Tarpon Time at Tarpon Town

Over eight months seemed like a long time to get back to paradise, and while Campeche had it's moments, it was only stellar in brief windows.  The typical 7-day trip.  A couple of shitty days, 3 average ones, and two magic mornings.  We didn't really get "cold fronted" until just before the last day, though claims were made of a "stalled" front the day we arrived.  The first and last days were the shitty ones, so maybe so.  And a cold front?  Ya, it dropped from mid to high 90s down to around 90.  Overnight lows plummeted into the mid 70's one night, so I hear.  It was hot and sticky.  Just what tarpon are supposed to like.  Tides were good early in the trip with good morning falling water.  We were able to fish more outside water than mangrove-choked backs of the tiny creeks, which is a good thing.  I missed crossing the street and stepping into the boat as soon as I woke up to fly out on the last morning.  I have February to look forward to, cards willing.

The highlight was that last hour just before the front passed on the morning of our second-to-last day.  We were surrounded by rolling and feeding tarpon in open water.  Dream paradise. There's no place else in the world I where wanted to be.  Like the frenzy in the diving birds a few years ago, only no birds.  We could have fished a bit longer, but I'm not into lightning and wind, and neither was my guide Juan.  We quit on the highest note possible after multiple double-hookups.  Hope they're on the outside of the mangroves come February.

More Gurgler love this trip.

Juan seemed to grab more bulky flies from the box.

My guide Juan.  Fish spotter, boat positioner, and fish handler.

White, yellow, and tan were the colors.  No black?  Didn't fish it much.  

The storm coming in the mid-morning frenzy

More lead eyed flies this trip in the "deep" 3-5 foot offshore water

As we had to leave, with fish rolling all around us!
Lots of video on my youtube page.  Good shit.  Best is last:
Big one that got away
Hooked up!
THIS is tarpon!
Don getting it done.
Bloopers!
Tarpon FantasyLand. 9 Minutes of Valhalla.