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Southwest Florida Fishing Report - Bonita Springs to Captiva
Capt. John GiddyUp-Bunch
May 19, 2007
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report
For the first time in my career as a Professional Saltwater Fishing Guide, a decision was made to write a newspaper story about a very special day of tarpon fishing. An epic battle between UK visitor to Sanibel, Jonathan and Jane Tibbles, resulted in the release of one of the largest tarpon this Pro Guide has ever seen. The beast, according to the old reliable formula, weighed out at 218LBS. How weird it weigh exactly as much as the man who released her. ME!
30LB Power Pro, 60LB Yo-Zuri Flurocarbon (pink) Invisible Leader, and my favorite rod. Tibbles used my personal rod because we were casting live thread herring for small tarpon (60-80LBS). The Rogue Red Dawg (12-20LB) 7Ft performed magically. It should also be noted a Rogue Rod was used to score the 1063 Mako Shark near Navarre Beach, Fl. The angler was fishing for 30-60LB Cobia.
The fishing is on fire down here but the wind is starting to blow again. Sucks and blows so here we go.
Tarpon: Tarpon are thick off Sanibel Island. On GiddyUp Fishing Charters this past week, many anglers experienced total joy, sore arms, shoulders, and lower backs. As previously mentioned, Jonathan "The Mad Englishman" Tibbles scored (perhaps) the biggest Tarpon I've ever seen. This 53 year old man defied all odds plus a 16-17Ft Hammerhead Shark to win a 4:10 minute battle with a +200LB Tarpon. "Yours Truly" selected the light spinning outfit for the presentation because of the 40+ tarpon in the school, not 1 appeared to be over 70LBS. Mayday! Except the Big Mama in the very back of the pack. She took us 2.5 miles directly to the beach in the first hour. Hour 2 involved 1.5 miles down the beach (within 30Ft of shore and witnessed by quite an audience of beach lovers) and then 2 miles back the other way. Soon we were headed back to within 400 yards of where we first started. Then another 5 miles into the Gulf of Mexico. All of my fellow guides know my principle of standing my ground and fighting the fish but this was different. You kinda had to be there. And how tough of a fight was it for the "Mad Englishman?" A heart attack was a distinct possibility so figuring I had nothing to lose except a tip, I inquired if it would be OK if I married his wife in case of his unfortunate passing. This is called "Crisis Thinking" and former US Marines are highly trained and skilled.
Perhaps the reason we scored a boat side release and unhooking of the 4/0 Owner SSW Circle Hook was because of the BIG HAMMERHEAD (16-17FT All Day Long).
"Big Mama" ran for her life and exhausted herself. To save her, we went to zero drag, ran the boat up to her, and she became like all women who experience my arms. PUDDY. Jello baby! Anyway, it was an amazing experience and The Tibbles (I suppose) are living happily ever after in the UK.
Snook: Geeze-Louize! The Linesiders are everywhere. I refuse to harass them on the beach because the dolphins will eat them upon release. Besides, the snook are out there to mate and why would anyone want to put a "Block" on a mating situation. That's sick. Mating deserves to be left alone, enjoyed, and performed again and again and again. Geeze, how would you like gettin' messed with when you are makin' bacon? Just ain't right.
Redfish: Who cares when the Tarpon are thick. "GiddyUp"
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