Tarpon Rookie Contest

[Chefben4 0]

I think its looking at me..

[Peterjay 0]

Jeez, maybe that's really the famous SNL land shark coming out of retirement to work the blizzard. Hey, I wonder what happens if a tarpon gets one of us instead of the other way around. Has a fish ever won a fishing tournament?

[mikechell 0]

"Has a fish ever won a fishing tournament?"

No, Pete, although records indicate that Tarpon do occasionally capture an angler. The problem comes at weigh in. Since the fish cannot leave it's natural habitat to come to the scales, the scales are taken to them. Of course, the officials don't bother telling the fish (who, with pea sized brains, aren't THAT smart) about water displacement, float potential, etc. Put a human on a scale in the water, they weigh next to nothing. The fish usually swim away a little saddened ... especially considering ... the larger the human, the less they weigh in the water, since they float better.

[bkatz1 0]

Im in- im leaving the 12th of march for 4 days in the Everglades hunting for laid up poons...

[Peterjay 0]

Im in- im leaving the 12th of march for 4 days in the Everglades hunting for laid up poons...

 

Sounds to me like somebody (who shall remain nameless) is attempting to circumvent the dreaded rule #5.

 

"5) Entrants are not required to be long-standing members of the forum, although 50 pre-tournament posts should be enough to eliminate the possibility of an unscrupulous, unknown opportunist grabbing a nice collection of tarpon flies by faking an entry. Exceptions to this requirement will be judged on a case-by-case basis."

 

Of course, exceptions can always be made, but when one considers that the sole arbiter in these matters is presently sitting in his plush office here at the massive TSMT Tournament Headquarters Building overlooking the presently tarpon-less Virginia Coastal Reserve, I'd say that you have a very tough road ahead of you. And since the city of Chicago has built its reputation on a foundation of Al Capone's contributions to American capitalism and the sordid 1919 White Sox, entries originating in the Windy City are going to viewed with more than the usual amount of skepticism. Let's hear what the other entrants have to say on this matter.

[BrookTroutAngler 0]

Hey now. My entry on page 3 with the rare back-alleyway brook trout look alike tarpon species Mentira mentir, has already sealed up this contest and as such it would be silly for more entrants to apply unless they wish to donate the flies to me.

[mikechell 0]

Aha ha ha ha ha ... Brooktroutangler, I ... hah ha ha ha aha wheeze ha ha HA HA ha ha ha ha

[BrookTroutAngler 0]

Aha ha ha ha ha ... Brooktroutangler, I ... hah ha ha ha aha wheeze ha ha HA HA ha ha ha ha

 

Glad someone got the joke, lol.

[mikechell 0]

Okay, I finally got up the nerve to write this entry. I have been waiting for the news to die down before putting this to "paper".

I finally got home from Boston ... after waiting out the blizzard. I never did get to fish for the snow tarpon ... they are just too wary of movement, either eating it or running immediately. I don't think they are as rare as previously stated, they are just that hard to find.

 

I decided to go fishing at first light the morning after I got home. I put my john boat in and headed to one of my favorite spots. Mustache Island always has some good sized fish around it, and this day was no different. In the picture, you can see my boat, about midway along the near shore ... and one of the local Florida Tarpon churning up the bottom in 60 feet of water. Yes, it's back is out of the water.

 

 

I knew these tarpon wouldn't take your regular panfish charlie, so I tied on a Clouser. I was going for one of the big ones, so I use a special Clouser I tied with an actual 1 pound dumbell for the eyes. They are a bit hard to throw on a 5 weight rod, but if you get it right, it's a killer combo.

Well, I didn't get it right, and ended up hitting a medium sized Florida Tarpon in the head. This just ticked it off, and it came after me and my boat.

 

You can see my boat in the tarpon's mouth.

 

I was able to latch onto the boat and the fish with my legs and I hooked a passing cruise ship with my fly. You can see, on the previous picture, and this one, my line.

 

 

Well, I fought with that fish, reversed like ... me as the fly and the cruise liner as the fisherman, but I almost got that fish to the ship. The ship started to slow down, when someone onboard noticed us, and that gave the tarpon a chance to flip it's head one last time.

 

 

I was thrown clear of my boat, and fortunately, I had my life-vest on. I saw my boat and fishing gear getting wrapped up in the props of the cruise ship. I swam back to the Florida coast, and went home ... sucks to lose all your tarpon fishing gear in one fell swoop. I don't know if I'll be able to try for any more. Once again, it's a good thing I've got these photos for proof.

 

Oh, yeah ... it was only later, watching the news, that I realized the ship I was hooked to was the Triumph ... I hope my boat's numbers were destroyed. I don't think my insurance will cover those people getting stranded out there like that.

[Peterjay 0]

Aha ha ha ha ha ... Brooktroutangler, I ... hah ha ha ha aha wheeze ha ha HA HA ha ha ha ha

 

Glad someone got the joke, lol.

 

I got it - it just took me a while. Mi espanol esta muy oxidado estos dias.

[mikechell 0]

So, with my Mustache Island Tarpon, did I win? Is this contest over?

[Peterjay 0]

Mike, I've gotta say this: it's tough to stand out in a field that's overrun with lying bastards, but you're taking the craft to a level that's seldom seen outside a Bar Association awards banquet. I'm beginning to think we may never get a clear-cut winner in this tawdry affair. As a person who takes a great deal of pride in being a serial con artist, I was planning on cheating myself, but it's becoming obvious that my skill level falls well short of what it's gonna take to pull this one out. My therapist has already been alerted that self-esteem issues will be the topic of next week's session.

 

BTW - I'm still waiting for a consensus on whether to waive the 50-post rule and allow our Chicago member to enter. He can't be any more dishonest than the rest of this crew, and besides, there's always the chance of a mid-March cold snap locking the jaws of Mr. Megalops and sending the aforementioned angler home in disgrace.

[Chefben4 0]

I have no problem with it!

 

He is fishing in March. The tarpon will hate him them just like they hate me in the months of March, April, May, and June.

[ditz2 0]

First lier just ain't got a chance here. This is getting to be a real tuff audience. Just remember that any good lie must have a witness to substanciate it. The best witness is one that is no longer available for some reason such as an untimely death such as by being eaten by the monster muskie in a secret pond that the owner guards with a shotgun 24/7. A witness is absolutely required. Photoshop makes pictures an unreliable verification.

[Peterjay 0]

OK guys, Katz is in. Since this competition is already tainted by the presence of unsavory midwestern types, I don't see how one more is gonna hurt. Besides, he can always be disqualified "ex post facto" should any suspicious circumstances come to light. (like winning, for instance)

 

 

First lier just ain't got a chance here. This is getting to be a real tuff audience. Just remember that any good lie must have a witness to substanciate it. The best witness is one that is no longer available for some reason such as an untimely death such as by being eaten by the monster muskie in a secret pond that the owner guards with a shotgun 24/7. A witness is absolutely required. Photoshop makes pictures an unreliable verification.

 

Ditz, you're beginning to scare me. Up until now, I'd been hoping you'd come out to do a little fishing next summer, but being found out on the flats under a pile of blue crabs is something I'd just as soon avoid. Man, this is one dangerous crew.