Giant Homosassa Tarpon Landed
Capt. Mike Locklear
May 21, 2008
Homosassa - Saltwater Fishing Report
Without a doubt, fly fishing for tarpon gets in the blood and when you come from a family of tarpon guides. As much as I try to relax about the sport I still get so excited when I look at these huge fish that Homosassa offers.
Being back on the poling platform requires me to stay calm and give instructions to my client so he does not get too excited. It does not always work unless I am with Peter Moyer of Jackson Hole. Then we are both cool as a cucumber. We have fished together many times and I know Peter's fishing prowess is right on cue.
Recently, our season's largest fish was hooked up with long time visitor Peter Moyer of Homosassa. We guessed the 7-foot thick and wide toad to be 190+. I could go into the poetry and art of how that big fish reacted but I just can't bring myself to write it right now. Like Flip Pallot once said, the memory of the experience is burned into the mind.
From experience of more than 15 seasons of 10-14 consecutive trips Moyer has figured the game and is one of the top producers of the sport. Only his neighbor, Tom Evans has more time on the water spending the entire month of May each year with his dedicated captain. Evans holds the current 8kg (17.5 lbs.) 190.5 pounds beating out Billy Pate's 188 set back in 1982.
Moyer is eccentric. His standard fly rod is a 10-weight Sage with an Abel fly reel. He uses a clear Monic fly line. His leaders are long and lighter than most anglers except he chooses the 8kg class tippet almost exclusively. The hook he uses is a 4/0 SSW Owner and tied to the shock leader using a loop knot. This is said to give it more action.
This year I witnessed a 7-weight outfit in his hand. I was reluctant that this tack might be akin to shooting an elephant with a BB gun. He proved me wrong as I watched him bring in an 80-pound tarpon to the leader within 30 minutes. All I had to do is get super close to the fish as the backing he had on the reel was minimal at best. The trick is to fight the fish off the reel, not the rod.
Many hours of preparation goes into his hand tied flies that he prepares while in his home near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He might be watching tarpon videos and perhaps pulling on a Michelob Ultra or something better.
Truly the real big tarpon are having a full moon party somewhere far away from here. No one has seen a big school of fish since Sunday. They have gone away to who knows where. We are finding 80-100 pound tarpon laid up in areas normally reserved for June tarpon.
No doubt, Moyer's huge tarpon was beside the boat and considered caught by Gentlemen rules. To accurately determine the weight of the fish would require a gaff and holding up the head to get a girth number. A tarpon that size could equal 10 pounds for every inch of girth in the middle 40's. That why the record chasers measure them. I hate to see huge female tarpon sacrificed not to ever remain in the gene pool of giants.
Moyer asked me to release the tarpon. I grabbed the tippet in my hand and held tight as the line broke leaving a little reminder in the jaw of the fish, a custom fly by Moyer.
Our faces were glowing with satisfying grins ear to ear as we said good bye to our big friend.
Moyer and I were very pleased he caught the fish of a lifetime.
This is what Homosassa tarpon fishing is all about. Getting a shot at a fish of a lifetime and preparing for it because it is in our blood.
Capt. Mike
P.S.
Currently, I have a few openings for last minute planners. I welcome anyone including novices to introduce them to an awesome addictive sport. Everything you need is provided by me to challenge the greatest game fish on earth.
Homosassa tarpon will fizzle out by the end of June. Apalachicola tarpon action will peak in June and July with a few stragglers throughout August.
More Fishing Reports:
