Tarpon Cay Lodge Report - July 7-13

[Rick J]

Just back from TCL - although it was not as great a trip as last year it was still fabulous. We targeted the big fish more than the babies and did not see them in the large numbers we saw last year and generally they were alot more spooky - really moving fast with just a few opportunites to get the fly in front of them.

First day we went for the babies and did not find them in the flats so had to go into the mangrove rivers to chase them - Ladd was a new recruit from my office who came when my brother had to cancel - here he is fishing the mangroves:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN0004-1.jpg

and here is a nice baby tarpon:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN0009.jpg

Next day I was on my own with my guide and good friend Pedro ( I had given him a 9 wt rod and fly line last year and this year brought him a reel) - We left early after the big fish and as soon as we got out there we saw a group coming directly at the boat moving fast - I laid out around a 75' cast maybe 15 feet in front of the fish and made one strip and got slammed - no one home!! made another 4 strips and got slammed - no one home!! another 5 strips and slammed again - no one home - by this time I could see the fly maybe 30 feet out and a nice fish came up and inhaled it and turned and I was on - here is a photo of that fish:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN0023.jpg

maybe an hour later the other folks were out with us (3 boats total) and we found a lazy group of tarpon just slowly moving around - we got into position and Pedro and I started casting - what a wild half hour!!! We both must have had 10 strikes with several hook ups that came loose on the first jump. I finally hooked solid and a couple of minutes later Pedro was fast to a fish. Mine finally came unbuttoned after maybe 15 minutes but Pedro got his fish to the boat (very close to 100#'s so he was undergunned with his 9 wt))- we were able to touch the leader (so legal caught) but we were holding onto the leader when the fish made a surge under the boat - the rod followed and snapped and the fish broke the class tippet!!! :cry:

Here s a sequence of photos - Pedro pointing to his new reel with fish screaming off, and a final picture of a crying Pedro:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN0024.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN0037.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN0048.jpg

That afternoon we targeted the babies and got a number of fish - here are a couple of photos of Pedro:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN0057.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN0062.jpg

One day in particular was really tough - could not get close enough to the big fish to get many opportunities. Another problem is we did not have good afternoon tides - pretty low so it was hard getting into the rivers in the afternoon to chase the babies.

My 4th day was another single and managed my biggest fish of the trip

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN00972.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN01042.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN01092.jpg

On the last day Ladd got to be a single and decided to target the babies and found good number of pods on the flats and had great fishing -probably 20 grabs in the moring with a number of fish on a few landed (but who cares - the grab and initial jumps are what is so great about these fish!!!) So another wonderful memory - and hope to get back there again!!!

[Terry Thomas]

Hi Rick,
Thanks for the report. We are heading out Monday for the same route. Hope the fishing holds on...three days at TCL and three at Isla Blanca.
Terry

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Tarpon Cay Lodge in the Mexican Yucatan is the top Tarpon destination.

"Yucatan Fly Fishing" has 3 great locations with a varity of tropical game fish.

We are filling all the top weeks for next summer right now.

Contact Keith Kaneko owner of 'Angling On the Fly' if you want to go next summer.

Let us know if you want a DVD and other info on these trips.

[sculpin]

Nice report Rick

[Hairstacker]

Great stuff Rick, love the pictures! 8) 8) 8)

[Rick J]

Bill,
I loved your exploratory trip DVD - the new site really looks intriguing. I could pretty easily give up the big fish for the babies. As exciting and fun as the stalking, the savage grab and initial runs and jumps are on the big fish, the resulting tug of war I could do without - I was pretty happy to have so many fish come loose after the intitial grab and jump.

We acutally saw some bones and a few permit this year (none last year) and one of our group, Jon Barrena got a nice bone. I had several oppourtunities but did not have the right tippet and they turned away at the last minute.

Seems your new place, like Isla Blanca have the bones and permit also?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Great Rick

Terry T and Jim C are both setting up hosted trips for next year that are 3 days at Isla Blanca and 3 days at Isla Arena (new place).

Both very exciting places with more sight casting than TCL but not many big fish. Lots of variety though.