Another Productive Full Moon Evening Trip…

Since just fishing the day before, Nick and I knew where the fish were hanging out and just about what time they were eating. Both of us were free to fish so we decided to take my boat out and pull another quick evening trip on the outgoing tide. The wind and rain had subsided so plans were made to leave the house around four.

While waiting, my neighbor Sweat stopped by to return some pool supplies he had borrowed. Seeing my boat hitched he asked how I did. He got an answer he liked. After inviting him along for a quick trip, it was three of us heading out on the Sea Pro to look for tarpon.

Now my buddy hasn’t fought a tarpon in at least twenty years as it doesn’t interest him. Sweat taught me how to navigate and fish the waters of the South Shore when I just arrived in Tampa, and we’ve had numerous stress free trips with many fish on ice returning with us. Grouper and snapper are more his thing. Basically, he was along for the ride and one more line in the water couldn’t hurt. I provided all the gear, so all we needed was some booze. Luckily, Nick arrived with some beer and ice and it was off to the ramp to wet some lines.

The tide was moving fairly well when we got out there so we spent some time getting a few threadfins and pass crabs. With bait taken care of the boat was anchored and lines were drifted.

It proved to be a great evening with calm seas, no rain and a few fish rolling. We sat and drank our beer, shooting the shit-a perfect stress free trip. Sweat had the hot hand, hooking a monster tarpon and fighting the silver king for about ten minutes before the Power Pro came back frayed, and dismayed anglers came back to the buoy as well. The fishing stayed slow and no poons were seen rolling in the slick calm water. After numerous crabs were presented, Sweat throws on a threadfin and we hear the words “sorry guys”, as a respectable fish leaped out of the water.

The fight ensued for a good twenty minutes, and some tense moments were had weaving in and around a couple boats. Sweat put some serious heat on the fish, unlike I would do as he really didn’t care about boating the beast. It started getting dark, and with the home stretch approaching and a little more beating put on the poon, the fish was boatside and some decent pictures were taken.

After the fight, I heard Sweat say, “Ok, I’m good for another twenty years.”