The anticipation of a fishing trip is always exciting, especially when you’re booked with a top-tier guide and blessed with perfect weather. Despite my frequent fishing expeditions, it’s still a delightful surprise when the weather aligns perfectly with my scheduled days on the water. Earlier in the week, we had endured unfavorable conditions – cold and windy. However, by the time John and I embarked on our fishing adventure, the weather had transformed into a warm, pleasant norm, with further improvements on the horizon.
Our first day began at the crack of dawn, specifically targeting rolling tarpon, and we were immediately met with an abundance of them. I had several opportunities to cast at these magnificent fish before finally understanding their preferences for the day. Once I cracked the code, I hooked a sizable tarpon. This impressive herring launched itself out of the water in a spectacular display.
This battle lasted for a thrilling 15 minutes. We were on the verge of a successful grab when, unfortunately, the shock tippet broke as I exerted pressure. But in the grand scheme of a fun-filled day of fishing, landing every single fish isn’t essential – nor realistically possible, to be honest. We lingered in the vicinity, optimistic about encountering another tarpon, but quickly realized the fish had moved on.
We then dedicated the later part of the morning to searching for more action. While we didn’t stumble upon massive schools of tarpon, we managed to entice a few bites from fish scattered in various locations. As the day was drawing to a close, John guided us to a spot he described as a place “just to kill some time while the tide gets right somewhere else.” This “time-killing” spot turned out to be an absolute goldmine. It was teeming with roiling schools of recently arrived tarpon, not to mention a generous number of permit, which added to the exhilarating chaos. We skillfully coaxed a bite from one swirling mass of fish, only to lose it on a jump. However, the sheer number of fish around instilled confidence that we would have more opportunities.
In just over an hour of fishing in this productive location, we had several follows from these energetic tarpon, although no further solid bites. We concluded the day with firm plans to return the following morning, eager to seek some well-deserved revenge.
Day two commenced with a return to our starting point from the previous day. We quickly secured a couple of bites from large tarpon in the calm morning conditions. The first hookup remained solid until we made the strategic decision to break it off in search of another, mindful of not squandering the morning’s prime fishing window on a single fish. Our second bite proved more challenging to elicit. We worked diligently after releasing the first fish to find another willing participant. By adjusting our retrieve technique, I managed to get another bite, but this fish unfortunately didn’t stay connected. We then shifted our focus to revisiting the location that had been so productive the previous afternoon.
The fish were indeed there, just as we had hoped. However, the situation had evolved. The large, dense schools of newly arrived tarpon had dispersed into more scattered, wary strings, particularly cautious in the morning calm. We frequently approached small groups of fish, only to watch them drift away as we neared, and then abruptly scatter when we began casting in their direction. At times, it felt as if merely thinking about casting a rod was enough to spook the fish. Yet, driven by sheer determination, we persisted. Eventually, John expertly positioned us in front of a pair of tarpon swimming leisurely through some slightly murky water. From these fish, we managed to achieve a satisfying grab. We battled the fish for a good while, losing it in the final stages of the fight, but not before capturing some impressive photos of its leaps.
Satisfied with the morning’s action, we were ready for a change of scenery. John relocated us to several spots he wanted to explore. Throughout the afternoon, we only managed one more bite before John decided to make a final stop at another “time-killing” location before our planned return to the morning’s tarpon schools for a second round.
Once again, John’s “time-killing” strategy turned out to be incredibly fruitful for our fishing. We concluded our trip with some genuinely amazing fishing, never even making it back to the location he had originally intended to revisit. We encountered numerous casting opportunities, and this time, we converted a good number of them into solid bites. I started by hooking a fish that jumped off, followed immediately by another that stayed connected long enough for a close encounter.
We continued fishing in the area, missing a few more bites and jumping a few more tarpon before time ran out, and we had to call it a day.
I extend my sincere gratitude to John for orchestrating two exceptional days of fishing (and to the universe for delivering such magnificent weather). I’m eagerly anticipating our upcoming tournament season together.
I am currently a week behind on these fishing reports. Following these fantastic days with John, I also fished with Drew Delashmit and Ted Margo for a day, and then another day with Ian. I plan to post those reports soon, hopefully before my next fishing trips this Wednesday and Thursday with Ian.
More fishing adventures to come,
Nathaniel
