I knew we were in trouble when I didn't pass another trailered boat between North Tallahassee and JR's. Then the gal in JR's remarked that we were the only ones she'd seen this morning.... We get to the ramp about 7:30 and we are the ONLY ones there.
The wind was blowing out of the North pretty good, but we figured we could run the shoreline and fish the creeks in relatively calm water. So we launched and headed down river, through West Pass and out to the gulf. The Aucilla and all the creeks were running very high, and fast flushing water the color of strong coffee steadily South. We checked the shoreline for reds and flounder, but found none.
So, while it was still a little less that gail force winds, we headed out past Cobb's Rock to try a little deeper water. Sure enough we began catching trout in about 6 feet of water. We landed a few keeper trout, a few small trout and a couple of catfish with the wind steadily building. Then a GIANT explosion engulfed my Cajun Thunder and it departed at a high rate of speed toward Keaton Beach...
All that came out of my mouth as I set the hook was "UH_OH!" A tarpon well over a hundred pounds jumped three times before my hook came loose. We regained our composure, and my buddy Rob passed me a cigar to settle my nerves. Back to the trout fishing.About 30 minutes later a similar hit hammers Rob's Cajun Thunder and once again a tarpon begins bounding away from our boat towing Rob's Cajun Thunder. Well, this time we were a little more prepared. I cranked the motor and began hauling as hard as I could on the rope towing our drift anchor. Rob moved to the front of the boat and we were in pursuit of the tarpon before he managed to strip all of Rob's Power Pro from his reel. It turns out that Rob fishes 40 lb. test Power Pro with a 30 lb leader. Once we regained enough line I moved to the front and put a cooler on the front casting deck for Rob to sit down. The wind was still building, moving around to blow out of the East, and the white caps were rolling everywhere. Rob fought the fish for about 45 min. and we got him up to the side of the boat several times. Finally, as we tried to get him close enough to grab a scale for a souvenier, the Power Pro parted, and the fish swam off with Rob's Cajun Thunder in tow.
By this time, with the tarpon towing us and the strong wind out of the East, we had passed Cobb's Rock, Peter's Rock, Grey Mare Rock and ended up closer to St. Marks than the Aucilla. I ran North to the shoreline to get out of the rough water, then ran the shoreline back to Sulphur Bayou, West Pass, then the Aucilla. We only passed one other boat on the way back in, and there were two other trailers at the ramp.
We finished the day with a couple limits of trout, and a couple memories of big tarpon. I guess we caught them migrating back to the South for the Winter??
Anyhow, not a bad day, hurricanes and all else considered.
Good Fishin'
Steve Stinson
