Marco Island, Ft. Myers & Boca Grande

Capt. Scott Hughes
June 8, 2002
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

237 pound tarpon sets a Blackwater Charter Record!

Let's get to the tarpon story. Most of my tarpon fishing has been targeting beach tarpon off the barrier islands from Ft Myers north to Boca Grande Pass. This morning we hooked a very special tarpon that set a personal best for any tarpon that I have guided anyone to or caught myself. After 3 hours and 3 minutes Tom Brennen landed a tarpon that measured 8' 2" and had a girth of 44 ". The tarpon measured to be approx. 237 pounds. The fish hit a live thread herring and hooked with a 5/0 Mutu Light cirle hook by Owner. That is my first tarpon that is for sure over 200 pounds. I have had many that were over 175 but I have leary to say 200 because a fish that big is to special to just throw around numbers. The difference between this fish and the typical 150 pound tarpon is like night and day. We hooked the fish with the heavest tackle that I have for sightfishing which is a 7'6" Calcutta casting rod with a 700 Calcutta reel spooled with 25-pound line. When a fish takes a good angler over 2 hours it's in a class by its self. I had only one picture left on my camera so if it comes out good I will post it on the website. If it doesn't Tom is going to get a replica mount and I will get a photo of him next to the mount so everyone can see how big a true 200+ pound tarpon is.

We have been doing other types of fishing mostly out of Marco Island and the upper 10,000 Islands. Snook fishing continues to be excellent. We have been averaging 10-15 snook per day with a couple per day 32 inches or more. Trout have been everywhere that we have found snook and most are pusing the 20-inch mark. Jack crevelle are around most of the ouside points and are taking the live sardines that we are using for the snook and trout. Redfish continue to be scarce but we did land a 29-inch fish that went almost 13-pounds.

The forecast for the next few weeks will be much of the same. Excellent snook and trout fishing out of the 10,000 Islands and sight fishing for tarpon in the Ft Myers area.

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