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Fishing Report for Homosassa, Florida
Capt. Mike Locklear
April 16, 2006
Homosassa - Saltwater Fishing Report
Tarpon Tales For The Ages
Every year Butch Rawson comes from Atlanta to Homosassa to battle with the big tarpons that make their way here from possibly South America or Mexico.
The fishery was discovered publicly in 1882 when A.W. Dimock wrote about his Homosassa experience in a book that was published around 1910.
Dimock’s tarpon was a river tarpon, probably a resident fish hooked while trolling the mouth of the Homosassa River in February. In those days Dimock had an oarsman that served as his guide named Tat. They were both amazed at the huge size and aerial performances of the silvery fish.
Dimock fought the tarpon furiously and gave Tat the rod and took the gaff from him. He stuck the fish in the throat and the tarpon lurched straightening out the gaff and sending Dimock into the river for an unexpected swim.
More than a hundred years later, Rawson armed with a 12-weight Sage fly rod, #4 Abel fly reel and a bag full of pre-tied flies engaged Capt. Bill Hampton to put him on a big tarpon. They left the Homosassa Fishing Club at 6:30 in the morning or safe light.
Hampton motored down the river with the aid of a 130 H.P motor, quite an improvement over Dimock’s boat. The early morning show of tarpon was slow with only a few schools spotted. None in range of the 80 foot cast expected of Rawson, a professed angler.
About 9 a.m. they both located a school of about 40 huge black-back tarpon against white sand bottom. The first several casts did not raise any interest. With a little more poling and directing by Hampton, Rawson laid the fly perfectly in a path of the school that was starting to daisy chain.
When the tarpon ate the fly, Rawson later told me that the big poon jumped three times in the air nearly wetting the boat and almost clearing the water each time. This was a big tarpon, each time vigorously shaking its head trying to dislodge the hook.
Hampton recalled that the tarpon was wearing the fly for a mustache at one point early on until turned to jump. Then the fly was set solidly into the jaw of the tarpon.
Then, as Hampton explained we went on a sleigh ride after those three jumps. About half way into the battle a photographer from Forbes magazine asked if he could board the skiff. Rawson said he must have taken 75-100 photos.
Hampton said the tarpon dragged them across the flats and into the mangroves and through the back country where it ended up in a dead-end creek. When the 7 foot long fish saw there was no way out it jumped into the marsh and flopped its way back into the water. A little later in that creek far inside the refuge the tarpon came into gaffing range.
After a grueling 4 hour and 15 minute battle with more than 10 miles of water covered the tarpon gave up and was at boat side. An exhausted Rawson eyed the tarpon face to face for the first time after five annual trips. Hampton congratulated Rawson for finally catching a big one.
By eyeballing the tarpon they thought maybe the tarpon was a world record on 8 kg class tippet. Some reconsideration was discussed and they decided to revive the tarpon and let it go. Without any good luck the tarpon died and they tagged the fish and brought it in to Tradewinds Marina where tarpon in those days were weighed. Rawson laid beside the tarpon on the ride back in the 18’ Shipoke. Hampton said Butch was pretty tired after that long ordeal.
The huge tarpon was much taller than Butch. Side by side at the scales tarpon hanging, a small crowd of onlookers including Jim Long were all hoping the red needle would dip down to 190 pounds beating Billy’s Pate’s record of 188 pounds.
The scales settled at 159.
It’s still a great catch on the fly rod, and a reproduction hangs in the dining room of the club dining room. Rawson, now in his 70’s still hopes one day to catch a record tarpon. In 2003, the world record on 16-pound tippet was broken by Tom Evans and guide Al Dopirak with a 190 pound and 9 ounce giant that was caught near where Rawson’s fish was hooked.
For more information about A. W. Dimock and the history of tarpon go online to
http://www.tarbone.org
This web site is Bonefish and Tarpon Unlimited (BTU) where both anglers and scientist pool together their time and experience to learn more about the tarpon’s migratory paths so they can possibly preserve the species from commercial harvest in third world countries.
Please support BTU by joining today. Your contribution will help preserve tarpon for future generations to come.
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