Tarpon Apocalypse

Bradenton. 

Shiiiit. 

I’m still only in Bradenton. 

Every time I think I’m going to wake up back on Anna Maria Island. 

When I was home after my first tarpon season, it was worse. I’d wake up and there’d be nothing. I hardly said a word to my wife till I said yes to a divorce. When I was tarpon fishing, I wanted to be home. When I was home, all I could think about was getting back on the water to hunt tarpon. 

I’m home a week now, waiting for a tarpon trip getting softer. Every minute I stay in this air-conditioning room I get weaker and every minute the tarpon gather along the beaches they get stronger. 

Every time I look around, the walls move in a little tighter. The withdrawals are becoming too much to stand. 

Drowning in alcohol and other substances to damper the anxiety is forcing my mental and physical health to the breaking point. 

The darkness is the worst. Waiting, waiting waiting.

Everyone gets everything he wants. 

I wanted another tarpon season. 

And for my sins, they gave me one and when it was done, I’d never want another. 

Spending 10 hour days on the water is normal when guiding tarpon and that’s putting it lightly. Aside from tracking the fish and monitoring their patterns. 

There’s also upkeep of the tarpon tackle. Making sure your gear is perfectly operating to ensure that when the time comes, it will withstand the sheer power of these awesome fish, can be nerve-racking. 

Nine-foot, extra-heavy spinning rods, combined with the largest spinning reels available packed with hundreds of yard of heavy braided line followed by fluorocarbon leaders and circle hooks that will fill the palm of your hand complete the recipe on terminal end. 

And then there’s hours spent catching bait. Patrolling the passes on the strong outgoing afternoon tides to gather pass crabs and throwing a 12-foot cast net daily to catch threadfin herring takes up the rest of the day light hours between the next tarpon excursion in the morning. 

Needless to say, meals, family time and recuperating become luxuries during this two-month frenzy.

Now the phone has started ringing with anglers from far and wide, hoping to book a trip to go big game hunting in search of the elusive tarpon along the beaches of Anna Maria Island. Many of these anglers have never caught such a large fish, which generally leads to second thoughts and regrets after they’ve been behind the reel for an hour in the blistering Florida sun, and realize they still can’t seem to get the fish to the boat.

“Can you take the rod for a while?” They ask. 

And then there’s the seasoned tarpon angler — a regular tarpon junkie — who knows what to expect and can tend to the fish’s every move enabling them to whip the fish in under 30 minutes. 

These are the folks who come back a year after year, knowing they’re going to be sunburn, dehydrated, and physically exhausted after such a battle, but still are addicted. No matter what the consequences. 

The urge is too strong to control. 

I can hear it in their voices as they call to book a charter “Yeah Cap., I’m ready for another tarpon trip” 

That apparent tone you get when you know you’re setting yourself up for a grueling experience, but you just can’t help it. “Just one more time.” 

Spoken like a true addict.

No matter what the cost, they’re going to go. 

Thousands of dollars spent buying their absence from the family on plush beach rentals, expensive dining experiences and of course, a golf cart rental. And then the price of a fishing charter where ultimately the outcome is unknown. 

I guess you could call it an acceptable form of gambling as there’s always a chance you may not even get a bite while tarpon fishing. 

But it’s just nice to be on the water, right?

Most anglers will hit the peak of their addiction in the weeks to come, especially around the full moon on May 31. 

This particular moon should be most welcoming to the tarpon junkie. It is known as a “blue moon” — when two full moons occur in one month. The first, having appeared May 1. Take pity on these poor souls as they know not what they do, as adrenaline and anxiety rushes through their brains until they finally receive a fix. 

Ahhhh…

There it is. 

The rod bent over double, drag screaming off the reel at record speeds and a tarpon skyrocketing on the horizon. 

Organized chaos at its finest. 

And then the symptoms subside, at least for most anglers. Some resemblance of normalcy resides like they have stepped out of rehab. 

At least until next tarpon season.

On my own Just Reel charters, I’m enjoying the calm, tranquil waters of the backcountry targeting trout and snook. Having guided tarpon trips for 10 seasons, I’m now passing the torch onto the young, eager captains who can prescribe the right dosage to the tarpon addicts.

Spotted seatrout are cooperating nicely with limits of fish being attainable on most days. 

Freelined live shiners cast over deep grass flats are yielding trout 14-22 inches. 

Catch-and-release snook fishing is good with many fish being found on the flats. Most catches are averaging 20-30 inches, with some larger examples mixed in. 

I am seeing random redfish mixed in with the snook bite, which adds variety and the potential of achieving an inshore slam. 

Mangrove snapper are appearing on some of the nearshore structure although I’m not seeing limits, just yet.