It's Tarpon Time Again!

Its Springtime in the Keys and Tarpon are beginning to show. Plenty of windy weather is holding them back a little but if you put your time in you will get a shot or two.

This past week we have hooked Tarpon on every trip...

Yesterday I had Dick Alt and he made me proud. At 77 years old Dick is in great shape and fought a huge Tarpon for over 2 hours.We had the leader many times but Dick wanted to get it alongside the boat for a pic. After an hour the big fish started grey hounding like the battle had just begun. Dick is a very experienced angler and has caught many Tarpon and big sharks with me in the past. He knows how to cup the spool for added drag. Finally at the 2 hour mark the fish surged one more time and went thru the leader.

We used Fox Diablo 750 spinning reels for all of our Tarpon and Sharks.  When I first get a new Diablo spinning reel I take the spool off and unscrew the back plate and totally lube all the drag washers with super lube and the roller on the bail and for good measure some oil in the reel when I unscrew the handle. Once this preventative maintenance is done the reel is good for a season. These are the toughest reels around. I have never had a gear get stripped, had a handle break. Pretty amazing. I have been a charter skipper for over 40 years now and have used my share of spinning tackle.

Well here are some pictures of my guests and their fish.

Captain Skip Nielsen

up close

action

at the boat

Caroline & tarpon

Caroline's Tarpon

Dick Alt had a great day Tarpon fishing

Dick Alt had the battle of his life with this huge Tarpon

Dick Alt is a young 77 years old.
12 shark releases and a 2 hour battle with an estimated 150lb plus Tarpon

Dick Alts monster grey hounding after an hour

earlier 7 year old Austin lost a huge Tarpon
but then caught a big Lemon Shark.

Frank,Adam and Austin Eismont fighting a triple of Sharks

Joe and Caroline Millican will be back

lots of shark action in between Tarpon

Pat Quarranta had a very exciting day. first big Tarpon and a Sawfish

teeth

Pat Quarranta's Tarpon put on a show

Pat's Tarpon

Randy Soth with a big Mangrove Snapper