I took up fly-fishing some years ago much to the chagrin of my bass fishing companions , most of whom thought I had gone off my medication and figured it was a temporary tryst at best . Well , years later , I still fly fish , rarely picking up a conventional rod and reel , and have become somewhat proficient with a fly rod . Not real good , mind you , but able to catch fish every now and then .
After catching my share of reds on a fly , I now have much more fun watching others conquer their first redfish on the flats or seeing the first time they get into a school of speckled trout on a 4wt . rod in the fall when trout abound in the many bays down in Delacroix . It ’ s doubtful I will ever tire of watching a redfish inhale a well-placed fly and the ensuing battle , but even I need a new challenge every now and then . Some years back I decided to pursue those other trout that live in cold water streams and rivers and discovered the true meaning of frustration . I even lobbied the folks at Webster to include a photo of a trout fisherman in the definition of frustration . Obviously none of them have ever tried fly- fishing for trout , or they would have been more receptive to my idea .
When you can see the fish in a river and are able to watch them sip insects from the surface , one would think , “ this can ’ t possibly be all that difficult .” Apparently no one informed the fish of this as they consistently ignored my offerings , yet continued to take the real deal right before my eyes . Revenge would come as the sun dipped below the Ouachita Mountains and the eyesight of the trout was compromised just enough by Mother Nature allowing me to catch and release a few of these obviously intelligent fish . I have since gone on to catch trout in numerous states and at least one foreign country .
I must now confess to the fact that I no longer care about how many or how big the fish are . It ’ s more about the how and the where I fish , and the species involved . Fishing happiness is no longer measured in numbers and pounds , but more in the scenery and the technique used to fool a certain species for the first time or a previously caught species in a new location .
Last year I had just as much fun catching 8 to 14 inch rainbow trout out of the Little Missouri River in Arkansas as I have chasing 10 to 15 pound redfish in Dulac , or three to five pound bass in private lakes in Alabama . If fishing is your passion , don ’ t limit yourself to one species or area . It ’ s okay to have a favorite , but it ’ s also okay to try
by Capt . JP Morel Marsh & Bayou something different , even if you fail . Case in point is a recent trip to Florida to try catching tarpon on a fly .
A friend of mine , Chip Hilbert , recently asked me to take a short trip to Florida on a tarpon excursion . Never having caught a tarpon , I figured this would be interesting as well as informative because Chip has been going down there for a few years now . What he failed to mention was the fact that he has not caught a tarpon on a fly in all of his trips , although he has hooked a couple of them . I immediately began to research fly-fishing for tarpon and was amazed at how addictive some people get to this type of fishing . “ Surely ,” I thought , “ it couldn ’ t be all that much to it .” The more I read , the more I became conscious of the fact that catching tarpon on a fly might be a bit more difficult than I had anticipated . This could be a real challenge . The Florida tarpon migration is in full swing around July , and it was after July 4th that we decided to make a short trip to try our luck at this tarpon thing . We loaded up the Hell ’ s Bay Guide 18 with 10 & 12 weight rods and appropriate tarpon gear , and headed off to Apalachicola , FL , which is no short trip by any means . But we made it with no major incident other than a misplaced wallet that was soon found buried right where I had left it . On the plus side , I managed to get a free lunch out of Chip , which I ’ m sure will cost me double at some point .
Morning came cruel and early due to a late dinner and too much wine , but we managed to get started on our quest for the silver king . After about six stops for various items ( someone forgot to buy a license and it wasn ’ t me ), we made it to a boat launch consisting of sand and nothing more . The boat was launched with little fanfare and we were on our way . We rode and rode and rode some more until Chip stopped at this very non-descript pass and anchored up . I had to ask , “ When do we start fishing for tarpon ?” Chip ’ s reply , “ We are . We wait for the tarpon to come to us .” Now I ’ m thinking that being a tarpon guide might not be such a bad deal . No poling in mud , and you wait for the fish to come to you . The water was clear , although not calm , so standing on any platform was dicey at best . Chip dug out this “ gorilla-looking ” fly rod and I immediately started wondering , “ Just how big are these tarpon ?” After about 15 minutes of intently watching the water , out of nowhere came two huge gray-looking fish gliding about three feet below the surface . Tarpon . I quickly made a cast , and they were gone in an instant . Hmm , this just might be the challenge I ’ m looking for .
We saw no fish for the next hour or so , and I started re-thinking this tarpon fishing thing . Then all of a sudden , this monster of a tarpon appeared giving me a good long look and the chance to make more than one cast . With great confidence , I shot a cast , fully expecting a hook-up . The tarpon had other ideas and ignored my pretty good cast . Visions of those picky rainbow trout surfaced in my head as I made another cast that was ignored with equal abandon . I looked at Chip for some moral support , and all I got was a shrug of the shoulders and a “ that ’ s what they do ” response . A few more tarpon graced us with fleeting glimpses , but no decent shots . We re-positioned the boat with no success and decided to head to another area . After a while of moving around and seeing a few tarpon here and there , we had to give up for the day . So my first day of chasing tarpon ended with a few shots , but no hook-ups . I was pumped for the challenge .
The next day was uneventful as we tried a totally different area and found dirty water and no fish . I did manage to catch one tripletail on a fly , but that was it . We headed back to the hacienda , packed up , and headed home . By the way , I don ’ t recommend driving 14 hours to fish 14 hours , but it was the best we could do at the time . As I look back on this brief excursion , a few notes come to mind . Even though I didn ’ t hook even one of these magnificent fish , I will try it again and again until I do . If you log enough miles pulling a boat , you will eventually have to deal with a blown trailer tire ; and I highly suggest you know the combination of the lock on the spare , and again , it wasn ’ t me . Practice casting with a 12wt . fly rod as it ’ s a whole lot different than the 8 wt . rod you ’ re used to . Allocate more than 14 hours of fishing when traveling 14 hours to get there .
One may surmise that my first try at tarpon was a failure due to not catching one . Nope . The trip was great as I have found a new and legitimate challenge and will continue to try for a tarpon on the fly . Seeing a fish that size in relatively shallow water and knowing how difficult it is to catch one just gives me a major shot of adrenaline along with a deep appreciation for those who have accomplished this angling feat . So , think of something different to try and give it a shot . If you don ’ t succeed on the first try , then you ’ re about average and we have something in common .