4th of July tarpon!

[sunflower]

4 July 2012

Perfect day for beach tarpon off Venice. Flat ocean, full moon setting, no wind, and tarpon rolling all around ...
Weird thing, something went wrong, my toad started getting pulled away, and my 12-weight got all bent over and stuff ...

[SUPER D]

Cool, wishen I was fishen. :full

[Shadowcast]

Nice.

[sunflower]

Dear guys, thanks!

Sorry I couldn't get a better photo, but it is seriously-impossible to land, control, and photograph a tarpon while alone in the deep. I almost-lost him enough while fumbling for my camera with one hand and holding the rod with the other. Plus, I was using a borrowed Nautilus reel that rattled and squeaked like an old trike. I was afraid it was going to explode every time he took drag on the fly line there towards the end. He ended up breaking the knot on the hook boatside.

[saltybum]

Funny, squeaky ( try oiling ) Nautilus held up but knot failed.
I have had knot failure too, recently but knot with a big tarpon, just the biggest trout I have ever hooked. :facepalm Can also relate to trying to take photos solo of big fish.
We gotta keep our sense of humor don't we!