bag limit will be 1 per person instead of 2.  Back in the day, many anglers lobbied tirelessly to have the amended rule to 1 per person.  If you think there is redfish now, they will be at least twice as many a year from now.  There are thousands of us out there fishing and 2 a day adds up quickly over a year’s time.  In our areas we are seeing plenty of slot fish but not many bigger ones over the slot.

I endorse Tony as one of the top guides in Homosassa and I greatly recommend him.

Capt. Billy Henderson the Fisherman!

How fast the excitement of a fishing trip can wear off for a veteran like me, can be compared to a severe addiction if don't go fishing on a regular basis.  What I am referring to, is the thought pattern of the day itself, leading up to the day heading out.  Sure I have great memories of stories, but a fresh one is always nicer to share for some folks.  Jury is out on that one.  Old or new?

My longtime friend, Billy Henderson, my favorite fishing buddy and friend,(Walt the Polock) and myself were invited to fish with Billy in his boat up in Alachua County north of Ocala.  The ride is about 70 miles from Homosassa.  133 miles from where I live.  Sounds crazy when I could fish either the ocean or gulf in less travel time.  I love fresh water fishing, but salt water has been my game for many moons.  

This was a special day with special friends and a special lake.  A first for me.  We pulled up to an old Fish Camp with cabins dating 50 years back.  The bait shop smelled like it should smell.  A little fishy.  

Florida truly has some great lakes to fish.  This lake is surrounded 95% with cypress trees hundreds of years old.  And lilly pads run the perimeter.  Depths vary but we were fishing in 8 feet of water.

So when I get a chance to freshwater fish, I jump at the chance.  I know quite a bit about Billy and he shared his techniques with us after he had a comfortable lead.  There are always three titles between competitors in my book.  First fish(I caught it), Biggest fish(Walt caught it) and Billy who caught the most by 60%.  The first two titles are luck.  Skill is needed to catch the most.  

We were using graphite long rods that reminded me of a tapered down cane pole. Both ultra light line and reels completed the rig.  I’m not going to divulge Billy’s type of bait or where.  That’s up to him.  He’s a guide and that’s the way he makes his money.  What we used was a lot of fun and not a huge secret.  I’d say one of  Billy’s favorite passions is Crappie fishing and among friends or clients who know how to fish.  If it is a windy day you can stay hung up all the time and that is not fun.   We did a few times and more than 3 hangups and you are dropped off at the dock.  This was trash talk, but he is kind of serious about it.  I went past three and I was allowed to fish some more.

Billy would say, Crappie fishing is not rocket science but there are a few things to know that will help to catch them.  Today was not a “we killed them” day.  The below freezing temperatures the past few nights over the weekend, drove the fish into the middle of the lake.  Some of that was going on we surmised as the fish were like popsicles.  

I’ll tell you, if there was ever a Florida Outdoorsman, Billy Henderson is living his dream.  We  enjoyed listening about his hunting trips with paid clients to almost anything with 4 legs that is legal to shoot.  Whitetail and Axis Deer, Hogs, Alligators and a few I left out.  Plus Osceola Turkey, Dove and Quail.  He has 19 farms to hunt off of.  A premium lodge.  Bienville Plantation in White Springs for bass and crappie guided trips.

For saltwater trips, Billy is very professional and knowledgeable.   Maybe 35 years ago, no one was a captain, now we all are self-proclaimed, the title, me included.  I was one of the first.  I prefer guide or experienced guide.  Professional is a good one, too.  Billy is all of them.  

He can hold his own in the fishing field of guides.  Some things he is better at than most.  Huge 60 pound black drum for one.  He puts his people on big trout for these parts and plenty of redfish.  

Billy designed his own skiff made with composite materials. She is 20 feet long with an 8 foot beam.  The wide bottom is flat with a center tunnel and can run in 4 inches of water.  He can navigate inside the backcountry with ease and this gives him an edge.  His boats are built for fishing with wide walk on gunnels The bow deck, jack plate, 10- foot Power Pole and trolling motor completes the package.  The elevated helm with hydraulic steering helps to see over the clients and find the fish.

You can’t blame me for plugging Billy.  He took me out and this is the least I can do for him. But also know that, I love other fishing guides in Homosassa and others across the state that have a good reputation.  I am blessed when it comes to having a lot of guide friends.  But I’ll need to write about each one or they will be jealous. lol!  They have to take me fishing first!