This week we were very proud to host Curtis Fleming and his crew from Fly Rod Chronicles TV. The goal was to film a show featuring flats fishing for Tarpon. The show will debut in early 2010, and we are all excited to see it. The big Tarpon migration is in full swing and we chose this time period as it would put the odds in our favor. These fish are bigger than our resident "year round" fish and can sometimes tip the scales at over 150 pounds.
Hunting Tarpon on the seemingly endless Savannah flats
Within minutes of arriving at our hotspot, the two boats were into cruising and rolling Tarpon. It was clear that this was going to be an excellent week for Tarpon, however, something had this fish on lockjaw. Curtis and the co-host made some decent casts at fish and got refusals for most of the morning. It wasn't until around 11AM that boat #2 jumped the first Tarpon. The fish threw the hook within the first jump and they were back to the drawing board again. The two boats spotted at least 200 Tarpon on the first day, but were unable to get them to chew feathers. Sometimes the moon/tide just makes these fish finicky.
Jason Baker with his first ever Jack Crevalle
Day #2 got off to a slow start with an issue with one of the guides boats. When we arrived at the flats, the fish were scattered and we experienced the same lockjaw from day #1. Our guest Jason Baker made a perfect 70 foot cast to a lead fish and the fish followed right to the boat before finally inhaling the bucktail deciever. Jason pulled hard to set the hook, but the fish never turned on it, so the hook pulled free on the first jump. It was an exciting moment for all of us watching that fish stalk the fly. Usually our Tarpon will charge and eat out of competition with other fish, but this was not the case this week. Curtis and his boat struggled most of the day with fewer fish than the day before.
Curtis brought some sweet new FRC sticks from TFO
At the days end, it was time to make a decision that would help move this project along and get some fish on the fly. We huddled up and decided to send one boat deep to our south flats in search of more Tarpon and send Curtis up to the Tailing bonefish flats. Upon pulling up to the bonefish flats at sun-up, Curtis immediately spotted about 1/2 dozen nice bonefish tailing in the sunlight just down wind. The stalk began and Curtis put a nice 60 foot cast right on the lead fish. The bonefish followed for a brief second and then pounced on the fly with his dorsal completely out of the water. Curtis pulled hard but somehow the fly wiggled out on the first run....we will look closely at the video to see if he used a "trout set" on this fish. The evidence will prove useful on his trip back to Belize next spring. We popped off two more nice tailing bones before the fish moved off the tailing flats and into slightly deeper water. The guide helped Curtis spot some cruising schools and finally we were able to land some bonefish on the fly. It is not easy down here, but once you get the hang of it, it is hard not to like this type of fishing/hunting the flats.
Boat #2 made theirarrival and had rolling tarpon just out of reach on every cast. The moved to the beautful reef flat in search of big bonefish and were surprised to find big Jack Crevalle cruising the breakers in search of baitfish. Jason made a nice cast to a bruiser and immediately hooked up. The fish went for deep water and took almost his entire spool of 200yds. dacron. It was a good thing he had gelspun UNDERNEATH that dacron, because the fish took him deep into that as well. Jason is a seasoned angler, and put good pressure on the fish and started to gain back line until he finally landed this nice, healthy Jack Crevalle of about 25 pounds. What a fish! These guys are some of the nicest fisherman we have hosted in a long time. They were kind enough to take out our guides for dinner and present them with some of their newest rods, the Fly Rod Chronicles series from TFO. Thank you again for coming down and using us as your host this week, we hope to see you again soon. - Mark, BFZ
Nice backcountry Tarpon on a olive/white Mushmouth.."our favorite pattern"
