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Fishing Report for Homosassa, Florida
Capt. Mike Locklear
July 13, 2004
Homosassa - Saltwater Fishing Report
Homosassa Tarpon Report to July 4, 2004
The Homosassa tarpon season is winding down for the fly rod fraternity, however, some local fish in the rivers and bay still provide outstanding action for those wishing to catch a big sport fish.
Often called the sport of kings, these powerful fish are really the sport of anyone with the will to catch one. Give me the choice of when we go and you will have a great chance in landing one of these beautiful silver sided and top black colored monsters.
On June 20, Miles Clarkson battled a 140 pound class tarpon on the fly for over an hour; it was an incredible eat in a weed line and just a minute before Clarkson trouted a tarpon by raising the rod tip.
On June 26, Capt. Ralph Allen of Charlotte Harbor came up for a break and landed a 100 pound tarpon late in the afternoon using conventional means.
On June 28, all hell broke loose on the Point as former Tampa Bay Rowdies all-star soccer goal keeper Arnie Mausser battled a giant tarpon only to overpower the big fish and have it break the line in an attempt to muscle the fish in before it was ready. I guess that is what happened; I think we tightened the drag down too tight actually. After a few jumps it is all but the fighting and who cares to fight anyway. Dave “Dutch” Freudenburg was along for moral support and was entertained by two redneck guides trying to see who the most macho man was.
At the end of June, the last day, Tommy Koulouris hooked a giant tarpon on the fly and got one big jump out of it before it spit out the fly. The next day his nephew also named Tommy, whom is grandson to Louis Pappas of Tarpon Springs, hooked his first tarpon on the fly with me. It ate right next to the boat, but the fly fell out almost immediately. However, Tommy did fight a tarpon conventionally for 10 minutes and got the entire goody out of the fish before the hook pulled.
Dean McHolme and son Collin of Pittsburg and now Black Diamond of Lecanto came down on July 2 for tarpon on the fly rod. McHolme hooked a giant tarpon of about 120 pounds and got several jumps and fought the fish to almost a legal catch. We were trying to actually get a photograph of it and Dean had the fish all but beat except the line snapped. Probably due to the fact the fish took us along shore side of the mangroves several times. It was an hour long battle ending in a gesture by Dean that he must return to touch one.
I heard the fishing was great on July 3 as Al Dopirak reported 5 eaters and two caught fish. Shaw Grisby of TNN One More Cast was guided by Dopirak to a nice giant tarpon the previous day.
My family and I left town that day for some fresh water action in swimming on the Suwannee River where we watched four to six foot sturgeon free jumping out of the middle of the river water.
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