Back To the Land Of Snappers
Capt. Larry Pentel
July 28, 2009
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report
Got Back to Seagrove yesterday afternoon after some fantastic Tarpon fishin' at Indian Pass. I spent the day today working on tackle and swapping everything around so I can get back to Red Snappers and Kings off Grayton for the next few weeks. I called a couple of the other captains that fish here and got the same report from all of 'em-- "lots of fish, pretty easy catchin". I figure my spots have had a break for a month so they all should be packin' pretty good!
I hated to leave the "Pass". The Tarpons are there in force this year. They showed up a little later than usual but are in as thick as they get right now. The usual population of fish in the 100 t0 130# range showed but also a lot of small (for there) 50 to 75#'s and a bunch of HUGE ones over 200# as well.
This fellow had just finished fighting a big fish before I took his picture, He fought it for 4 hours and 55 minutes on a Penn 706 spinning reel packed with 40# mono. He never handed the rod off or put it in the holder but put forth an effort rarely seen. He may be a kindergarten teacher in real life but he's my new hero- The fish was no longer than a lot of the big ones (around 8') we catch but had the biggest girth I have seen in doing this for 12 years every summer. I never got to touch the leader. Got my fingers within inches of the swivel probably a dozen times but the fish just wouldn't come any closer. The fact that it jumped twice clear of the water at 4 hours showed it still had a lot of fight left- the line broke when the fish made a run around the bow faster than my (very tired) angler could follow. So no one wants to argue size I'll just say it was over 250#----- The fish of a lifetime for sure---. His poor Dad got a 60# fish to the the boat right before this fight started- his first Tarpon and what should have been a big deal--- his son kinda stole his thunder when we had other boats pulling up to us trying to film the big 'un.
A more "regular size" one at the boat with a proud angler.
As always I never get to take any Tarpon pic's since when they get close I have to be ready to grab the leader and then hang on for dear life. The above pic is the only one any body has sent back so far.
Got Some pretty nice Tripletail pictures tho! This fellow had 2 nice ones and a gal along for the first trip in her life caught a fine Tarpon as well!
This was the view behind the boat Sat AM- my last all day Tarpon trip- as we got run in for a 5 hour rain delay. Made it back out about 2;30 in the afternoon and put 3 in the air- one about 100# that threw the hook on the first jump, 1 'bout 130# that taught my 15 year old angler a few things before throwing the hook on the 6th jump and another "oh no" fish over 200# that broke off after it's 3rd 250 yard run and 6 jumps. While I hated the young man didn't land one I do believe he is pretty well hooked on Big Game fishin" !!! Having a fish bigger than you explode on the bait at the end of your spinning rod will do that to a person !
I've got 3 weeks of fishin' here and then I'm going to try to get back to the "Pass" to put a few more in the air at the end of August.
Capt Larry Pentel
Destin Fishing Forecast:
Lots of full boxes!
More Fishing Reports:
