Tarpowned in Belize
My trip began in Caye Caulker with our first day guided by Pernell. Weather was OK with wind making casting and locating tarpon difficult. I went into this trip telling myself to listen to my guide on what to do since I have never fished for the silver king, and I think this was a poor choice. We found a nice pod of tarpon and I got my first hook up on about a 30 pounder and I begin to put the screws to him and strip set hard to set the hook when Pernell says "no no no, lift the rod" which threw me off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wITAlabNAM
Well after a few jumps the first tarpon hooked came off. Round two at the same spot, same results, with this Tarpon being a little smaller and hanging a little longer teasing me with the fact that I may land my first silver king, unfortunately it also owned me on the jump. Well after covering a lot of water searching mangroves and flats today's search for Tarpon had to come to an end.
The next morning I was prepared mentally, fight the fish, I have been doing this along time, let instinct take over. Unfortunately we woke up to a small hurricane shutting down day two for chasing the Poon.
The day was not a bust because returning to my hotel, around 10pm, I head to the dock to find a nice school of baby tarpon feeding in the light. So immediately I grab my rod, cast, and hook a nice ten pounder that fought hard and try to take me under the dock and then finally jumping and spitting the hook. Then I proceeded to stalk baby tarpon until midnight not getting one follow.....smart fish.
From here we joined a group 15 people from all over the world on a two day sailing trip to our next destination, Tobacco Caye.
Tobacco Caye is a beautiful island only about 5 acres big with one man on the island that knows anything about catching tarpon on the fly, The Bassman aka Noland jr. This was a different Tarpon experience then the first, we where targeting them in a deep cut between the reefs that was about 30 ft deep. Seeing them all lying at the bottom I knew this was going to be tough so I decided to through on my striper set up, 20' lead core sink tip. This formed out to be a poor decision. Although I did get about an 80 pounder to follow my fly up from the darkness and then take it I lost it on his first jump due to all the drag in the water caused from the lead core. Then what happened next took me by surprise. This trip was designed around catching tarpon, occasional bone, and heard that Permit where very elusive so did not want to use up my "tarpon time". Well while drifting this 30' cut I hear my guide say "permit" and I look over and see about 25 permit ten feet away with tails cutting the water. So I say to my deck hand, aka fiance, "hand me that seven weight". Grabbing the rod and making a quick cast the crab pattern hit the water and instantly the school turns right on it. First cast ever to a permit and it was game on with the fish instantly peeling of 200 yards off line and then finally breaking off due to a nick in my butt section. So we make our way back into the wind to drift back through where we see the school again, and this time I was victorious ending our day with a nice permit.
Well after hooking a nice tarpon a two nice permit I say to Noland "lets do it again". We wake up early and head for the same cut. We see tarpon rolling and I cast towards them. Strip, strip, strip, bump and I look towards my fly and see four tarpon chasing my fly followed by the biggest one knocking the lead fish out of the way to take my fly. Strange fight this time, this guy just took my fly and headed towards Florida with no jumps, just taking line tell he just popped off. Like I said in the title "Tarpowned". But before the day was over the Permit blessed me with there presents and I peeled one from the heard. (side note at $25 an hour for the guide this permit only cost me $75, maybe the cheapest guided permit known to man, Noland jr is the man
With no more money for guides I wait till night fall and head for the docks. I brought a conventional rod with the only lure I own, a Dahlberg wide glide, for barracuda with me and see the locals drinking and hand lining what ever will bite. I turn my head lamp to the water and see headlights swimming in the water, baby poon! So I grab my fly rod and cast towards the furthest eyes I can see in the water. My fly lands, I twitch, the tarpon turns and follows. With the only thing I can see is his eyes I wait for his pull and does he pull for a little guy. With my heart racing I let instinct take over and land my first tarpon.
So in conclusion 5 tarpon hooked 1 landed. Not bad for my first tarpon experience and 2 permit. Also got a nice cudda trolling when my guide Noland invited me to fish with him and his family, cool experience I highly recomend Noland jr aka Bassman out of the Reefs End lodge.
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