# Poon Jumpin’ -  IRL Roadtrip – 8/25/08



## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

After a painfully long couple of weeks waiting for parts and then a break in the weather







, I decided that the forecasted fifty percent chance of rain for today was good enough odds for me.







 I had already been anxious to test some of the latest modifications I’d made to the Gheenoe and the outboard, even before tropical storm Fay had set her sights on Florida’s east coast.







 Normally, I’d have dropped the Noe in somewhere close by, so that I could be certain my handiwork was seaworthy, but I’d had my fill of delays and was itching to wet some lines. So, caution aside, I headed out at 5:30am with trailer in tow, bound for some previously unexplored waters in the Indian River Lagoon.









My destination was the ramp in Scottsmoor, from which I had seen several successful reports originate, and shortly after sunrise I arrived to find the roads easily passable, the ramp in good condition and only two other trailers in the lot. Perfect conditions, considering how lousy I am at trailering anything!







 

















Launching went smoothly and quickly







, and soon I was skimming across the broad expanse of tranquil water before me.







 So many places to go and so many potential spots that could hold fish, but I had a plan and despite NASA’s VAB tempting me to the south, I headed elsewhere.

Fifteen minutes later I shutdown far from any shoreline, thinking I’d work my way in quietly with the troller. As I crept forward I began casting a mirrodine into the dark, murky water, just to see if anything was out there. My second cast got thumped and the first of countless catfish came aboard.

























The next cast produced a small trout, followed by nine more catfish.

























After my fifth diminutive trout and about my fiftieth catfish, I thought I had better try somewhere else. I spent the next three hours working shorelines, creeks, flooded grass and mangroves, with only another catfish to show for it!  







And to make matters worse, this bulbous beauty seemed to fall in love with the Noe.







 She’d follow us around, bump us, rub against the hull and chew on the anchor line, until I’d finally had enough and headed back to deeper water.

















Once I was far from shore again, I tossed a few while deciding what to do.  







The wind had picked up so I knew I didn’t want to stay out in the open. After two more catfish and the smallest trout of the day, I moved on.

















Obviously, my instincts were all wrong today.







 Perhaps it was my unfamiliarity with the area, or possibly all the fresh water entering the system had the bigger fish on the lam.  







Either way, I needed to try something different, and that something came in the form of a culvert I stumbled upon while exploring another stretch of sheltered shore.  







A steady torrent of water, probably fresh, was flowing from the other side and creating an easily discernable area of differentiation that extended several hundred feet from the source.









The mirrodine made an airborne assault into the midst of this flow, but quickly reappeared with a tarpon attached…woohoo!  







 







That first jump sent the plug one way and the fish another, but at least I knew they were there. I kept at it and managed to jump two more before a little voice in the back of my head screamed one word at me…”IDIOT!”  







Here I was with an untold number of tarpon restricted to a small, well-defined area, and I’m not using my fly rod???!!!









After this epiphany struck me like an 8oz lead sinker, I unpacked the long rod and made a few casts with one of the orange dreads I’d recently tied, just because it was what I had on the line. No takers, so I switched to a previously unproven crystal shrimp that I designed myself. On the first cast, I got struck so fast that I was totally unprepared and missed the hookset.







 I also missed the next six or seven strikes,







 and was really trying to concentrate on keeping the slack out and the rod pointed directly at the fly.

The next strike paid off, and my first tarpon hook-up on fly did not disappoint!  







He easily jumped a dozen times and I don’t think I’ve ever focused so hard on landing a fish. I wanted that tarpon caught, and to my surprise and relief, it happened.  







 

















I could have quit right there and been completely stoked about the whole day.  







Not only had I landed the first tarpon I ever hooked with a fly rod, but I did it with a fly of my own creation…yeah, I’m bragging and I do apologize for it.







 







 









Before the weather turned nasty and I got completely soaked crossing a windy, rough and white-capped lagoon







, I landed a tiny ladyfish (another first) on the same fly







, as well as another slightly smaller poon.







 

































Loading went as smoothly as launching did (I guess I’m getting better), and I got out of there just in time. Blinding rain and lightning striking literally right next to the road accompanied me on my trek home.  

















Even more exciting/frightening was when an oncoming motorcyclist wrecked his bike right in front of me, and then slid into my lane.  







 







I stopped to help him, but he didn’t speak English and kept waving me off.  







When he got up and began trying to start his wrecked bike, I said “adios”.









Tally for the day;
The numbers really don’t matter…cause it was awesome!


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## beavis (Dec 11, 2006)

Congrats on the tarpon.

my first 3 fish on fly were all tarpon. Small ones but tarpon.

Also, the link for your shrimp fly didn't work. Post of pic in the fly section.


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## galleta_loco (Sep 2, 2007)

Nice report


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## redgheenoe (Apr 28, 2007)

Great report and congrats on the tarpons. You should be proud catching any fish on a lure you made yourself......does catching a catfish on a piece of leftover hotdog count?


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

*Re: Poon Jumpin’ - IRL Roadtrip – 8/25/08*

congrats on the tarpon man, that worked out into a great trip.  Those little ones can really be a hoot on the long rod, especially when you get in a pack of feeding fish like you did there. 

You were right keeping the rod pointed at them but another thing I can tell you about setting the hook on them is wait until you feel the tug or weight of the fish before striking. Tarpon are tarpon, even the little ones  and most of them will throw the hook any way no matter what you do, but striking too soon will give them an edge they don't need.


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## fishgitr (Feb 18, 2008)

Great job! Great pics! Great report!


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## Garry (Dec 14, 2006)

Very nice!!! You were close to where I always go...... Next time you come over this way (on the weekends anyways) let me know and I'll show you a couple spots....


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## Apollobeachsam (Dec 14, 2006)

cool.. congrats on .. the silver king on fly.. !


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

> Congrats on the tarpon...Also, the link for your shrimp fly didn't work. Post of pic in the fly section.


Thank you sir!  Actually, there is a thread with pictures already *here*. There's even a video of testing it in the pool. 



> Nice report


Thanks man! 



> does catching a catfish on a piece of leftover hotdog count?


Stick a feather in it and you're gold! ;D



> congrats on the tarpon man, that worked out into a great trip.  ...another thing I can tell you about setting the hook on them is wait until you feel the tug or weight of the fish before striking. ...striking too soon will give them an edge they don't need.


Thanks Eric!  Appreciate this and the many, many other tips you've given me on this long rod road. You are a wealth of good info! [smiley=z-respect.gif]



> Great job! Great pics! Great report!


Appreciate that! 



> Very nice!!! You were close to where I always go...... Next time you come over this way (on the weekends anyways) let me know and I'll show you a couple spots....


Thanks Garry!  I will probably do it again in a few weeks, but on a weekend...I don't know if I'm up to the ramp challenges yet. : ;D I got a few other places I'd like to visit also, before putting the trailer back in storage. 



> cool.. congrats on .. the silver king on fly.. !


Thanks Sam!


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## thresher (Dec 18, 2006)

*Somebody give this guy a silver dollar! * Man you never forget your first.  And on your own creation none the less.  That's great.  Congrats!


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