Bucket List Tarpon

If you follow me on Facebook, you know I have posted "tarpon talk & photos" ad nauseum in recent days. If you're lucky, it will end with "The Reel Story": http://bit.ly/rheatarpon

However it's really not the story, but the video shot by Big Bully Outdoors (http://www.BigBullyOutdoors.com) you need to watch for the full flavor. I edited and I will admit that I preach to my friends to "keep videos short or else no one will watch the whole thing." I broke my own rule. I decided that to illustrate the full flavor of the epic battle required much more than two minutes.

And for my trash-talking TNDeer friends, I provided "full disclosure" in the story. They'll know what I mean. Thanks for reading.

Beautiful fish and great job!

That's incredible. Thanks for sharing.

Congratulations, Richard! :tu: :tu:

Tell us technoids more, like line details, etc.
Looked like you had a brand new rod there.

TheLBLman":2njv2voa said:

Congratulations, Richard! :tu: :tu:

Tell us technoids more, like line details, etc.
Looked like you had a brand new rod there.

Click to expand...

Everybody I saw down there is a BIG believer in Penn rods & reels. We were using Penn 6500's loaded with 65 lb. braid with 50 lb. mono leaders, Trokar circle hooks. Bait was live crabs (which cost $4 APIECE during tarpon season! :shock: )

Awesome dude.

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rsimms":16z16o4a said:

TheLBLman":16z16o4a said:

Congratulations, Richard! :tu: :tu:

Tell us technoids more, like line details, etc.
Looked like you had a brand new rod there.

Click to expand...

Everybody I saw down there is a BIG believer in Penn rods & reels. We were using Penn 6500's loaded with 65 lb. braid with 50 lb. mono leaders, Trokar circle hooks. Bait was live crabs (which cost $4 APIECE during tarpon season! :shock: )

Click to expand...

great story. my grandfather was a big catfisherman around saltillo and caught some big ones and his favorite reel was a Penn.

been aiming to ask, what kind of software are you using to edit those photos? lightroom?

WTM":2moggp9o said:

rsimms":2moggp9o said:

TheLBLman":2moggp9o said:

Congratulations, Richard! :tu: :tu:

Tell us technoids more, like line details, etc.
Looked like you had a brand new rod there.

Click to expand...

Everybody I saw down there is a BIG believer in Penn rods & reels. We were using Penn 6500's loaded with 65 lb. braid with 50 lb. mono leaders, Trokar circle hooks. Bait was live crabs (which cost $4 APIECE during tarpon season! :shock: )

Click to expand...

been aiming to ask, what kind of software are you using to edit those photos? lightroom?

Click to expand...

I would like to have Lightroom, but can't bring myself to fork over the money. Most are tweaked on Photoshop Elements 14. I also tweak some on my iPhone using an App called Snapseed. There is a learning curve to it, but once you get a system down, it's awesome.

That's awesome! Beautiful pics!

Very cool!


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Man that's awesome.


It's been proven through history that women's a mystery! Popeye

Awesome ! Beautiful pics.
Headed down next few weeks and try again with a flyrod.

Well done Richard! Tarpoon and Peacock bass are on my bucket lists. What did the bruiser weigh?

Cool trip. That's something I'm going to have to do in the near future.

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Snowwolfe":1bhqerny said:

Well done Richard! Tarpoon and Peacock bass are on my bucket lists. What did the bruiser weigh?

Click to expand...

On the video the guides use the figure 140... personally I think it was closer to 120.

Guides have a way of over estimating the weight to make the clients feel better

I hooked one down in Sanibel that looked that size - guide said 150#. Jumped and came within 2 feet of jumping in the front of the boat where my wife and daughter were standing.

Broke me off within 20 seconds - I was casting for specs...wrong gear.

That's awesome congrats! I hope to do the same in a few weeks. Waiting for the call that they've moved in...