Florida: Tarpon Fly Fishing, The Silver King Wins Again!

by | Salt Water

Tarpon Hook-Up

I step up on to the casting platform and begin to strip line off the reel. My pulse quickens, legs begin to tremble and my breathing becomes more rapid and shallow. There are at least fifty tarpon rolling out in front of me. I pick one fish about sixty feet out at 10 o’ clock. As I start to work out the line with a few false casts, the 12 weight rod is broom handle stiff and loads easily. I try to be mindful not to rock the boat as I cast, knowing that these fish are in 2 to 3 feet of water, spooky and could blow out on us easily. My first cast is short. The guide re-directs me, “do you see the bubbles”? “pick it up and throw it a little farther” I do as instructed, everything is in super slow motion now. The 8 inch black and purple muddler pattern hit the water soft, I let it sink for a second or two and began the retrieve. Three strips in and a massive push of water develops right behind the fly, one more strip and show time! The massive tarpon rips the slack line from my hand as it clears off the bow of the boat. Drag is screaming and line is peeling off the reel and all is good, or so I thought. The monsters next maneuver was to charge the boat head on, at full speed. I was left with 80 feet of slack line in a matter of two seconds. I recovered the line, regained contact with the fish and then the hoop of my bent rod went as straight as a flag pole. I would have to say that bar none, this experience was the most exhilarating of my fly fishing career. The sheer power of these fish is unparalleled to any other species I have yet to experience. I was humbled, speechless and weak in the knees for a little while after all of that transpired.Thanks again for everything Headrush. These memories will last a lifetime.

13 Comments

  1. Shaq on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I’m sorry, after watching that vid. All I could do was laugh with you. I apologise. That got me all juiced up. What an oppurtunity. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip between slurpers on the D.

    Nice!!!

  2. joey on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Whippa- Nicely done!!!! you looked heart broken and I’m sure you were when your line went slack. I am glad you got to hook a few, if I am not mistaken you landed a few too. I guess its back to boring steelhead again what a bummer 🙂 Good luck on the big D this year I’ll talk to ya soon.
    j-

  3. waterwhippa on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Joey, heart broken is an under statement. you know how it goes with the silver king though. I never boated a Tarpon, we did bring plenty of nice snook to hand. The guide snapped his push pole in half around noon so we only got a half day in. I’ll be back next spring, I think we should all go down there next May.

  4. patm on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    wow……
    the pure power of that fish so evident in the video. Must have been a thrill.

  5. WNYjunkie on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    That is one wicked video. Excellent casting its to bad that 1 got away but everything looks amazing down there.

  6. Shaq on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I just watched it again. That was so great!!! I’m still chuckling the way I do when someone (Usually me) gets spanked by a steelhead. Sorry Whippa, it just gets me going. WHat a hook-up!!

  7. waterwhippa on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Shaq, the first few times I watched the clip today I honestly started to shake a little bit.

  8. Shaq on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I can see why

  9. wrh on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    That video catches the moment of truth, the hook up. I’ve only read and heard of fly fishing for tarpon on the fly. Seeing it brings a whole new level of appreciation of those fish. The power of those fish looks awesome. I can understand being weak in the knees. Reminds me when I was kid casting to a large bass or pickeral that I could see and they looked mammoth to my eyes back then. Tarpon however are for real.

  10. Fisherboy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    hi dave sounds like you had a great trip. I’m glad you hooked into a few silver kings. You were hauling out quite a bit of line there! I remember when we were steelheading you threw a cast way across the river, and I said to myself….”man, I want to cast like that.” Awsome job. Have fun on the big D!

    Austin

  11. caddishead on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Awsome! Had my heart racing! That is on my list of todo!

  12. bbhog on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I like the laughin’ in the middle of that video – don’t sweat it man, every time I’ve ever hooked a tarpon it has gone down the exact same way….lots of knee shaking and a piece of humble pie!

  13. waterwhippa on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Austin, Thanks. I remember you putting quite a bit of line out there on the SR yourself. I wish my cast was half as nice as yours when I was your age. Soon you will be casting better than all of us.