I'll make this one short. It was an uneventful day up to about 3:00. The three of use kept catching hardheads all day mixed with an occasional whiting or sandtrout or tiny little Jack.Then we drove north up the beach about 14 miles north of access 6. We saw a black cloud just past the 1st sand bar.It was a school of glass minnow about 10 yards wide and went at least 200 yards long. The fish and birds were ripping them a new one.I could see specks and small sharks, along with some fish I could not identify, taring through the school.We ran ahead and jumped out and started fishing.The two guys I was with used bait and I opted for a large lead head jig with a smoke and silver colored plastic body.About the third cast I hung a drag puller.It came up and jumped as soon as I set the hook.It was a tarpon about 6 feet long.It through the jig on the jump and head shake.It sounded like a boat oar slapped the water when it landed.I waided along with the school and kept on fishing. I got quite a few more hard hits and hung 2 more tarpon.Each one jumped and threw my hook.The last 2 were only about 3 feet long.I wanted one of them pretty bad.I would have followed that school all the way to the jetty but the two guys I was with pussed out on me and wanted to go home.One of them had a case of surf rash and the other had jumped off the back of the truch before it came to a full stop and he blew out his knee.I guess he had a good excuse.By the time we got home his knee had doubled in size and today he is gone to the ER with it.
If you just watched the school you could see the tarpon roll. You had to be looking right at them .I think I would have gave my left
*%^ to catch that fish. LOL
Maybe next time.
P.S.
9/15
He went to the ER yesterday.He has a broken patella( knee cap ). He has to go back the a specailist this week to see what else is messed up.Every one has one knee that they abuse most.He has injured that knee a few times in the past.they are not sure that the injury is not an old one that finally gave up.
I'm not used to loosing fish.Being an optimist when it comes to fishing , I figure the fish was as good as caught when he bit.I had dreams sat. night. I kept seeing that fish jump right in front of me and my jig go flying through the air.I was suposed to bow to the silver king when he jumped.That goes against my way of fishing so I did not.Maybe I'll do better next time.
One thing I don't understand is, people would stop and fish the school with me. They would make a few casts then get in their trucks and drive on.
Another strange thing was that occasionaly I would be standing in the middle of the whole school. I was wearing those cheap wading boots from acadamy. They have a brand name printed in white on the ankle of each shoe. When the school would surround me I had fish hitting those white words on the side of my boots.Some of them felt like they was moving pretty fast too. I'm glad they didn't have teeth.
