That’s the kind of story friendships are made of
Tarpon brings the total to "zero"
I haven't known this guy Sam for very long, but we have become good friends pretty quickly. I've taken him fishing a few times and until today he has been just plain awful luck. He knows what he is doing, and I know the area, but we haven't caught a fish with him in my boat, and we fished a few times since April.
I got so desperate to get the skunk off the boat last trip that we fished under a dock with the last of our few live pilchards and came away with a catfish, which we all know counts as minus one point. So after 4 trips our point total was at negative one. Unbelievable.
In the meantime, I've taken others fishing and clobbered fish. I've gone by myself and clobbered fish. Sam comes with me... skunk. Or worse!
Today started out the same. We fished one of my favorite spots, do a few drifts, nothing. I'm thinking it's going to be another bad day and I wonder, if I throw him off the boat, will I catch fish? Sam asks if I would really do that, and I realize I just thought that out loud.
Finally a bit of good luck. We find a ball of pilchards and get enough for the morning in one throw. We anchor in the general area of some rolling poons, I start chumming and he starts free lining.
Within a few minutes he is on and we have to chase the fish. He is using a medium light ugly stik and a penn fierce 3000, 20 pound leader and a 2/0 circle hook. Perfect setup for juveniles and small live baits. Not the rod you want for a 50 pounder!
But he played it perfect and after we drifted up onto a shallow flat I get out and land the fish. We never had to take it out of the water while we unhooked, snapped some pictures and revived it. It swam away strong and unless there was a big shark in the area, this fish will be fine.
![Fish Fish Vehicle]()
![Fish Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Vehicle Fish Recreation]()
So, after catching the biggest fish of his life and his only tarpon, his point total fishing with me is now up to... zero. Thankfully he got a redfish a little later on to at least be in the black.
![Fish Bass Recreation Fishing Sound]()
I got so desperate to get the skunk off the boat last trip that we fished under a dock with the last of our few live pilchards and came away with a catfish, which we all know counts as minus one point. So after 4 trips our point total was at negative one. Unbelievable.
In the meantime, I've taken others fishing and clobbered fish. I've gone by myself and clobbered fish. Sam comes with me... skunk. Or worse!
Today started out the same. We fished one of my favorite spots, do a few drifts, nothing. I'm thinking it's going to be another bad day and I wonder, if I throw him off the boat, will I catch fish? Sam asks if I would really do that, and I realize I just thought that out loud.
Finally a bit of good luck. We find a ball of pilchards and get enough for the morning in one throw. We anchor in the general area of some rolling poons, I start chumming and he starts free lining.
Within a few minutes he is on and we have to chase the fish. He is using a medium light ugly stik and a penn fierce 3000, 20 pound leader and a 2/0 circle hook. Perfect setup for juveniles and small live baits. Not the rod you want for a 50 pounder!
But he played it perfect and after we drifted up onto a shallow flat I get out and land the fish. We never had to take it out of the water while we unhooked, snapped some pictures and revived it. It swam away strong and unless there was a big shark in the area, this fish will be fine.
So, after catching the biggest fish of his life and his only tarpon, his point total fishing with me is now up to... zero. Thankfully he got a redfish a little later on to at least be in the black.
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